In 1915, Nettie and Joseph Hagen expanded their Model Laundry Company by purchasing the Missoula Laundry Company and moving their business into the newly completed west section of this building. That original structure and its later additions represent three different commercial architectural styles. Built during the construction boom that followed the advent of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad in Missoula, the first of the laundry’s three parts features the crenelated roof and ornamental brickwork of a vernacular style. In 1928 and 1929, architect H. Elmer Kirkemo, then associated with the distinguished Missoula firm of Gibson and Bakke, designed the two stylistically sophisticated, pre-Depression era additions. The central portion dominates, with its terra cotta parapet, window sills, and detailing providing one of Missoula’s best examples of the mature Art Deco style. The final addition on the east end reflects the Western commercial style and features a concrete cornice and pilasters that echo the styling of the center section. The Hagens sold their business in 1947 to nephews Larry, Herman, and Karl Topel, and it has since remained in the Topel family. The old-fashioned advertising signs painted directly on the brick speak to a bygone era, reminding customers of long-standing service.
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