The New Broadway Building – October 1926

The Broadway Building has been the lynchpin of Downtown Lorain since the 1920s. 

We've all spent time in it at some point over the years: in its offices, restaurants, stores or even the bowling alley that was in the basement. One of my mother's first jobs as a teenager was working in an office there. And our family dentist had his practice there during the 1960s and 70s.

Anyway, I've never seen an ad for the Grand Opening of the Broadway Building. That's why I was excited to see the ad below, which appeared in the Lorain Journal on October 4, 1926.

Unfortunately, it's not a Grand Opening ad – but it's the only ad that I've ever seen from around the time it was new. The building had been constructed in 1925 and had been renting offices, etc. apparently without a lot of success in 1926 so far.

The Lorain Journal even wrote an editorial that appeared that same month on October 20th to drum up some support.

The editorial makes several references to rookeries. So what are they?

According to Merriam-Webster, a rookery is a crowded dilapidated tenement or group of dwellings.

So now you know.

My recent attempt at a 'now' shot to go with the photo in the 1926 ad