Story

Enriching HISTORY in the Driftless since 1899.

Who We Are

Hello! We’re the Wrobels, the proud, new owners of the Fortney Hotel building in Viroqua, Wisconsin. Our team, comprised of Larry and Sue Wrobel, along with son, Brian, and daughter-in-law, Amy, hail from Stoddard, Wisconsin, just a short drive from Viroqua.

VISIONARY – BRIAN WROBEL

I am a Project Manager at Poellinger Inc, an owner of an Organic farm, which raises rotationally grazed beef cattle, a mountain biker, a baseball coach, Dad to three awesome kids and a husband to my best friend and supportive wife, Amy. After touring the Fortney for the first time in 2017, I fell in love.  It consumed many sleepless nights of brainstorming how the Fortney could be brought back to life.  While short term goals are always a target, the big picture is my mission.  I want small businesses to start, grow and support their family; people from afar visit, relax and experience; community members interact and enjoy, pass the Fortney on to one of our kids and see the Fortney stand tall as the Cornerstone of Viroqua for centuries to come.

DESIGN COORDINATOR – AMY WROBEL

I am, first and foremost, a mom to three amazing kids and wife to a wonderful (and clearly adventurous) husband. Originally a city girl from the suburbs of the Twin Cities, I went away to college at Winona State University and found myself a farm boy.  I was transplanted to the beautiful Driftless area that we call home and have settled into life on the family farm very easily and completely. I am a paraprofessional in the DeSoto School District and love getting to work with incredible teachers and students each day. 

When Brian started talking about buying the old Fortney Hotel in 2017, I didn’t think he could be serious. I agreed to tour the building out of curiosity and saw immediately that this would be no small feat to restore.  But after nearly three years of dreaming, hundreds of floor plan sketches, and countless calculations, we knew it was an opportunity we couldn’t pass by. We jumped in and haven’t looked back! 

DOER – LARRY WROBEL

When Brian first started looking at this renovation, I was interested.  I like projects.  And when he didn’t bring it up for two years, I was somewhat relieved.  But that changed in the fall of 2019 when I realized that this building is a gem and is too good to be lost.  In the spring of 2020, I retired from 46 years of work at City Brewery and started a retirement path that is far removed from what I always anticipated it would be.  In other words, I’ve done a lot of the demolition, cleaning, painting, and garbage hauling that this project required.  I like grunt-work!  Well, not really.  But I don’t like being bored and the Fortney project has certainly kept me busy.  

Besides being busy at the Fortney, I also enjoy tractor-time and can often be found on the family farm doing a variety of things that need to be accomplished.  I enjoy bike-riding and hiking and especially like to explore Wisconsin’s four seasons. I’m always game for a road-trip, which often involves finding a great craft brewery!  I’m also a great roadie for my wife, Sue, carrying all sorts of music gear.  

DIRECTOR – SUE WROBEL

I am the only one from this crew who purchased a building sight-unseen!  I had been in the building when the Driftless Fair Traders were occupants, but hadn’t seen it in quite a few years.  Deep down, I knew it was worth restoring and have been happy with the results so far.  I am also so very grateful for the communities’ response to our efforts.   I worked in the field of early childhood education for 40 years – a career that I loved.  I still get my kiddo-time with our seven grandchildren and thoroughly enjoy that.  When I retired, hiking and biking were penciled prominently on my list of things to do.  Riding in a lift and stripping a large lobby desk were not!  I’ve still enjoyed plenty of hiking and biking with my husband, Larry, and am thrilled that I also have time to play in a seven-member folk/pop band.

HOTEL FORTNEY HISTORY

In 1899, Toger and Hannah Fortney built the Hotel Fortney on the corner of Main and Court Street.  The grand establishment rivaled hotels of the big cities.  The architectural firm, Schick and Stolze, designed the 54 by 114-foot red brick building with stone accents.  Built in the Queen Anne style, a circular corner oriel bay window and two polygonal oriel features made this building unmistakable.

The lobby featured large windows with stained glass, 12-foot-tall tin ceilings, oak floors, and two sliding glass doors that opened to a reading room with a fireplace.  Exiting the lobby, you walked past the grandeur of the open 3-story staircase, and entered the dining room.  Tin ceilings and maple flooring along with tables covered in fresh, white linens accompanied the excellent food served daily.

Guest rooms featured large windows, Brussels carpeting, three-piece furniture sets, a sink, electricity and electric call bells.  A bath and toilet room were located on each floor with hot and cold water.  Other amenities included an office, baggage room, wash room, and a livery stable…….

In 2020, the Wrobels bought the Fortney and immediately began to survey the areas of the restoration’s greatest needs.  The building was closed and demolition began.  The structure of the two bay windows on Main St. as well as the back corner of the building were in dire need of repair, threatening to crumble and give way.  They were completely removed and rebuilt to replicate the original design.  New windows, exterior paint and a new ADA ramp and stairs rejuvenated the exterior of the building.  On first floor, commercial spaces were opened for multiple small businesses.  The original Lobby was also remodeled and now serves as the Historic Fortney Lounge. The Lounge features the original tin ceilings, refurbished, stained glass windows, terrazzo floors from the 1920’s, and hotel room doors from 2nd and 3rd floor repurposed as table tops. The original Hotel Fortney front desk has also been restored and now serves as the Lounge bar. The Lounge serves craft beer and wines along with food from the Driftless Café and Noble Rind Artisan Cheese Shop.