John J. McKee Passing – July 1963

Ask anyone who grew up in Lorain to name a family-owned shoe business and they’ll probably mention the well-remembered Januzzi’s store located on Broadway, and later out at the Sheffield Shopping Center.

But there was another longtime local shoe store that shouldn’t be forgotten: McKee’s.

John J. McKee was the man behind the store store. The article above, which appeared on the front page of the Journal on July 15, 1963 at the time of his passing, provides a short history of the McKee shoe business and John McKee.

“A man whose hobby of foot health led him into the shoe business, he opened his first store at 2701 Broadway in 1953 and later moved the business to 209 Fifth St.

June 1919 ad from
Lorain Times-Herald

“His family was in the shoe business before him. His father operated the first McKee Shoe Co. in Lorain, on the west side of Broadway between Fourth and Fifth Streets, from 1894 to the early 1920’s.

“Before going into business Mr. McKee taught biology for two years at St. Mary High School and 12 years at Lorain High School.

“He was born here in 1909 and spent his entire life in this area, graduating from Lorain High School in 1927.

“In 1931 he graduated from Holy Cross College, Worcester, Mass., and began his teaching career.

“At St. Mary High School in the early 1930s, he was basketball coach and physical education instructor.

“Leaving the educational field in 1948, he worked as a sales representative for various shoe concerns until opening his first shoe shore in 1953."