Kelly's Jet System Hamburgers – 1963

St. Patrick's Day is almost here, so here's a St. Pat-themed ad for Kelly's Jet System Hamburgers that ran in the Lorain Journal on March 15, 1963 – 50 years ago this week.

What's that? You don't remember that particular hamburger chain?

I gotta admit, I didn't either – even though the fast food outlet was on North Ridge Road right across from the O'Neil - Sheffield Center.

Kelly's Hamburger Drive-in first appeared in the 1963 Lorain City Directory at 1390 N. Ridge Road – but not for long. After only a few years, the outlet was listed as a Casey's Drive-in in the 1966 directory.

And then, by the time of the 1970 directory, the building was listed as vacant. It would take until the 1974 book for another tenant to take over: Mary's Ice Cream Parlor.

The former Kelly's/Casey's building is still there today (below), with a new address – 42675 N. Ridge. The building retains some of the Kelly's diamond-shaped graphics.

****

There's not too much about the Kelly's Hamburger system on the internet. This Flickr® site included the vintage photo below of a Kelly's outlet in Warren, Michigan.

And this Flickr set includes a vintage Kelly's ad.

Don's Archery Shop – 1963

Archery cheesecake courtesy of the Harry Volk Jr. Art Studio

I got an email the other day from longtime blog reader Rae, who had a pretty good question for me.

"In your media meanderings," she wrote, "have you seen anything related to an indoor archery range in Lorain?"

I had to admit I hadn't.

Rae's email continued. "My Dad took me several times to an indoor range in the early 60's. I remember it being near a park; I remember big trees like Oakwood." She seemed to think it was somewhere in Central Lorain.

"It is one of those memories that hits you as you're waking up," she added.

Well, I can certainly identify with those feelings – I get'em all the time! So I stopped at the library to try and find the answer for her.

Anyway, a quick look in some early phone books revealed that Lorain did indeed have an indoor archery range back then.

1963 Lorain Phone Book Ad

Don's Archery Shop at 326 W. 37th Street advertised its Shawnee Indoor Archery Lanes as "Northern Ohio's Largest Archery Center."

I guess the store was ahead of its time. Who knew that the blockbuster movie The Hunger Games would make archery hip almost 50 years later?

Don's Archery Shop continued to appear in the phone book for a couple years, before the listing was shortened to "Indoor Archery Range" with the same address and phone number. But by 1970 the business was no longer listed.

Anyway, Rae is going to drive over to that 37th Street address to see if Don's Archery Shop hits the bullseye when it comes to her 1960s memory.

Jacob F. Gerhart Obituary – May 13, 1961

To wrap up my look at Smith & Gerhart, here's the obituary of Jacob Gerhart, one of the founders. He lived to a ripe old age of almost 90 years old, and the news of his death appeared on the front page of The Lorain Journal on May 13, 1961.

****

Jacob F. Gerhart Dead
Founder Of One Of Oldest Business Firms Here Dies

A civic leader and founder of one of Lorain's oldest business houses, Jacob F. Gerhart, died Friday afternoon at the residence of his brother, Frank, 176 Avon Belden Rd., Avon Lake.

Mr. "G", as he was known before his retirement 23 years ago, would have been 90 years old Sept. 21. Born in Carlisle Township in 1871, he attended Elyria schools. At the age of 14 he became an employee of a dry goods establishment in Elyria and then spent his life working in that field.

In 1887, Mr. Gerhart, together with Henry Smith and John Opfer purchased the Boston Store on Broadway and retained the name of the business until Opfer sold his share to the other two. From then on, the establishment was known as Smith and Gerhart until Mr. "G" sold his interest in 1951.

He was a director of the National Bank of Lorain from 1933 to 1952 and active in many phases of civic groups including the Community Chest, the Chamber of Commerce and the Merchants Association.

Mr. Gerhart was also a former member of Lorain Elks and was an honorary member of the Rotary Club. He belonged to St. Joseph Catholic Church in Avon Lake and the Holy Name Society. He was  a longtime member of marathon cribbage players, a quarter of prominent Lorainites, A. J. Ginnane, Edgar J. Craft, James L. Martin and Gerhart.

Surviving are two sons, Arthur of Rocky River and Joseph in Lorain; three sisters, Mrs. Anna Giblin of Lorain, Mrs. Mayme Kilbridge of Berlin Heights and Mrs. Agnes O'Shea in Massillon; six granddaughters, and a great-granddaughter.

His wife, Sebenia, died several years ago.

Friends may call at the Burmeister Funeral Home, 163 Avon-Belden Rd., Avon Lake, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. today and Sunday.

Funeral services will be held Monday at 10:30 a.m. in St. Joseph Church with Rev. Fr. Carl C. Wernet, pastor, officiating.

Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Lorain.

Meet Mr. Smith and Mr. Gerhart

Smith (left) and Gerhart circa 1903

Here's a picture of two of the founders of the Lorain business that later became Smith & Gerhart: H. M. Smith (on the left) and J. F. Gerhart (on the right). (Note: different sources alternately have Smith's middle initial as either M. or F.)

The Lorain, Ohio 1903 Souvenir book by George H. Teague includes an entry about the two gentlemen (below).

****

THE BOSTON STORE.

Five years ago two young men came to Lorain from Elyria and started in business. For over ten years they had been clerking there in the leading dry goods emporiums. They were popular, eminently capable and commanded respect and confidence of all who knew them and their enviable reputations preceded them.  With them they brought the same energy and thrift that had characterized their business apprenticeship, and with these sterling qualities combined with moderate capital the Boston Store was opened.

"Great oaks from little acorns grow," and from a comparatively small beginning exceptional success has followed them, for experience had planted them well. Patronage followed, the trade of the people was appreciated and well taken care of until today after a lapse of only five years the floor space has been increased one-third and the stock carried more than doubled. Thousands of this city's purchasing public know the Boston Store, by which name the firm is designated, but comparatively few know the names of its enterprising proprietors.

The people know that the Boston Store's three distinct departments are stocked with a complete and up-to-date assortment of dry goods, carpets and cloaks. The firm when beginning business decided on a motto that has been rigidly followed: "Keep Stock up – Prices Down," and the result is that the Boston Store has become a household word with bargains as its companion thought. All this credit is due the proprietors, two hustling young gentlemen, H. M. Smith and J. F. Gerhart – Smith & Gerhardt. Our hats are doffed, for the capacity of the store is being taxed to its utmost and more room is again the cry. Keep your eye on the Boston Store, for a magnificent future is not only predicted, but practically assured.

Smith & Gerhart – 1955

Here's an article about another well-remembered Downtown Lorain store: Smith and Gerhart. The article appeared in the Lorain Journal on June 21, 1955 and provides a nice history of the store, as well as a description of what it was like in the mid-50's.

****

S&G Store Founded in 1893

Courtesy Black River
Historical Society

Many changes in merchandising, alleviation of parking problems and added conveniences for the modern day shoppers have taken place since almost 58 years ago when Smith and Gerhart, Inc., then known as the Boston Store, opened its doors.

The depression of 1893 was over and business was just picking up when three men in their twenties, Henry F. Smith, J. F. (Jake) Gerhart and John Opfer, opened the Boston Store in less than 3,000 square feet of space.

Popular Store
Many old-timers still refer to Smith and Gerhart as the Boston Store, which was popular because of the finest ready-made attire and yard goods which was brought in from Boston and England.

The original Boston Store was located on the present site of the Woolworth Co. in the 500 block of Broadway. The land on which the store stood was owned by another Henry Smith, an Oberlin resident and an uncle of one of the founders.

When the store opened coal was delivered anywhere in the city at $1.75 per ton, men's work shirts were selling at 29 cents each and one bakery was giving away bread to attract customers.

Long Hours
In those early days charge accounts were filed on a spindle, clerks worked about 65 hours per week and took home a five dollar bill at the end of each week.

Today, Smith and Gerhart has a large corps of girls in a modern accounting department, a small army of trained clerks and supervisors, merchandising methods are up-to-the-minute and the 36,000 square feet of space is systematically utilized for convenient and easy shopping.

The Boston Store grew from the start. In 1903, the firm purchased from the Wickens family a building at 506-508 Broadway which adjoins the present structure.

Name Changed

1957 version of S&G logo

In 1927, the Boston Store name was changed to Smith and Gerhart, Inc., but continues to remain on the company letterheads and some of the advertising. In this year a three floor store at 510-520 Broadway was erected. With the one floor in the adjacent building added and called the "second floor annex," the firm had floor floors.

A third floor was added to the old building of which the first floor was occupied by another company and a children's department was opened in March, 1939.

In 1941, 1944, 1945 and 1946 the second and main floors were modernized, a fourth floor was added to the 506-598 Broadway structure and a "Youth Center" was added.

Air Conditioning

In the summer of 1946, a warehouse was established in the basement of that building.

Current view of the S&G Bldg

Modern shopping in recent years resulted in Smith and Gerhart becoming the first commercial establishment to install air conditioning throughout the building and the first retail outlet to open a parking area for customers.

Dan C. Smith, the present owner and son of one of the founders, said Smith and Gerhart is continuing to progress and live up to the reputation established more than half a century ago for excellence in stock, quality of goods at low prices.

****

In early July 1980, it was announced that Smith & Gerhart was going out of business when its present inventory was sold. At the time, the store was the oldest business in downtown Lorain.

A Chronicle-Telegram article of July 4, 1980 stated, "The store has gone from a four-floor operation with 119 employees to nine employees working on two floors."

Lorain Youth Center – Feb. 1968

You might remember that I featured the Lorain Youth Center – the 1954 version that was on Elyria Avenue – last September in this post.

Well, here's a photo and accompanying caption that ran in the Lorain Journal on Feb. 5, 1968. It features a few teens enjoying themselves at the newer version of the Lorain Youth Center on Leavitt Road between W. 21st Street and Meister Rd.

The caption reads, "Lorain Youth Center celebrated its new building in grand style Saturday drawing more than 500 teenagers to the open house. Completed in late December, the new building at 2501 Leavitt Road is nearly three times the size of the old center on Elyria Ave. at 30th St. Shown dancing to the music of "The James Gang" are Janice Sennhenn, 16, of 1302 Maple Drive, and Dennis Kish, 17, of 1220 Root Road. (Journal photo by Terry Thomas)

****

When the Lorain Youth Center opened its new digs in 1968, its address in the city directory was briefly 2507 Leavitt Road. That particular address formerly belonged to H. N. Wieland Printing since about 1954, when it and the airport were the only things out that way.

Although I'm not sure, I suspect that the printing company's building was just adapted or remodeled for its new function as a teen center.

Anyway, according to the city directories,  the building served as the Lorain Youth Center until around 1980, when it was listed as the Lorain City Catholic Center. By 1983 its directory listing had changed to the Lorain County Catholic Youth Organization Center.

Around 1985 it became the Lorain Party Center & Catering Service.

The view this past Sunday afternoon

Strangely enough, although I didn't live that far from the Lorain Youth Center, I don't remember ever going in there while I was in high school. It wasn't until it had become a party center that I played a few wedding gigs there in the 80s and 90s.

More on that 1910 Oberlin Avenue Farmhouse

The view a few weeks ago

I was hoping that someone would have some information about that 1910 farmhouse on Oberlin Avenue (next to the Croatian Club) that I wrote about (here) in late January. I had no idea that the someone would be Bob Kovach, who has contributed many an interesting comment on this blog over the years.

It turns out that Bob's father grew up in that house in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

As Bob wrote in an email, "My father remembers the property had a large barn and many small sheds for housing all types of animals such as pigs, chickens, goats and rabbits. He also remembers the house was divided in two, and that a Mrs. Barry lived in the other side."

That makes sense, since the listing of the house in the 1954 Lorain County Farm & Rural Directory showed two tenants: Mrs. Anna Retay (who would continue to live there until the late 1980s) and G.D. Varney.

Bob noted that his father and his brother would ride the bus to Clearview School from there. He also added, "One other bit of information was that the property went all the way back into the Seven Pines area."

Thanks very much to Bob and his father for revealing some of this interesting house's history.