When reminiscing with other Baby Boomers about the Lorain we remember from the 1960s and 70s, I often find that it's the incredible selection of small family-owned-and-run stores that make up some of the more pleasant memories. Much of what you were looking for (with some exceptions of course) was available at such a store within city limits, where you very likely dealt directly with the owner or possibly a member of the family.
While there are still many family businesses that are serving their customers and creating new memories for the current generation, we all have our favorites of the ones that are long gone. These might include Steve's Shoe Repair, Bob's Donuts, Rudy Moc Studio, Andy's Hardware, Paul's Auto Body, Garwell's Bait & Tackle, Harry's Men's Wear, Driscol Music Co., etc. The list goes on and on.
One business that many of us remember was Broadway Feed & Supply, located at 1605 Broadway. The business dates back to 1945, as noted below in the article written by Staff Writer Jeff Kades that appeared in the October 11, 1972 Journal.
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| A June 12, 1945 Journal ad |
"The pizza arrives cold but the Rogers' – C.E., 47, wife Marianne, 45, and son Gary, 18 – gulp it down in between the usual Saturday rush of customers at their Broadway Feed and Supply store in Lorain.
"Those who drop in are no longer the farmers of Lorain County who came to buy hay, straw, horse and chicken feed, back when the store was first established by C.E.'s mom and dad, Mr. and Mrs. B. A. Rogers, in 1945.
"True, they still come around every once in a while, but Lorain County is now more urban than agricultural.
"Broadway Feed today primarily sells pets. Customers are little kids, big kids, animal lovers, and those who just want to talk about their German Shepherd's feeding habits, or the castration of somebody's cats.
"C.E. took over in 1954 after his dad, now 75, retired and moved to Florida. But C.E.'s pocketbook kept telling him the feed business wasn't what it used to be.
"He diversified. He started hawking hamsters, parrots, monkeys, mice and tropical fish, along with chicken remedies, insecticides, and feeds."
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In 1973,
Joseph and
Irene Ceh became the owners and operators of Broadway Feed and Supply.
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| An April 27, 1973 Journal ad |
The Cehs received their own business profile in the Journal on Feb. 24, 1974.
The Cehs were the owner/operators of Broadway Feed and Supply until its 2005 closing.
That's a pretty impressive run for a small, local business; sixty years, same location and only two different family owners.
I remember going in there every once in a while to buy a bag of niger thistle seed for Dad and his bird feeder. It was always interesting to look around, and there was an old-time atmosphere.
I did a "Then & Now" of the streetscape outside the building looking north on Broadway back
here.
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The ominous view of the former Broadway Feed and Supply
building from yesterday afternoon |
