Tuesday, February 11, 2014

The Brick Building at Abbe & Colorado

The view on Friday of 5316 Colorado Avenue
As promised, here's what I could find out about that brick building on the southeast corner of the intersection of Abbe Road and Colorado Avenue.

Courtesy Lorain County Auditor website
From what I can tell looking at the library's incomplete collection of city directories, the building has been there since the late 1950s. That's when a variety of businesses – usually two at a time – first appeared at that location.

The first business to appear in the directory was Hovinetz Gifts & Hardware at 5312 Colorado Avenue. That makes sense, since Frank Hovinetz lived right next door at 5320 Colorado Avenue.

Within a couple of years, Snip & Clip barber shop joined the gift/hardware store at that location with a 5316 Colorado Avenue address.

The gift/hardware store was replaced in the directory by Scotts Auction House in the 1963 book. The auction house had a 5314 Colorado Avenue address.

Next, a variety of restaurants took over the space formerly used by the barber shop. Madge's Coffee Shop showed up in the 1964 book, followed by Chris' Sub Shop in the 1965 book. By 1968, the sub shop had become Chris' Restaurant (run by Frank and Chris Bishop and not to be confused with Chris' Restaurant on West Erie Ave. in Lorain.)

By the mid-1970s, Schmidt's Hayseed Lounge (also known as Schmidt's Tavern) appeared in the directory at the 5316 Colorado address. It would be the sole business at the location until the early 1980s.

As of the 1983 directory, Schmidt's was joined by Country Korner Antiques. By 1984, both Schmidt's and the antique shop were gone from the book and replaced by Anderson Farm Market, which became Sheffield Farm Market in the 1985 book.

From 1986 until the late 1980s, the addresses associated with that location – 5314 and 5316 Colorado Avenue – were either vacant or listed as "no return."

Finally in 1989, Arden Contractor Supplies took over the 5316 address.

Since the widening of Colorado Avenue in the 1990s, it's unclear as to whether any businesses have actually operated at that location.

It will be interesting to see if any new development occurs there once the Dollar General is in operation across Abbe Road.

9 comments:

JIM said...

At one time, this was also called Dusty's Tavern. It was rumored (take this with the grain of it being a junior high school rumor) that it was owned by the girl's gym teacher. Her first name was Dusty and it was also rumored that she liked to drink. Putting up with school kids all day who could blame her, but as far as I know this was all cafeteria talk and nothing more. Some time in the early 80s there was an independent truckers strike. A truck that was parked there was set on fire. A Sheffield Twp. fire truck responding to it was hit by a train at the Conrail crossing south of there. It is because of that the push began to install crossing gates there.

Boilerplant said...

It was Sheffield Village fire truck. It was responding for mutual aid and policy was to not stop at crossings because what was the chance a train would be using it the same time. The Village gave the train a ticket because it failed to yield to an emergency vehicle. Since then the law has been changed.

Anonymous said...

My parents ran Madges Coffee shop for a short time . I remember it vaughly as I was in 8th grade at St.Teresa then. I found a few photos awhile back and gave them to the SHEFFIELD MUSEUM guy in the bldg by Mike Bass.

Anonymous said...

Do you happen to have an article or know if one for the empty plot across the street? Heard I used to be a gas station, I’ve been trying to find more info on both locations for years

Dan Brady said...

Check out this post:

https://danielebrady.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-intersection-of-abbe-rd-and.html

Anonymous said...

Yes it was Cloyds gas station he was a Good friend yo my father

Anonymous said...

I thought Dusty's was down theroad on Colorado but in Avon. Somewhere across from mulligans

Anonymous said...

Cloyd & Betty Dull owned the gas station across the street. I used to stop there quite often.

Anonymous said...

It was Cloyd & Betty Dulls gas station. I used to stop there quite often.