25th Street Shopping Center

[David Sechrest]

This was Columbus' first strip mall. Northside Drugs sat at one end, and Kroger (Aldi's today) at the other. I believe that the 25th Street Shopping Center began in 1955 or 1956.

Someone told me the parking lot is still called the "25th Street Parking Lot."

Some of the stores that were located here (1965): Kroger, Gene's Bakery, Dell Brothers, Scotts 5 & 10 (a department store), and Yula's Young World. These businesses were along the 25th Street side.

Northside Drugs was a fixture of this strip mall for many years. There was a lunch counter in the back.

Frisch's Big Boy was across from the "Kroger Parking Lot." On any given Friday or Saturday night, the street side of the strip mall was lined with high school kids and their cars.

[nancs]

Okay, David, and bearing in mind, that 'a lot of water has passed over the dam' since the late 40s------------is this shopping center basically at the corner of 25th and Central? I suppose, in my mind's eye, the NW corner of that intersection, or very close to that.

Anyway, seems to me that 'way back when' there were school 'bungalows,' almost like barracks at that corner. I even seem to think that kids from EC/State Street School were bussed there to attend school. Am I anywhere close in my thinking???

HELP!!!!!

Nanc

[richard]

The following is in today's Columbus paper Looking Back Column.

From 1956:

Plans for the development of the 9-acre Forest Village Shopping Center at 25th. Street and Central Avenue were announced by Francis Overstreet. The center will include a Kroger store.


This shopping center is located on the northwest corner and today is named 25th. Street Shopping Center.

[Ricky_Berkey]

richard said:

From 1956:

Plans for the development of the 9-acre Forest Village Shopping Center at 25th. Street and Central Avenue were announced by Francis Overstreet. The center will include a Kroger store.

What did the name "Forest Villiage" refer to as the original shopping center name?

[richard]

rickyberkey2 said:

richard said:

From 1956:

Plans for the development of the 9-acre Forest Village Shopping Center at 25th. Street and Central Avenue were announced by Francis Overstreet. The center will include a Kroger store.

What did the name "Forest Villiage" refer to as the original shopping center name?

What was the name of the addition north of the 25th street shopping center?

FOREST VILLAGE

That was on ground owned and developed by Francis Overstreet. The name of the addition you are talking about is "Forest Village.” Don Dilley has lived there all of these years and still does.

A side note unknown on this addition is that Mr. Overstreet after selling off the frontage and building the 25th Shopping Center which he owned gave the lots you are talking about to Mabel McBride to sell. She was his girlfriend and he wanted her to have enough money to live on if something happened to him. And for the record they stayed together until their death's.

Remind me sometime to tell you the story of their romance and things they did as I think it has some very touching moments. This original ground included where North H. S. is located which he sold the land to the schools for $40,000. Glen Thompson went to him and asked if he would consider donating the land and they would name the school the Overstreet Memorial High School and his answer to Glen was why don't you buy the ground and let them name it the Thompson Memorial High School.

He was always interested in Kroger stores and I was coming home from Indianapolis with him when he made his mind up to build the present Kroger building. His family talked it down and he really wanted to build it as the one on 25th st was too small (Aldi's) and they wanted the money when he died.

Remind me sometime to tell you about this guy as he was a great person and helped so many people. He also was the 2nd largest stock holder in Hook's Drugs Store now CVS I believe. Only August "Bud" Hook had more stock than Mr. Overstreet and Bud were strong Boy Scout people and he is the reason Mr. Overstreet left so much to the boy scouts.

Charlie

[David Sechrest]

If I have my "bearings" correct, I believe this is the construction of the 25th Street Shopping Center!

The football field is at the high school at 25th Street, and in the background, you can see the old fairgrounds.

[Ricky_Berkey]

This is from the "Looking Back " column in the Republic for 9/5/2006:

1981

Sale of the 25th Street Shopping Center by the estate of the late Francis Overstreet to Florida developer Edmund Terry and his wife, the former Barbara Louise McGinnis was completed.

[richard]

This information is from fifty years ago in Monday, November, 6, 2006-looking Back Column. The year was 1956.


Protests by a delegation of local ministers prompted officials of the ‘new’ Kroger grocery store being built on twenty-fifth street to withdraw an application for a carry-out beer and wine permit.

[David Sechrest]

richard said:

This information is from fifty years ago in Monday, November, 6, 2006-looking Back Column. The year was 1956.


Protests by a delegation of local ministers prompted officials of the ‘new’ Kroger grocery store being built on twenty-fifth street to withdraw an application for a carry-out beer and wine permit.

If we're real lucky, maybe the paper will print when Kroger had its Grand Opening![/size]

[terrys]

Does anyone know when Kroger moved to the new building? It seems now that I read it, I vaguely remember it being in the shopping center there.

[nealsnow]

Kroger's relocated to the new building in 1979, not sure of the month but it was mid year.