The Ensenberger Furniture Store Collection sheds light on the activities of this Bloomington company from its initial founding in 1879 by Gustave A. Ensenberger to its construction of a new building in 1926.
A good portion of the collection consists of accounting records that describe in detail the business transactions and the finances of the store. There are numerous inventory records that list the merchandise in the store at the beginning of the year. In addition, the collection contains daybooks, journals, and ledgers that keep track of the company’s sales, expenses, inventory, and many other accounts. Aside from the accounting books, there are several items related to the businesses from which Ensenberger purchased goods. The business cards and price lists of a variety of furniture manufacturers and dealers reveal the names of the companies with which Ensenberger did business. These items, mostly from the 1880s, contain prices and illustrations of many furniture products.
A few last items of interest include some bond documents and materials related to the Illinois Club. The bond documents relate to a loan Ensenberger received for the purpose of constructing a new building in 1926. This building still stands on 212 N. Center Street in Bloomington. The materials were donated by Joseph Ensenberger in May 1997.