Apr 03 2008
Wally Bronner RIP
If you ever traveled in Michigan, you’ve seen billboards for Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth. My favourite has a 3-dimensional Santa Claus standing on the edge of the platform, cheerily smiling at the cars backed up on I-75.
As a kid, I was always intrigued by the promise of the World’s Largest Christmas Store. However, my parents weren’t ones for buying Christmas decorations. Somtimes we made our own (including Dad’s famous electric star). Sometimes we got them from neighbors who decided to winter in warmer climes. So it wasn’t until I was in my 20s that I finally went to the huuuuge store - complete with visitor maps.
It was the first of many trips to the CHRISTmas WONDERLAND. And yes, that capitalization was deliberate. Mr. Bronner’s store never lost its focus on Christ. Outside the store is a permanent Nativity display, a replica of the Silent Night Memorial Chapel in Austria, and lyrics of the carol ”Silent Night” in more than 200 languages (no, that’s not a typo!). There is also a sign displaying Bronner’s motto:
“Enjoy CHRISTmas, It’s HIS birthday; Enjoy Life, It’s HIS way.”
Although I never met Mr. Bronner, Sissy did once. When she lived in Flint, she used to visit Bronner’s often, and he was still working. He cared very deeply for his customers. He kept active with various charities, too. Last year he celebrated his 80th birthday with a fundraiser for the Frankenmuth City Beautification group, which maintains the gardens and park-like walks through the Bavarian-American town.
May perpetual light shine on Wally Bronner.
An obituary is here:
