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| Portion of 1963 newspaper ad |
During the last few months, I've received several emails from readers suggesting that I do a blog entry on the old Ontario department store. Well, I can't ignore a coincidence like that - so here goes!
I'm sure most Lorain Baby Boomers remember this store. It was located at the intersection of Elyria Avenue and North Ridge Road.
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| September 1962 ad from Lorain Journal |
Researching the store and finding out when it opened has proved rather difficult. Since the store really wasn't in Lorain, it was not to be found in the Lorain phone book listings. Like the Dog 'n Suds nearby (which I've seen described variously as being in Sheffield Township, Elyria Township, Lorain, and Elyria), Ontario was kind of in a no-man's land. The best way to describe its location was just past O' Neil's on the way to Midway Mall.
Ontario was one of several department stores back then that my mother might take my siblings and I to on a Saturday afternoon. Another store would be Hills out in South Lorain. (Sorry, but since a trip to Hills might be capped off with a frozen Coke, I am much more sentimental about that store than Ontario!)
Each of these stores had a different personality, based on their line of goods, their location and clientele. For instance, my mother bought a lot of clothes for us at Hills, but never Ontario. In our house at least, Ontario was more for hardware and sporting goods.
Although Ontario didn't show up in the Lorain City Directory until 1968, I know for certain that it was in existence as early as 1962. Here's a full page ad from the Lorain Journal from March 2, 1962. (Give it a click so you can peruse all the great deals!)
Here's what the company logo looked like by 1969.
Note that under the logo it says 'a division of Cook United'. According to this entry on the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History website, Cook United also owned the Uncle Bill's Discount Department Store chain.
Here's an Uncle Bill's commercial that also has Ontario branding at the end.
Strangely enough, I interviewed at Cook United back in the early 1980's. If they had hired me, I might have worked on some Ontario advertisements and got real used to those squiggly-line borders!
Anyway, I dug through the city directories and noticed that Ontario was no longer listed beginning in 1982. If I ever come up with some concrete dates for the store's grand opening and ultimate closing, I'll post them here.
Today, the old Ontario store complex is home to Lorain County Department of Job and Family Services (shown below). It was a great use of the old building, and one of the projects that former Lorain County Commissioner Betty Blair rightfully considered one of her proudest accomplishments that she voted for while a member of the board.
Ontario seems to have been quickly forgotten. I don't think I've ever seen a newspaper article about the conversion of the store complex to the Lorain County Department of Job and Family Services that ever mentions the former tenant of the building by name.
At least the store lives on in our memories. Raleigh, one of the readers of this blog remembers:
"I remember my brother and I used to get our allowance on Fridays, and once we entered the doors of Ontario's, we would make a bee-line to the model car rack. If you can believe it, that was back in the day when the boxes were sealed with two small pieces of scotch tape on either side of the box... and the paint rack.... people had "tested" the color in the can by redecorating the rack with the prospective color."
Thanks for the story suggestion, the help with the Uncle Bill's research and the personal recollection, Raleigh! And if anyone has a specific memory of shopping at Ontario, be sure to post it here in the comments section! Since there is almost nothing at all on the internet about Ontario, this blog post may be all the attention that this fondly remembered store ever gets!
69 comments:
There was a big stink in the paper for a few days about the architectural "nonsense", ie; the big ball and other details. The commissioners were berated for the location which just happened to have the room and the parking, typical naysayers etc etc etc. Haven't heard anything since.
If I remember correctly the name was changed to Cook's department store. I remember going there a few times with my parents in the 80's. I remember their 'going out of business' sale when the shelves were half empty and they were even selling the shelves and fixtures. Couldn't give you any exact dates though, maybe around 1986.
I remember the Ontario store in Sandusky very well!
My mother shopped at Ontario regularly when we were kids, and I used to go there myself...the prices were good, although as you said, Hill's was more fun if you were a kid.
Cook United history from the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History site:
http://ech.cwru.edu/ech-cgi/article.pl?id=CUI
Also, I remember part of that plaza being Pick'n'Pay, then Edward's Food Warehouse, before the new Finast store was built at Sheffield Center. Not sure what year that was, but Finast was there in the mid 80's - I remember it being there in the days when I worked the International Festival for Lorain Catholic (84-88).
Bill
I lived by May Company in the townhouses. I would walk to Ontario's as a teen, the 80's. I took my senior picture in 1985/1986 with the travelling group that superimposes your picture on a brandy glass. I believe it was called Rink's then. I also bought my favorite tshirt there- John Lennon, Strawberry Fields Forever, 1940-1980 on the day he died, one day before my 13th birthday. My mom iron-on transferred strawberries that we just so happened to have been saving for some reason. This was the shirt for it. I think it was closed about 1988, because my sister got her senior pics there (1987) just before they closed.
That plaza is located in Elyria Township (South of North Ridge/Rt 254, east of the B&O railroad tracks.), known by the USPS as "Elyria 7" back when.
My Mother worked at the Pick-N-Pay store there until 1972 when my sister was born.
The Ontario store was an anchor even after the grocery store became Edwards in the late 70s. Edwards closed in the mid 80s and Ontario followed soon after. The complex sat idle for a while until the County moved in in the late 80s or early 90s.
I don't recall a name change to Cooks toward the end, but the Ontario store was part of a parent group of 3 stores with similar logos. Ontario, Cooks and one that I can't remember. (Cook United Stores was the parent company).
There were Cooks stores in Cleveland until the early 90s.
Cook United bought several chains over the years including Cooks, Clarks, Uncle Bill's (Cleveland), Consolidated Sales Co. (Louisville) and Ontario (Columbus-Cincinnati-Dayton-Louisville). Cook United purchased Rink's from Gray Drug Stores in the late 1970's and converted most of the Ontario stores to Rinks.
I think Ontario was originally headquartered in Cincinnati. Cook United operated Whitehall's Discount City stores in Columbus and Ontario also operated a store. Cooks operated three stores as Ontario in Columbus and one store in Whitehall continued to be called Whitehall's until 1973 when the store was moved to the Eastland Mall area.
In the early 1970's, I was sent there by my neighbor to pick up some interior latex house paint because it was the cheapest at $3 a gallon and she wanted me to paint her living room and kitchen. OMG, it was the worst paint I ever used. heh.
I worked for them as a store manager in Columbus.
A lot of wonderful people were put out of work due to terrible decisions made by upper management.
Yes ,I started working at Whitehall Discount in 1962, was there when they went to the new store on Hamilton Road at least 10 years later and started going by Ontario's Foods. then two or three years later I was laid off for good due to another co. buying out , I think Fazio's. And we were union and had gotten a good raise.
I remember Whitehall Discount used to put all those tents up in the summer time out back of the store. They were so far from the store, they were closer to the houses on Ludington Drive. Surprised no one stole them. Different times in the 60's.
I worked at the Ontario store starting in October of 1968 as a full time clerk in Dayton, Ohio. I joined the management team in 1972 and worked several stores in Dayton, Kettering, Troy, Springfield, Bellefontaine and Xenia. It was a wonderful place to work with so many great people and many fond memories. My store closed in April of 1984.
Did the store in North College Hill, Ohio replace a Rinks store or was it ever a Rinks?
Trying to figure out were Ontarios was located in Springfield Ohio any clues? I know I went there as a child.
Kat, according to this website (below)
http://www.topix.com/forum/city/springfield-oh/T4D2SLM20AC9SQ57O
it was on Sunset.
I was in store management (Assistand Store Manager - hardlines side; not groceries) from 1971 to 1973 at a couple of Ontario Stores in Columbus, Ohio... Alum Creek Drive and Hudson Street. The District Manager at the time was Ron Nebinger. His brother, Gary Nebinger, was the Regional Manager. My mom was Head Cashier at the Ontario Store in Cincinnati on Glenway Avenue (Western Hills) for many years; she later became the District Manager's secretary for the Cincinnati/Dayton District, until all of the stores (which were called "Rinks" at that time) closed, I believe, in 1986. Her name was Alice. My name is Howard. Often times, my mom traveled around the country (Savanah, Baltimore, Gary (Indiana), St. Louis, etc., etc., to help with Grand Openings. After I left Ontario in 1973, I became the Distribution Center Manager at Gold Circle (in Columbus, Ohio). Gold Circle was owned by Federated Department Stores (now Macey's), headquartered in Cincinnati. THE ORIGINAL ONTARIO STORE was on the Alum Creek Drive (in Columbus), and started by a Jewish gentleman named "Fred Silverstein", who purchased a trailer load of Sherwin-Williams paint, and sold it at a discounted price. Ontario was one of the first true discount stores in the country. The rest is history! For the most part, I enjoyed working for Ontario, which was a division of Cook United, Inc. located in Cleveland, Ohio. At some point in time, Cook United owned in excess of 100 stores. It could have (and should have) become what Wal*Mart is today. Cook United didn't keep up with its competition. Such a shame!
My dad was the store manager for the Ontario in Springfield in the late 60's until his death in 1971. I was pretty young then but what I remember most was that they used to have live advertisements in the store. My brother was actually Mr. Peanut (planters peanuts) and my sister dressed up as the Little Dutch Boy for Dutch Boy Paints and they would have to stand at the displays for those products in the store.
Every other Friday was payday for my Mom and Dad and we would load up and go to Ontarios on West Broad St.in Columbus Ohio. Dad worked midnights and they were open late. 9:00 PM was late back then.We would shop come home put things up and Dad would get ready and go to work.What I remember most is they had a Bakery Department that made there own bread and baked goods. They also had a bread slicing machine for the public to use. We would stand in line and wait our turn to slice the bread that Mom was buying. Of course I got to turn the slicer on. The building is still there but several stores have used it but they dont stick around long. I still live in Columbus and still live on the West side and we are hoping with the new Casino the building will once again come back to life.
I grew up in the Amherst/Lorain/Vermilion area in the 60's/70's. I remember May co., S.S.Kresge, Zayre's, Hills, Ontario, Gold Circle, O'Neils, Clarkins, Woolworth, Gaylord's/Giant Tiger, Fisher's Big Wheel, and I'm sure more. Hard to believe they have all coma and gone.
My dad founded the original Ontario store and then expanded with more locations throughout Ohio in the 1950's. He was based in Cincinnati and owned the chain until he sold them to Cook's in the late 60's. His idea was to have the cheapest products possible, but he didn't believe you had to also give great customer service, which is what Walmart got right. He had a great idea, it just wasn't implemented as well as it could have been (If only, I could have been as rich as a Walton!) However, he did successfully challenge Ohio's blue laws so that his stores could be open on Sunday's - no stores in Ohio were open 7 days a week before then. I don't know much else about the stores, my dad sold them many years before I was born so it's interesting to read something about them here.
The Ontario store in North College Hill (suburb of Cincinnati) was not a Rinks Bargain City. Rinks was on Hamilton Ave. about 2 miles north of Galbraith Rd.
I was thinking of my Dad Bob Heiser and decided to Google Ontario’s and found this page very interesting. My Dad was an assistant manager at Ontario and after it was sold went with the owner to some stores he opened in Montana don’t think that worked out. I remember the Ron and Gary Nebingers names. I pretty sure I met them when I was a little kid. I believe my Dad played football in collage with one of them. I think one or maybe both of them ended up with Wall Mart as did my father.
Ron Nebinger and Gary Nebinger were brothers. Ron hired me as a "Manager Trainee" (in 1971) when he was District Manager over the Ontario stores in Columbus and Wheeling(WVA), and the Clark's store in Portsmouth(OH). I was interviewed by Gary Nebinger when he was "Regional Manager" (later to become Senior Vice President) for Cook United, Inc. (the parent company of Ontario, Cooks, Clarks, Consolidated, and Uncle Bills).
I worked for Ontario Dept Stores in Toledo Oh in the early 70,s, they later close and became Rinks, was a nice store to work for, many good memories of my first job!
My dad was a store manager at each Cincinnati store for awhile and later became a district manager for the Dayton area, and later at home, in the Cincinnati area, as I recall. I remember at the dinner table as a high schooler my dad considering a move to Montana with the owner (Nacey?). I remember the Nebinger names and Fred Silverstein as common names in conversation about work with my mom. I am going to show this to my Dad. I am sure he will enjoy reading about everyone's memories, and he will undoubtedly know many of the people discussed here.
I was just doing a search of old places from my childhood when I found this. What a trip down memory lane. I lived in the slummy apartments by May Co. in the late 70's/early 80's and Ontario was a significant part of that period for me. My memories of the store are extremely vivid and I can still see the layout in my head. It's where I first discovered the Atari video game system on a display. I used to go there all the time after school to play. I would sneak cartridges from behind the counter, and would sometimes get in trouble for doing so. I also remember when they got a Pac Man arcade game and all of my quarters would go in it. The song 'Video Killed The Radio Star' by The Buggles was brand new and could be heard over the PA system. I remember getting kicked out by a manager named Mr. Flanagan when the buddy I was with was caught shoplifting Key Cars and Wrist Racers. Anyone remember those?
I remember the store eventually changed its name to Uncle Bills, then to Cooks, then I think it was gone soon after. I also remember Edwards grocery store in the same building. And I can't forget how us kids would go into Tower Drive-in and turn up the speakers so we could watch the movies at night through the fence next to Edwards. Ah, good times... I would love to see pictures of the building as it was in the late 70's.
There had to be a BMV across from this plaza back in 1975 or so. I remember going there with my girlfriend and staring at the shopping plaza across the street while she flirted with the male customers in her tube top. I could have sworn it was an Uncle Bill's back then, but I'm probably wrong. I wasn't from the immediate area and this was mid-to late 70's.
it had to be at least as early as 62 because we moved from Lorain when i was 4 in 60 and although made a few trips back dad's brother had moved not long afterward to Amherst to be closer to the Ford plant /Lorain ...and I know , unless I am totally senile , we used to walk to Ontarios, mom , my aunt and my cousin and I .
What was the name of the craft store in Great Western Shopping Mall on the west side of Columbus, OH. It is now named "Michael's"!. The place that took it over was J. C. Penney's Dept. Store. Remember, Kroger's "yellow stamp program"? And Big Bear's "orange stamp program"? I remember Rink's Dept. Store on Sullivant Ave.. I remember Zayre's & Service Merchandise Catalog Store. Remember Westland Mall (being Outside air & Indoor). Remember Gold Circle & Fazio's Grocery Store.
In Lincoln Village Shopping Mall, remember every 4th of July the parade & the little fair every summer. Now, the little booths "during the 4th of July"? Remember, the Candy store on Beacon Hill & Murray Hill Rd. "where the Doctors' offices are?
I think Dan Brady should honor Retailer Phyllis Frazier Nacey who founded the Ontario stores and challenged Ohio's ridiculously myopic blue laws. She recently passed away. I remember the Ontario store well.
Hi Lisa,
That is an excellent suggestion. I read about her passing in the Chronicle-Telelgram a few days ago and went back to my archives to see if she had been mentioned in any of my Ontario posts. Unfortunately the vintage newspaper articles only mentioned her husband Walter Nacey and failed to include her contribution as the co-founder of the store chain we all remember fondly. Her obituary mentions her considerable civic activities and involvements.
Here is the link to her obituary:
http://www.chroniclet.com/obituaries/2016/10/27/Phyllis-Frazier-Nacey.html
And here is a link to a C-T story about her challenging of Ohio’s blue law.
http://www.chroniclet.com/Local-News/2016/10/28/Elyria-retailer-helped-open-up-Sunday-store-openings-in-state.html
My dad work Kettering an Dayton found out I have a half brother that I am looking for my dad name is Robert cremeans an he would pic up the money put it I. A box snapping cart I was 7 or 8 at the time he had got some lady that wanted to have a kid a she was married he is about 40 plz call if you know some thing 8135263098
Hey.my dad work there 72 77 an his name was Robert cremeans an I found out that I have half brother an iam.look for him.i do not know his name but I do know that she was married a her man would not give he a kid so.my dad did he is about 40 if you can help me plz call me at 8135263098
Woolco and drug emporium was also there
I am trying to track down 2 people I was really fond of that worked at the Gold Circle store on Olentangy River Rd. in Columbus around 1971-73. I worked in the cosmetics counter. I am looking for Dorenda Betts and "Chris" from sporting goods. Does anybody remember who the manager was also ? -- He was short and plump, I think balding-blond . Thanks !!!!
Does anyone remember Mac from Woolco on Wilson Rd in Columbus circa 1969 .
tempnurse @aol.com
I started working at Ontario in February 1959 at the tender age of 17. The store was at 19th and Broadway where Lake Screen Printing is located. I stayed with the Company until 1975 and then left, realizing the company was beginning to have problems. I became Manager of the Lorain store around 1966-67. The store on Rte 254 opened I believe near the end of 1959.Worked with many fine people during that time. The owners at the time were Walter and Phyliss Nacey who started the Ontario Store chain. They are both deceased,. It was a nice family atmosphere when they ran the company. I worked at several stores during my time there, including working out of state, Iowa and Kansas City Mo. and several Cleveland area Uncle Bill's Stores. I recognize most of the names mentioned in previous comments and worked with many of those people. If you have any comments or questions on this, my e-mail is jojd751@gmail.com.
It was located on Main St./ rt 40 on the east side of town. My parents shopped there a lot when I was a kid.
Where was it located?
Here's Walter Nacey's obit: https://www.the-daily-record.com/article/20030809/OBITUARIES/308099990
I worked for Cook United's Uncle Bills chain in the Cleveland area during the mid/late 70s. Cook had expanded into a lot of slow growing areas and never achieved the volumes they had in Cleveland, which always led the chain. The various regionals they had bought were a hodgepodge of different sized stores and some odd locations. There was an Ontario in north Toledo that was basically in the middle of nowhere--part of an industrial zone surrounded by older residential areas. The Rink's/Bargain City stores they bought a little later also were a real mix. Cook United was over extended by their expansion (which included specialty stores), didn't bring in hoped-for volumes and had to deal with the hyperinflation of the late 70s and the recession that followed. The discount chain market was oversaturated and lots of chains closed or consolidated, everywhere. They just didn't have resources to successfully continue. Toward the end they tried to bring in more customers with softlines (not their strength; they had started out being very hard good-oriented) but it didn't work. Very sad. Enjoyed working for them--we were expected to run stores that were much nicer than many competitors.
The Naceys had 3 stores, Lorain Springfield and Columbus circa 1962. They were bought out by Cook United around that time. They worked for Cook as consultants for a few years after that. During which time more stores were opened in Columbus, Cinncinati and other areas of Ohio. Fred Silverstein was a jewelry salesman when Walter Nacey hired him to be the manager of the Alum Creek store. He then went on to be a Vice President of Cook United in charge of the discount division. Cook United also owned Pic-N-Pay grocery stores but sold off the division to concentrate on the discount store division. Discount stores were in their infancy at the time but grew rapidly.
I have enjoyed reading the various comments concerning the Ontario Stores and the evolution of the franchise. I remember Mr. and Mrs. Nacey and their son and daughter. For a period of time they lived on Lorain's East Side on one of the side streets bordering Root Rd., Euclid Ave., "G" St. and Grant St.
I grew up on that same street where they were our neighbors for a time. Around 1959 when the US Steel mill in Lorain went on strike, Mr. Nacey offered jobs to my dad and our next door neighbor who both worked in the steel mill. That job at the Ontario Store helped both men both named "Bob" to survive the strike. Our next door neighbor Bob worked for the Nacey family for many years after. I also did some part-time work for the Nacey's in 1968-1969 at their home in Elyria on Gulf Road. Walter and Phyllis Nacey were humble, hard working people. robertlestersmith@hotmail.com
I remember both Bobs, Bob Bender was one can't recall the name of the other Bob. Another steel worker was Bill Edmond, these 3 men worked together originally building counters to be used in the new store on Rte 254. Bob Bender and Bill continued to work at the new store when it opened.
Do know where the store was at in the Norwood or the area
There must have been an Ontario store in NW Ohio, too. Probably Toledo area, I remember going to it with my grandmother.
There were actually 2 stores in Toledo. One I believe was on Berne Road I think thats how you spell it. It was out in no mans land. The other was either in or near a shopping center. John D.
The other Spfld location was on Leffel Ln. I worked at both.
I didn't realize there were 2 locations in Springfield. I worked at the one on Main St back in about 1961 for a year or so. Then I went back to Lorain store. John D.
The Ontario store to which you refer was located on Ridge Avenue in Oakley/Norwood. The building still exists. I believe it is a Furniture Fair department store.
The manager of the Olentangy store was Ron Hansel.
Ontario's was in Lorain on Broadway before it opened at the North Ridge Road location. Walter Nacey, the originator of Ontario opened his first store in downtown Lorain in 1958.
The original store was at 19th and Broadway where lake Screen Printing is located now. I believe it did open in 1958. I started working there in February 1959. Stayed with the company for 17 years.
I grew up in Avon an fondly recall going to both Ontario and Pick n Pay with my Mom. VERY young at the time. Pick n Pay sticks in my mind because of the books and books of green stamps that you would get with your purchases. Ontario also reminds me of the South Lorain Hills, KMart, the Zayre's across Rt 57 from the Midway Mall and Gold Circle next to Midway Mall. Oh, the memories!
Did you know my dad Robert cremeans
Randy, When did your Dad work at Ontario. I worked at the LOrain store from feb 1959 until 1967. I don't recall the name. Which store did he work at.
We lived right next to Ontario on Galbraith rd. Our address was 1537 West Galbraith. I remember my bedroom window was on the side facing the parking lot, so that big red letter "O" would shine through my window at night!! We did a lot of shopping there.
The location at Lefell Lane and South Limestone Avenue was originally a Clark's. It is where Big Lots is now located. The other location was on US 40 and it has been demolished.
Very good summary. When Cooks bought Ontario, their sole Columbus store was in that kind of an industrial area. Two of the three Whitehall's Discount City stores that Cooks already owned were built from the ground up and were relatively nice for their time and day. They ended up being rebranded to Ontario. The third Whitehall's store, located in Whitehall, was eventually relocated to the Eastland Mall area in 1973 (I think) and finally ended up taking the Ontario name.
The Clarks stores seem to be more low end. Gamble's also owned Tempo and Buckeye Mart stores throughout Cooks Midwestern footprint.
The original Ontario Store in Springfield was at 3240 E Main Street which is now called East National Road. They later built anew store at 2722 E Main street. After Ontario closed it became a Krogers. I don't know if it is still Krogers or not.
Just across the street from Ontario's (on Elyria Ave.) was Sally Ann's Bakery. Wish I could find a bakery like that these days!
I lived right across the street from Ontario's side entrance, right next to the bakery, from the 70's until I left for the Air Force in 1987. Tons of memories of that old neighborhood, thanks for writing about it.
I remember a store in that area where you had to write the price on your item with an oil pencil. the kind where you pulled a string to reveal more of the crayon.
Anyone remember what bulidngs it was next to in lorain?
Originally it was in the building where Lake Screen Printing is now.
Correction to the above: all three Columbus Whitehall's stores were built from the ground up by either Cook United or the predecessor company that owned Uncle Bill's.
Here's some trivia: the original Whitehall's store located at 4661 East Main St. served as corporate headquarters for The Limited after Whitehall's moved down the road to the Eastland Mall area and finally adopted the Ontario name.
I do seem to recall it was Cooks for a short time.
Ben Franklin's
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