At the end of this month, when Hegedorn’s Market closes for good, Webster will be losing one of its oldest and most valued businesses. Fortunately, however, plans are in the works to preserve some of the most colorful pieces of Hegedorn’s long history.
For more than three decades, 32 hand-painted ceiling panels have decorated the length of the checkout area, entertaining any shopper (who happened to look up) with pictures of flying food items, snacks and beverages.
The panels, each measuring 2 x 4 feet, were created during the 1990/91 school year by teams of fourth and fifth grade students from Klem North Elementary School. Carrie Frank was a fourth grader that year, and her father Matt was Hegedorn’s Maintenance Manager. It was Matt who first approached art teacher Jack Morse about the unusual, grocery-themed art project.
Carrie remembers the assignment well: to take a product with a label and create it “flying in the sky” above the registers. Matt installed the completed tiles in the ceiling, and the art classes took field trips to the store to see them in place.
Carrie remembers, “It was a great experience as children growing up, every week going shopping and seeing our tiles at check out.”
Now, even though Hegedorn’s is closing, Carrie and her classmates are getting a chance to rekindle those memories and take their panels home.
Fred Palmer, Hegedorn’s current produce manager, has taken on the time-consuming task of removing the panels, and the more difficult challenge of tracking down the original artists. Even though the job means climbing up and down a very tall stepladder and dodging paying customers, Fred knows how important it is.
Pointing at one of the three panels he’d already removed, he said, “This is a piece of history. I’d hate to have it thrown into a dumpster and just be lost. It’s a connection to these kids.”
“It’s the sentimental value more than anything,” he added. “It’s priceless.”
The students signed the back of the panels, so Fred is going to make a list, then display all of the panels along the top of the produce case with name cards. That way, any former student who comes into the store can claim their artwork.
Hegedorn’s last day of operation is Sunday June 25, but Fred hopes to have all of the panels removed well before then.
Carrie Frank’s panel was one of the first to be retrieved. She lives out of town now, but will be back in town soon to reclaim her panel, complete with its flying Campbell’s Soup can. And she’s already got plans for it; she’s going to put it in her kids’ tree fort.
Which means that at least one of the Hegedorn’s tiles will fly again, for the next generation of young artists.
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(posted 6/6/2023)
webster on the web 
I love the stories you find and share Missy… we’re lucky to have you out and scouting for our enjoyment and enlightenment!
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Thank you Kathy! As you will learn at the library talk, that story came from a reader.
Great job!! You hit it on the point!!! Hope this draws attention to others to claim their panels!
Me too!
Just wondering how I can “claim” mine, as I live out of town. Or at least if someone could send me a photo! I can’t remember which one was mine, but I’d love to find out!
Sarah, email me at missyblog@gmail.com. I have an idea
Sarah, can you email me again? I saw it briefly but think I deleted it. Something about your daughter…..
I would like to claim mine too! I love out of town though also. Let us know!
Yours might be the one that Carrie worked on as well. You might have to haggle over it 🙂