Adolph "Papa" Scholz opened the Scholz Saloon in 1877. The establishment, run by his son-in-law, offered an oasis of refreshment amid the busy shopping emporiums. In 1885, Scholz transformed the rear of the building into a glass-enclosed garden filled with lush tropical plants, where drunkenness was not allowed. This new space, which became known as the "Palm Garden," opened with a concert and soon became a favorite gathering spot for German families to eat, drink beer, and listen to music. The local Beethoven Mannerchor (male choir) sometimes performed there (Steinfeldt, 196).

The building burned down in the late 1890s, and Scholz's daughter and son-in-law constructed a new building that they leased to Wolff & Marx Department Store for many years ("Famous Scholz Garden").

The interior of the Scholz Palm Garden, taken facing west towards Losoya Street. Pictured is the glass-roofed garden, with two mezzanine levels containing palms on ledges. Seated behind the balcony railing are: Fred Hummert, Otto Koehler (of the San Antonio Brewing Association), Adolf Scholz, Otto Wahrmond, and the Boerner family (Scholz's daughter's family).

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Courtesy of the San Antonio Conservation Society Foundation, Raba Collection.