Wednesday, April 29, 2020

1970 Vermilion Liberty Avenue Streetscape – Part 3

Continuing with our look at the businesses that were located on Liberty Avenue in Vermilion circa 1970, compared with what companies are there now...

I’ve only eaten at The Nest (at 3701 Liberty Avenue) once, but was impressed by the great food, service and decor. It’s one of the few businesses (besides The Pit) listed in that 1970 directory that are still around. Here’s the link to its Facebook page.

June 18, 1970 ad from the Vermilion Photojournal
The Nest today
D&D Sohio Service Station was located at 3714 Liberty Avenue. Surprisingly, it was not on a corner like so many other gas stations. (Gino’s Lounge next door had that honor.) Today the former service station building is home to Ondus Auto Service.

I was genuinely surprised to see that at one time, there was a full-service grocery store literally a few minutes from where I live now. Moats Sparkle Market was located at 3723 Liberty Avenue (just to the east of Trinity Lutheran Church). Today the building is home to Napa Auto Parts (which is still nice to have nearby, but I’d rather have the food).

The listing for Pickering’s Cottages at 4125 Liberty Avenue is intriguing. Unfortunately I’m not sure if the address is correct, since that would put them between The Pit and the gentle upward slope of the overpass. 
Back on this post, I noted that the 1954 Lorain County Farm & Rural Directory – which lists businesses in the order that an observer recorded them, relative to each other with no numerical addresses – indicated that Pickering’s Cottages were located to the east on U.S. Route 6 near Ferndale. A review of the historic aerial website does show a small row of cottages/cabins on the southeast corner of Ferndale and Liberty.
Next: A few more businesses
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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousApril 29, 2020 at 9:20 AM

    Dan to get a look at what was just to the west of the D&D Sohio Service Station, copy and paste this link. It is from Lake Shore Rail Maps site. ..http://www.lakeshorerailmaps.com/lse/vermilion/images/166%20vermilion%201965.jpg .. Bill N

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  2. Dan BradyApril 29, 2020 at 9:25 AM

    Wow, that’s incredible. I had no idea one of those repurposed LSE cars was right next door to the gas station. Thanks for sharing that link, Bill! As much as I’ve visited Drew’s Lake Shore Rail Maps website over the years, I’m still learning something new each time I visit.

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  3. AnonymousApril 29, 2020 at 6:24 PM

    Many of these businesses had to be relocated during the widening of Liberty Ave. Entire buildings were moved in some cases. I believe Driftwood and Elberta Inn both moved their buildings.

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  4. Dan BradyApril 29, 2020 at 6:38 PM

    You are absolutely correct about Elberta Inn and what was then Fior’s (later Driftwood) having to move their buildings. On this post you can find some information about the Fior’s move:
    https://danielebrady.blogspot.com/2014/06/fiors-lake-road-spaghetti-house.html
    And tomorrow’s post will feature Elberta Inn.

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