Items’ & other memories of Columbus Business

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[jabaker]

Someone mentioned barber shops earlier. My dad always went to the one on State street that was across from Coffman's. Across the sidestreet from Coffman's I believe was the department store located in the same building as A&E grocery. I can remember one of the young men who worked there parked his sportscar in the grass at the end of the building. It was a two seater convertible, maybe a Tbird and in good weather he kept the top down but always snapped a boot over the seat with just the steering wheel sticking out. I heard later that he was killed in an accident. This would have been early 60's.

[melking]

Dec 14, 2009 11:59:58 GMT -5 BobLane said:

This is a note to add to the kroot information. It is only "hear-say" as I only remember my dad talking about it. Dad bought almost all his auto parts from Earl Elkins auto parts on probably first street. He said Mr. Elkins could not say enough good about Mr. Kroot. At one point during the 1930's Mr. Elkins said he could not stay in business any longer so he went to see Mr. kroot to see if he would buy his business. Mr. Kroot told him, Mr. Elkins, I just cannot operate without some compitation. Whatever we have to do to keep you in business we will do, and that is just what he did. He never said what the help was but it kept Elkins Auto Parts going. Just part of my memories, Bob Lane

Shortly before I left Columbus, I worked for my father and we built a home for the Englekings on North Washington. They were the most gracious people ever. Prior to that we also built a home for Art Kroot out in Amberly. He was the nicest person and I remember him sitting and talking to me like I was a real person and not just a laborer on the job. My Brother and I painted his gigantic roof when we built the house and I remember we painted a peace sign on it before we covered it all. My father was not impressed.

[jdhinkle]

THIS PAST WEEK THERE WAS A LOOKING BACK ITEM RICHARD SENT TO ME AND IT JOGGED A MEMORY THAT I PROBABLY NEED SOME HELP WITH

THIS PICTURE RICHARD SENT TO ME WAS A 1941 PICTURE OF THE WEST SIDE OF WASHINGTON STREET LOOKING SOUTH



SINCE IM ALMOST 70 NOW MOST OF THE OLDER TIMERS RECOGNIZE THIS AS PART OF THE AREA REPLACE BY THE 'COMMONS'

WHAT JOGGED MY MEMORY WAS THE 1960 RENOVATION OF SIMMEN HARDWARE STORE.

IN MY MEMORY THE STORES WERE AT ONE TIME I THINK
SHIFF'S SHOE STORE, SIMMEN HARDWARE AND GOODMAN JESTER'S WHICH TOOK YOU TO THE ALLEY GOING FROM WASHINGTON TO JACKSON
SOMETIME IN THE 1960 TO 1970 RANGE THE RESULT WAS STILL SHIFF'S SHOE STORE,THEN SIMMEN PENISTEN'S AND MAJOR T JESTER'S JUST IN THE SECTION NEXT TO THE ALLEY

MY PROBLEM IS
DID SIMMEN PENISTEN TAKE OVER PART OF GOODMAN JESTER
LEAVING ONLY THE MAJOR T JESTER CLOTHING PORTION

WHATS REALLY WEIRD IS MY MOTHER WORKED FOR SIMMEN PENISTEN DURING THAT PERIOD BUT I CAN REMEMBER IF THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED OR NOT

THIS THE PICTURE IN THE LOOKING BACK ARTICLE THIS WEEKS PAPER



AND LATER THIS IS THE SIMMEN PENISTEN STORE FRONT



HOPE SOMEONE CAN HELP WITH MY MEMORY

[nancs]

Aug 7, 2010 12:14:47 GMT -5 jdhinkle said:

THIS PAST WEEK THERE WAS A LOOKING BACK ITEM RICHARD SENT TO ME AND IT JOGGED A MEMORY THAT I PROBABLY NEED SOME HELP WITH

THIS PICTURE RICHARD SENT TO ME WAS A 1941 PICTURE OF THE WEST SIDE OF WASHINGTON STREET LOOKING SOUTH

I went to sleep last night puzzling the above photo-------and it may just 'be me,' or perhaps the picture at the top portion is cropped-------------BUT shouldn't one be able to see the Courthouse in it?? Or is it there, and I am having the wrong perspective.........? And not recognizing same?



Nanc

[Rhonda]

Yes. The courthouse roof is barely visible within that jumble of rooflines. The photo is indeed looking south, as you can see the MODE theater signage on the left hand side......those verticle, art deco circles. Another sign I noticed when I turned the photo into a negative.........just around the corner and next to the shoe store is another verticle sign that says "Clothing".

[David Sechrest]

The picture that Jack posted at the top of this page was taken from the 1941 CHS Log. There were two pictures in that Log, as I recall, both taken from the same vantage point. One looking south and the other looking north. As many here know, it was so unusual to find pictures in the early Logs until the 1950s.

As I recall, I did not crop that photo. I believe it appears just like it did in the 1941 yearbook.

Regarding Simmen & Penniston (sp), a friend of mine stopped by a couple of weeks ago and we got to talking about the place and he remembered it being between 4th and 5th Street (on Washington, west side). He's the same age as me. I think that SP may have been located along there, north of the alley(?), then moved(?) to that location just south of the 4th St. intersection at some point, but I am probably mistaken. My memory plays funny tricks on me the older I get(!)

Most likely, I'm thinking of Carpenter's Drugs moving up to the sw corner of 5th and Washington...

Hope everyone is doing good...

insert smiley face here

[jdhinkle]

IM NOT SURE ABOUT THE COMMENT BETWEEN 4 AND 5TH DAVE

PAUL PENISTEN HAD A STORE ON 4TH STREET NEXT TO VOLTZ MOTORS WHICH WAS NEXT TO THE COLUMBUS BAR
HE HAD A RENTAL EQUIPMENT STORE THERE I THINK IN THE BUILDING WHERE EITHER SCHNEIDER IMPLEMENT S OR WHERE ELLIOTT PLUMBING WAS I COULD BE WRONG BUT...
PENISTEN THEN MERGED WITH SIMMEN HARDWARE SOMETIME IN THE 60'S

Aug 10, 2010 10:10:04 GMT -5 nancs said:

Aug 7, 2010 12:14:47 GMT -5 jdhinkle said:

THIS PAST WEEK THERE WAS A LOOKING BACK ITEM RICHARD SENT TO ME AND IT JOGGED A MEMORY THAT I PROBABLY NEED SOME HELP WITH

THIS PICTURE RICHARD SENT TO ME WAS A 1941 PICTURE OF THE WEST SIDE OF WASHINGTON STREET LOOKING SOUTH

I went to sleep last night puzzling the above photo-------and it may just 'be me,' or perhaps the picture at the top portion is cropped-------------BUT shouldn't one be able to see the Courthouse in it?? Or is it there, and I am having the wrong perspective.........? And not recognizing same?



Nanc

[nancs]

Aha, and thanks to all for clarifying, and surely noticing things I did NOT see---------especially the MODE sign, in the 1941 photo looking S on Washington St.

Nanc ;-)

[Ricky_Berkey]

Aug 12, 2010 1:45:19 GMT -5 David Sechrest said:

Regarding Simmen & Penniston (sp), a friend of mine stopped by a couple of weeks ago and we got to talking about the place and he remembered it being between 4th and 5th Street (on Washington, west side). He's the same age as me. I think that SP may have been located along there, north of the alley(?), then moved(?) to that location just south of the 4th St. intersection at some point, but I am probably mistaken. My memory plays funny tricks on me the older I get(!)

Simmen Hardware was originally at 426 Washington. Later the White House store expanded next door into that space and Simmens moved into the spot at 330 Washington in the Commons Block.

[jdhinkle]

I DONT WANT TO MAKE THIS A HEATED DISCUSSION
I LOOKED AT THE 1953 REGISTRY
SHOWS SIMMENS AT 330 332 WASHINGTON AND WHITE HOUSE AT 422 WASHINGTON AND HOWARD FROHMAN DENTIST SHOWS AT 426
YOU AND YOUR FRIEND HAVE BETTER MEMORIES THAN ME
IN 53 I WAS 11
BEFORE 53 I DONT KNOW
MAYBE THERE ARE DIRECTORIES PRIOR TO THAT THAT MIGHT PIN IT DOWN BETTER

Aug 12, 2010 19:02:41 GMT -5 Ricky_Berkey said:

Aug 12, 2010 1:45:19 GMT -5 David Sechrest said:

Regarding Simmen & Penniston (sp), a friend of mine stopped by a couple of weeks ago and we got to talking about the place and he remembered it being between 4th and 5th Street (on Washington, west side). He's the same age as me. I think that SP may have been located along there, north of the alley(?), then moved(?) to that location just south of the 4th St. intersection at some point, but I am probably mistaken. My memory plays funny tricks on me the older I get(!)

Simmen Hardware was originally at 426 Washington. Later the White House store expanded next door into that space and Simmens moved into the spot at 330 Washington in the Commons Block.

[RER]

Early 1950s Leppert Bus Lines
Columbus Indiana

Token Fare To Ride






Source: CHS Log year 1954

[Ricky_Berkey]

It was waaaay before my time as well I have records from directories/phonebooks showing Simmen at 426 Washington from 1911-1947 and at 330-332 Washington from 1951-1970. Dr Frohman was at 426.5 which probably was upstairs.

Aug 13, 2010 10:59:45 GMT -5 jdhinkle said:

I DONT WANT TO MAKE THIS A HEATED DISCUSSION
I LOOKED AT THE 1953 REGISTRY
SHOWS SIMMENS AT 330 332 WASHINGTON AND WHITE HOUSE AT 422 WASHINGTON AND HOWARD FROHMAN DENTIST SHOWS AT 426
YOU AND YOUR FRIEND HAVE BETTER MEMORIES THAN ME
IN 53 I WAS 11
BEFORE 53 I DONT KNOW
MAYBE THERE ARE DIRECTORIES PRIOR TO THAT THAT MIGHT PIN IT DOWN BETTER

Aug 12, 2010 19:02:41 GMT -5 Ricky_Berkey said:

Simmen Hardware was originally at 426 Washington. Later the White House store expanded next door into that space and Simmens moved into the spot at 330 Washington in the Commons Block.

[RER]

Yula's Infant's Wear Children Shop (1950s)
901 Washington Street



Present Use Of This Address (year 2010): "Cakes For All Occasions"
901 Washington Street, Columbus, IN 47201


Source: CHS LOG year 1953 & address search.

[cj]

Does anyone have anything on B&B Shoes? They were located in the 1960's on the north side of the plaza from Northside Drugs. I remember in the back of the store they had like a little train and a stuffed parrot. I always went there for school shoes! They closed sometime in the mid-late 1970's. One of the ladies that works there lives in our neighborhood but I doubt she has any pictures of it, they weren't the picture type of family.

[richard]

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[richard]

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[richard]

*REMINDER* If you are logged in you can click on the thumbnail to view a larger image.

This company was located between Jackson and Brown Streets on Seventh Street. It was a shortcut to US 31 A if traffic was backed up on SR 46 (Jackson Street).