email: agilitynut@hotmail.com
Loading

Ohio Mid-Century Modern: Retail Buildings

(hit "refresh" to get the most recent version of this page; click on photos for larger images)

former Fotomat
Hamilton, OH		 former Kronheims Furniture
Eastlake, OH
This former Fotomat was in use as the Sno Palace snow cone stand until 2007. It has been vacant since then. For more, see this website. Fotomat was a drive-thru photo developing chain founded in San Diego, CA in the 1960s. Their kiosks were located in shopping center parking lots. By 1980, there were over 4,000 locations nationwide. For more, see this page.

Kronheims Furniture moved into this building in 2000. It had been occupied for many years by Nagel & Poor, a moving and storage company. I don't know the original occupant but it looks bank-like to me. This photo was taken in 2005 when the building was vacant. I believe it is currently occupied by Northeast Direct.

Educators Music
Lakewood, OH
The Educators Music building was constructed in 1966.

Wurster Drugs
Portsmouth, OH
Wurster Drugs was established in 1897. This building was built in 1959. The neon sign is probably from then as well. It originally had a clock. In 2011, the business closed and the sign was removed. It was sold to a private collector. I don't know if this building is still there. For more, see this website.

Anthony Rossi Studio
Canton, OH
The Anthony Rossi Studio features four metal screens on the second floor. They are probably from the 1960s.

Szabo Shoes
Rocky River, OH
Szabo Shoes was established around 1930. This building appears to have been built or significantly remodeled in the 1950s or 1960s. For more, see this website.

Sears
Columbus, OH		 former Lazarus
Columbus, OH
These Sears and Lazarus department stores were built in 1968 as part of the Eastland Mall. The Lazarus building later became a Macy's. However, this building has been vacant since Macy's moved elsewhere in the mall.

Macy's [gone]
Columbus, OH
This Macy's at the Kingsdale Mall was also originally a Lazarus department store. Macy's bought out the Lazarus chain in 2005. The mall was demolished in 2009. This building, like the one at the Eastland Mall above, was designed by Raymond Loewy. Loewy also used this blue tile color scheme at other Lazarus stores: the Northland Mall [demolished 2004] in Columbus, OH; the Richland Mall in Mansfield, OH; and the Lima Mall in Lima, OH.

Sears
Middleburg Heights, OH
This Sears store was built in the 1960s. For more, see this website.