[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" hundred_percent_height="no" hundred_percent_height_scroll="no" hundred_percent_height_center_content="yes" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" status="published" publish_date="" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" enable_mobile="no" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" spacing="" center_content="no" link="" target="_self" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_image_id="" background_position="left top" background_repeat="no-repeat" hover_type="none" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no"][fusion_text columns="" column_min_width="" column_spacing="" rule_style="default" rule_size="" rule_color="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id=""] OUR APRIL 7, 2019 SPRING TOUR RESERVATIONS ARE NECESSARY IF YOU WANT TO ATTEND ECHS@bex.net On April 7, 2019 we will host a tour of the former E & K (Engels & Krudwig) Winery at 224 E. Market St. After the tour, join us for a social hour at the Bait House. We met at 3:00 at the winery building – use the door on the FAR LEFT. Park in the lot on the left side of the building or on the street. Please note -- the tour is limited to 25 people – if there is are enough people – a second tour at 4:00 will be held. PLEASE RSVP if you want to attend ECHS@bex.net . These tours are very popular so reserve your spot today – the earlier you sign up the better. In the meantime, here is a bit of history about the winery Sandusky’s love affair with wineries and breweries. Sandusky, and not surprising, ALL of Erie County has a rich history of grape growing and wine making. We even had our share of breweries. At our spring meeting we will be touring the E & K winery building, formerly the Engels & Krudwig Winery. THE ENGELS & KRUDWIG WINERY Herman Engels was born in Germany in 1827. He and his wife Louise immigrated to the United States in 1874. Herman’s uncle, Jacob Engels had come to the Sandusky area in 1848, where he became active in importing wine and in the culture of grapes. Jacob Engels founded the Engels Wine Company in 1863. After Jacob’s death in 1875, Herman Engels took over his uncle’s wine company. Herman’s children assisted their father with the business. In 1878 the firm became known as Engels and Krudwig, after R. P. Krudwig joined the company. Engels and Krudwig was located at the southwest corner of Water and Hancock Streets. The Engels & Krudwig Winery, later the E & K Winery, was open from 1863 to 1959. During the 1850's Jacob Engels began a wine import business. He planted a 10 acre plot of grapes to the east of the city in 1860 and began erection of the winery building in 1863. By 1878, Mr. R.P. Krudwig joined the Engels family in the flourishing business, and together they became the leaders in the burgeoning industry. By the turn of the century Engels & Krudwig Wines were famous across the eastern United States. Their native wines were being toasted as far east as New York City and as far west as Texas. The Engels and Krudwig families expanded their lines to include sparkling wines and vermouth, and with the erection of the distillation equipment, went into grape and fruit brandy production. With prohibition threatening ruination of the business, The two families kept alive their tradition by the production of sacramental wines, de-alcoholized wines, and fresh grape juice. In 1934-1935, with prohibition behind them, Engels & Krudwig began its final major expansion. With the addition of 18,000 square feet, they became one of the largest wineries east of the Mississippi River. Total storage capacity, consisting entirely of white oak casks and cypress vats, was 868,000 gallons. In 1959, after nearly 100 years of operation, the E & K Winery ceased production. The building is now occupied by Feick Contractors. A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT WINEMAKING IN THIS REGION The history of Ohio winemaking can be traced back to the early 1800's. It is believed that Nicholas Longworth, a lawyer from the Cincinnati area, saw the potential of the Ohio River Valley to become a major producer of wine. In 1820, he planted the first Catawba grapes. This domestic variety was hearty enough to withstand Ohio winters and the wine produced from it quickly won consumer acceptance. The light, semi-sweet wine was different from the other strong American wines of the day. Soon there were many acres of vines growing in the greater Cincinnati area and by 1845, the annual production was over 300,000 gallons. By 1860, Ohio led the nation in the production of wine. Crop diseases, such as black rot and mildew, began to plague the grapes, the Civil War left the grape growers with little manpower. Closer to home, first Kelley’s Island, then later the Bass Islands, began growing commercial grapes and then making and selling brandy and wine. the first Island grapes were planted in 1841 and Charles Carpenter produced the first barrel of wine in 1850. The Islands had a unique climate; the waters surrounding them provided a long growing season and insulated the vines from spreading disease. Vineyards were soon planted on the Bass Islands and along the entire southern shore of Lake Erie. This narrow strip of shoreline soon became nicknamed the Lake Erie Grape Belt and officially designated The Lake Erie Aviticultural area. It includes 2,236,800 acres (905,200 ha) of land on the south shore of Lake Erie in the U.S. states of Ohio, New York, and Pennsylvania. Over 42,000 acres (17,000 ha) of the region are planted in grapevines, predominantly in the Concord grape variety. Want to find out more? The Sandusky BlogSpot has several nice articles on some of the more prominent wineries including the Engels & Krudwig Winery that we will be visiting on April 7, 2019. You can read more about these wineries: Engels & Krudwig, Edward Moos, Steuk Winery, Sweet Valley Wine Co., Engel’s Wine Co., the 1940 Ohio Grape Festival (Sandusky), William H. Mills. THE TOUR CONTINUES WITH A SOCIAL HOUR After our tour of the winery, we move on to beer and breweries at the BAIT HOUSE BREWERY 223 Meigs Street, Sandusky, Ohio 44870 419-502-HOPS (4677) They are brewing in the Tap House adjacent to Herb's old Bait Shop. HISTORY OF BREWERIES ON THE SANDUSKY AREA Not surprising, Sandusky was home to several landmark breweries. Here are some of the more noteworthy Sandusky brewers: Kuebeler-Stang, Cleveland and Sandusky Brewing Company, and the Ilg Brewery Ilg & Co. 1825-1890 established by Wilson Fox, it later merged into Strobel & Ilg and merged with the Kuebeler Brewery in 1890. Soergel Dorn & Raible Brewery Bavarian Brewery - building is on the National Register of Historic Places. Phoenix Brewery c1850 est. by John Strobel, merged in 1897 into the Cleveland & Sandusky Brewing Co. Philip Dauch Brewing Co 1850-1862 Fox 1862-1863 Wilson & Fox 1849-? Many of the bottles from these local breweries can be found in Erie County museums like this one on Kelleys Island. The Kuebler-Stang Brewery was one of the largest, and best known. THE STANG BREWING CO., SANDUSKY, OHIO & THE CLEVELAND-SANDUSKY BREWING COMPANY Sandusky's longest lived brewing establishment appears to have begun operations as the City Brewery in 1852. Located on the east side of the north end of King Street (although in later years the plant had the address of 2207 W. Madison St.), the brewery was situated along the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad (also known as the Big Four RR.), just south of the Lake Erie shoreline. Phillip Dauch and Andrew Fischer were the original proprietors, although Dauch operated it alone after Fischer died in 1853. Dauch was a German immigrant who had landed in New York in 1847, and came to Sandusky by way of Cincinnati and Springfield, Ohio. By 1862, he had encountered financial troubles and retired to a nearby farm, selling the brewery to John Bright, Lawrence Cable, & James Alder. They operated the plant until June 1868, when it was sold for $10,000 to George Windisch and Vincenz (Winsen) Fox, who had previously operated the nearby Ilg brewery. Fox sold an interest in the brewery to Frank Stang and John Homegardner in 1870, and two years later Windisch left the partnership. In 1875, Fox declared bankruptcy, and the plant was sold at public auction to Stang and John Bender, a 55-year-old native of Baden, Germany. Bender began expanding the brewery's annual output, doubling it from 3,000 to 6,000 barrels by 1878, the year in which he died. After this it remained in the name of his wife Magdalena ("Lena") Bender for two more years. At that time, she sold the plant to Stang, who had been running the brewery after Bender's death, for $30,000. Frank Stang had been born in Monroeville, Ohio in 1851, and entered into the brewing industry after moving to Sandusky with his younger brother John. John was the traveling agent for the brewery, spending much of his time on the road until Frank withdrew from the company in 1890, after which John became the new president. Stang continued to increase the plant's output, and by the late 1880s, the plant employed twenty men or more, including brewmaster Fred J. Beier, in producing between 15,000 and 20,000 barrels of beer annually. Seven teams of horses would deliver the beer in wagons throughout the city, with a great deal of additional brew being sent to surrounding counties. The stone brewery building was three stories in height, 225 by 250 feet in size, with a large attached ice house, capable of holding 10,000 tons of ice, which was cut from a nearby ice pond. A disastrous fire in July 1891 destroyed virtually everything at the plant, including the office, malt house, ice house, ice machine, and most of the stored beer on hand, with a loss of over $100,000. Thought to be caused by a spark from the engine of a passing train, this exemplified one of the primary dangers of operating a brewery near a railroad, despite the obvious transportation advantage (a spark from another train five years later caused the destruction of another, newly built ice house at the site). While the nearby Kuebeler brewery agreed to temporarily fill all of Stang's orders, the plant was completely rebuilt from the ground up over the next year. On March 8, 1896, the Stang Brewing Co. merged with the Kuebeler Brewing and Malting Co. one mile away, forming the Kuebeler-Stang Brewing & Malting Co. Stang became the vice-president of this combine (Jacob Kuebeler was president), which had $700,000 in capital stock, and a collective annual capacity of 350,000 barrels. This entity lasted for less than two years before becoming a part of the Cleveland & Sandusky Brewing Co. conglomerate (which would eventually consist of eleven breweries in three cities) on January 1, 1898. Stang continued to manage the plant, and eventually became vice-president of the parent company after Kuebeler's death in 1904. The plant continued to operate very successfully as a division of Cleveland & Sandusky until 1919 (It should be noted that the two Sandusky plants continued to use the name Kuebeler-Stang for a number of years in their advertising, even after the formation of the Cleveland & Sandusky Co.) Upon the enactment of statewide Prohibition in 1919, the Kuebeler plant was closed, leaving the Stang plant as the city's only surviving brewery. It continued to operate throughout the next fourteen years, capitalizing on the name recognition of its flagship product by renaming itself as the Crystal Rock Products Co. (still a subsidiary of the Cleveland & Sandusky Co.) Crystal Rock Cereal Beverage, Deerfield Ginger Ale, and other soft drinks were produced through the end of Prohibition with a moderate degree of success. Stang had left the company by 1923 to manage a local wine company, after which the plant was managed by Roy Homegardner, who had been with the company since 1902. With the repeal of Prohibition, the old Stang plant was refurbished as one of only two surviving branches of the Cleveland-Sandusky Brewing Co. (the other being the Fishel plant in Cleveland). In July 1933 it became the first of the two breweries to release beer to the public, when Gold Bond Beer was shipped east for sale in the Cleveland market, followed soon by Crystal Rock Beer, and three new brands, Old Timers and Buccaneer Ales and New York Special Beer. Brewing operations continued successfully for two years until all of the plant's eighty workers went on strike in April 1935, in connection with a massive brewery worker strike in Cleveland. The conflict was the culmination of a long standing battle for jurisdiction over brewery truck drivers, who had previously been members of the brewery workers’ union, but who had recently switched allegiance to the teamsters’ union. While the brewery owners were essentially neutral in this conflict, they ultimately paid the greatest price, as the breweries operated at a reduced capacity with replacement workers for several months. The old Stang plant was particularly hard-hit, as clashes between strikers and replacement workers turned violent, with several people being injured in early May when a tear gas bomb was thrown. Rocks and stones thrown at the brewery broke windows and lights, and the plant shut down completely for two weeks. By the end of that month, manager Roy Homegardner announced that the plant would close permanently and the equipment would immediately be dismantled and moved to the main Cleveland plant (the only one remaining in the company). By the time the strike finally ended in November, Sandusky's brewing history had come to a sad end. The brewery stood empty for two years until the buildings and remaining equipment were purchased by local businessman Elliott M. Bender for $100,000. His plan was to sell $300,000 worth of stock in order to make the brewery operable again by the following summer. This plan never took shape, however, and as late as 1938, it was announced that the Sandusky Chamber of Commerce was still looking for a way to get the brewery back in operation. Instead, the plant remained empty for nearly a decade before the entire complex was razed in 1947, leaving no remains today. [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" overlay_color="" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" padding_top="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" padding_right=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="no" min_height="" hover_type="none" link=""][fusion_text] THE GRAEFE BUILDING This building takes up much of the north side of E. Market St. It was constructed in 1939 after a devastating fire destroyed the original Graefe building. A newspaper article announced plans by Frankel and Sears to occupy the building and noted that plastering was still underway and light fixtures needed to be purchased. This was the original Graefe Building. In 1939 a devastating fire swept down E. Market Street and turned nearly an entire block into ruins. Commonly known as the Herb & Myers fire (or the Market Street fire) because it was believed to have started in the M.R. Herb department store on East Market Street, the fire quickly destroyed many business on the 100 block of East Market Street. Among the businesses destroyed in the fire wer e Herb & Meyers ; the Sears & Roebuck store, the W. S. Frankel store, the McLellan Dollar store, all in the Graefe Building, and E.B. Ackley's cigar store and office on Water Street. The Sandusky Library has a great article on the devastating fire HERE . The north side of East Market Street, starting near Columbus Avenue and moving east toward Wayne Street, found a variety of business in 1956. These included: Cassidy’s Fine Foods (baked goods); Jean’s Frocks (women’s clothes); Neisner Brothers (a five-and-dime); The William S. Frankel Store (women’s apparel); Walter’s Shoe Store; Sears and Roebuck; Joseph’s Store (women and children ready to wear clothes). Both Frankels and Sears opened in January 1940 as this article from 1939 shows. Sears occupied the east side of the building while Frankels moved into the west end of the building. WILLIAM S. FRANKEL - Frankel’s opened its doors in early 1940. Image courtesy of Sandusky Library Archives Research Center By 1915, the Scheuer Brothers moved to the 100 block of East Market Street. In 1919, William S. Frankel acquired the interests of A. J. Scheuer, and the store became known as the Scheuer-Frankel Company. Around 1929, William S. Frankel, Sr. became the sole owner of the business, and it was known as the William S. Frankel Company. After William S. Frankel, Sr. passed away in 1949, his son William S. Frankel took over the business. Frankel’s was a popular department store for area residents until the mid 1960’s. SEARS ROEBUCK This photo shows a portion of the Cooke Block (with the fire escape) and the north side of East Market Street on September 3, 1955. At this time Donald Smith ran the Smith Drug Store, where Holzaepfel’s would later operate a sporting goods store. When you take a closer look, you can see a sign in the shape of an LP record over the door of Meggitt’s Music Shop. Further down is the sign for Sears. A highlight of the Holiday season at the Sears store, was Santa, who would visit with youngsters. Joseph’s Department store was to the east of the large Sears store. More Recently - When San-Bay, a restaurant equipment and supplier which had occupied the building for many years, relocated to Cleveland Road, City officials purchased the Graefe Building for $64,500. They spent an additional $5,500 in local money to check for possible hazards, such as lead and asbestos testing. In 2016 plans were presented to open a brewery and tap room; however, in 2018, the site has not yet opened. [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

THE WILKE BUILDING - 129 Columbus Ave. According to an article from the Sandusky Register of January 30, 1986, the Wilke building was originally part of the West House hotel. The article said that retail stores were on the street level, while hotel rooms occupied the upper floors. When the West House was demolished, they saved the Wilke building. On the right is the State theater and on the left, newer buildings. The Wilke building is the tall section on the far left of the photo. In the early 19 00s Carl H. Wilke purchased the building, and added a brick facade. (You can still see the surname Wilke at the top of the building.) The building has had a number of tenants through the years. In the mid-1910s, Carl F. and John M. Holzaepfel sold sporting goods and photography supplies at their store at 129 Columbus Avenue. An article in the April 2, 1920 issue of the Star Journal reported that the Lake Shore Electric would soon occupy the Wilke building. The headline stated that the new home for the Lake Shore Electric would be the “finest on system,” as the stations in Cleveland and Toledo were not nearly as grand as Sandusky’s new station. After the Lake Shore Electric interurban ceased operations in the late 1930s, 129 Columbus Avenue became the bus station for the Lake Shore Coach Lines and, for a time, the Greyhound Bus Lines. During World War II, a U.S.O. Service Center opened in the rear portion of the Lake Shore Coach station. Having started in 1941, the primary mission of the United Service Organization was giving social support to America’s troops. In contrast to the regimentation of military life, the U.S.O. worked to create a warm homelike atmosphere. Many different businesses have been in operation in the Wilke building. In October of 1954, the Byer Brothers opened a new store further up the street at 129 Columbus Avenue. The new location was triple the floor space of its previous location. Eventually Marv Byer became the sole proprietor of the business, which became known as Marv Byer Clothiers; he and his wife purchased the property in 1967. In 1986 he was honored for his work in restoring the downtown building. For years, the company sponsored a show called Sunday Morning Jazz on a local radio station. By 2000, the By Design store occupied the site. The Fabulous Female Boutique currently occupies the space.

PEDDLER'S ALLEY There is a bit of mystery about Peddler's Alley and we are still working on chasing it down. Here is what we have so far. The alley entrance is off Columbus Ave. It is sometimes called Musician's Alley because of the music shops located next to the alley, which also have entrances onto the alley. The alley is quite narrow and forms the perfect place to sit and enjoy a beverage or light snack. It is nicely landscaped and lighted and at the end of the Alley is The Wall , one of Sandusky's first outdoor art projects. Now take a closer look. There are remnants of old doors, windows and repairs which begs the question - What was there before? If it w as a building, it must have been a very narrow one. The doors and windows indicate that it might have been an alley at one time, similar to the one across the street. It is apparent that many expansions and alterations have been made over the years. Take a minute to stroll down to the end of the alley. After you discover the beauty of The Wall , turn around and look at the rear of the two buildings on your left. The bottom part of this building is built with rough cut limestone and has an interesting doorway, which leads us to believe that there was an alley that ran behind the Columbus Ave. buildings. It would have been very convenient for deliveries. See that small building? There is quite a surprise there too. Although difficult to see, there is a lovely scene painted on the building. Please do not try to get a closer look, this IS private property.

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" overlay_color="" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" padding_top="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" padding_right=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="no" min_height="" hover_type="none" link=""][fusion_text columns="" column_min_width="" column_spacing="" rule_style="default" rule_size="" rule_color="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset=""] THE SCHMIDT BUILDING This building was built by Sandusky contractor George W. Doerzbach in the Spring of 1894. It originally was a 100 foot square brick structure. An article in the Sandusky Register of March 30, 1894 reported that the foundations of the building were blasted out of the stone bedrock. That stone was then used in the basement and the first floor. Klotz and Kromer provided the engines that drove the elevator. A tin roof was put in by J. Mertz and Son, and the interior painting was done by Holland and Tebbutt. Total cost was $40,000 (about $1.2 million today). The Sanborn Insurance Maps show that this building was originally planned to be built as a 3-story brick wine cellar for the Engels & Krudwig Wine Co, which had a building across the street. Instead of occupying the entire building, the basement was leased to the company, which pressed 400 tons of grapes in the fall of 1893, while the construction was still ongoing. In April of 1894, the J. L. Hudson Store opened at this location, after having previously done business in the Hubbard Block. The J. L. Hudson Company, which had its headquarters in Detroit, claimed that their store was the largest and finest in Erie County. For a short time, John J. Healy operated a retail store at the site of the former J. L. Hudson store. Jacob H. Herman sold furniture and carpets here for many years, until the Bing Furniture moved to this site in the 1940s. Since 1987, Value City Furniture has been in business at the southeast corner of Market and Wayne Streets in Sandusky. You can find out more about this building and its occupants HERE . Sandusky Register, March 28, 1894 - HUDSON'S STORE – A Palatial Establishment in the Schmidt Block It will be Opened to the Public Today Under Very Favorable Auspices Mr. J. Peffer Hicks, the enterprising local manager for John L. Hudson, the clothing king, says Hudson's new store in the Schmidt block at the corner of Market and Wayne streets is the best appointed store of its kind in Ohio. That's a big statement to make, but nevertheless it is true, 'Farmer' Hicks never lies. It is his George Washingtonian honesty in business matters that has made both himself and the firm he represents in this city so popular. The public will be able to prove his assertion when they attend the opening, which occurs at 1 o'clock today. A Register reporter had a private view yesterday. The store occupies the southeast corner of the handsome stone and brick block which Mr. A. Schmidt, junior, has erected, and contains two floors 100 feet deep and 43 feet wide. As the visitor enters today by the main door he will find himself confronted by a sort o f triumphal arch with the word 'Welcome' worked out in large letters. He will not know which way to turn at first, but if he follows the example of our reporter he will first turn to the left and gaze with fondness upon the choice and dazzling stock of neckwear and gents' furnishing and still keeping to the left will inspect the new styles of hats and caps that are shown. Passing down between the long row of tables he will have an opportunity to inspect the spring styles of clothing and some pretty styles they are. To look at the patterns of high brown checks and greys will make him long for seventy in the shade and Cedar Point; and when he goes further and sees the countless styles and prices of clothing he will agree with Shakespeare that "the apparel oft proclaims the man." There are clothes for men in all walks of life; clothes for stout men, clothes for thin men, clothes for medium sized men and clothes for men whose purses are fat or slim. William Gerald has charge of the gent's furnishings and hats and caps, and our old friends Wm. Schumacher, John Haley and Charles H. Goss will be perfectly suave and patient while patrons are making up their minds amidst the bewilderment of choice as to which suit of clothes is best for them and their purses. At the south end of this walk the visitor will peep into the cozy dressing and toilet rooms which have been fitted up for patrons, and looking up he will see a balcony office where the cashier will sit in receipt of customs and where the popular J. P. H. has his desk so that he can command a full view of the store and smile down graciously upon the old and new friends who are going to call on him. He will also see the steel wires converging in the office above from every direction of the store, upon which will run the cash carriers whose clocking as they dump their contents at the cashier's desk will be sweet music to the only J. P. H. Then the visitor will make the acquaintance of Mr. P. H. Schneider, who has charge of the dry goods department, with a corps of able lady assistants. And this is a dry goods department. It extends the whole length and occupies one half of the store, with two rows of counters, elegant show cases etc. Mr. Schneider is an old and trusted employee of John L. Hudson and he received the greater part of his experience in the Detroit store. He is not unknown in this part of Ohio and will be better known soon. Hicks says what Schneider doesn't know about dry goods isn't worth knowing, and as Hicks is the manager he ought to know. Schneider is proud of his department, and justly so. He points with pride to the admirable arrangement of the shelving and the counters and descants upon the beautiful stock that those shelves contain. Dress goods are to be seen in all styles, shades and prices; silks, laces, trimmings, linens, calicoes and other dry goods are shown in great profusion of design and price and there is a line of notions that can not be beaten. One great point about the stock is that it is all brand new and admirably chosen. It is worth a man's while to inspect this stock if only to get an advance view of the pretty prints which the summer girl is going to wear very soon. These are choice and increase the longing for the boat rides and trips to Cedar Point which will soon materialize. When he has completed his tour of the first floor the visitor whose curiosity knows no bounds will ask what's to be seen on the second floor. Anticipating the answer he will receive we will tell him that that is used as a surplus stock room and as soon as the shelves on the lower floor are depleted, their stocks will be renewed from this source. He'll not want to leave so soon and he can just examine the fittings which are all hardwood and of fine workmanship. It will also be noticed that the store is well lighted by windows, lofty and airy, with arc and incandescent electric lights and gas chandeliers. When the reporter visited the place yesterday he found the window blinds drawn. Of course he wanted to see inside the dust proof window cases and was given a private view, but only under a promise not to reveal what he saw. It can be said, however, without a breach of faith that the windows will surprise the visitor when the blinds are raised and their contents displayed to view. To put it shortly, pointers have been taken from J. L. Hudson's mammoth stores in Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo, Toledo, St. Louis and St. Paul and the best of each has been incorporated in the arrangement of the Sandusky store. With so many stores to stock, Hudson's buyers have a pull in the market which smaller concerns have not and the purchasing power of this big concern is turned to the benefit of Hudson's customers. Another thing that enables profits to be cut fine is that a strictly cash business will be done. The store will open at 1 o 'clock to-day and Mr. Hicks has hired an orchestra to entertain the guests at the house warming. The building once housed Bing's Furniture (above), but now Value City Furniture makes it their home (below). [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

Leslie Korenko, Author at Erie County Historical Society

Spring 2019 tour

Leslie Korenko2019-03-27T09:58:21-04:00

OUR APRIL 7, 2019 SPRING TOUR RESERVATIONS ARE NECESSARY IF YOU WANT TO ATTEND ECHS@bex.net On April 7, 2019 we will host a tour of the former E & K (Engels & Krudwig) Winery at 224 E. Market St. After the tour, join us for a social hour at the Bait House. We met at [...]

Spring 2019 tourLeslie Korenko2019-03-27T09:58:21-04:00

The Graefe Building

Leslie Korenko2018-10-31T08:39:20-04:00

THE GRAEFE BUILDING This building takes up much of the north side of E. Market St. It was constructed in 1939 after a devastating fire destroyed the original Graefe building. A newspaper article announced plans by Frankel and Sears to occupy the building and noted that plastering was still underway and light fixtures needed [...]

The Graefe BuildingLeslie Korenko2018-10-31T08:39:20-04:00

Wildman & Mills Warehouse

Leslie Korenko2018-10-30T09:39:17-04:00

THE WILDMAN & MILLS WAREHOUSE – 223 W. Water St. The building was built in 1835 by Sandusky founders Zalmon Wildman and Isaac Mills for warehouse use. Its front door faces Water St. and its back faces Shoreline Dr. once railroad tracks which ran along the shoreline. THE SANDUSKY ATHLETIC CLUB The Club has a long [...]

Wildman & Mills WarehouseLeslie Korenko2018-10-30T09:39:17-04:00

The Wilke Building

Leslie Korenko2018-10-29T07:24:20-04:00

THE WILKE BUILDING - 129 Columbus Ave. According to an article from the Sandusky Register of January 30, 1986, the Wilke building was originally part of the West House hotel. The article said that retail stores were on the street level, while hotel rooms occupied the upper floors. When the West House was demolished, they saved the Wilke [...]

The Wilke BuildingLeslie Korenko2018-10-29T07:24:20-04:00

The Laurence Building

Leslie Korenko2018-10-28T08:22:26-04:00

THE LAURENCE BUILDING - 129-139 W. Market St. This building dates back to around 1880. It was restored in 1978. While the building bears its name, not much history is available on this building. The Sandusky Library has an interesting article on Laurence Cable who might have [...]

The Laurence BuildingLeslie Korenko2018-10-28T08:22:26-04:00

Peddler’s Alley

Leslie Korenko2018-10-27T10:46:47-04:00

PEDDLER'S ALLEY There is a bit of mystery about Peddler's Alley and we are still working on chasing it down. Here is what we have so far. The alley entrance is off Columbus Ave. It is sometimes called Musician's Alley because of the music shops located next to the alley, which also have entrances onto [...]

Peddler’s AlleyLeslie Korenko2018-10-27T10:46:47-04:00

The Wall & the Brehm Building

Leslie Korenko2018-11-21T08:35:42-05:00

We are still digging into the history of this unusual place. Here is what we have so far. The west side of the wall itself is unremarkable. There are several bricked-in windows, but since the buildings were close together, there is no reason for windows to be there, unless they looked onto an alley [...]

The Wall & the Brehm BuildingLeslie Korenko2018-11-21T08:35:42-05:00

Gray Drug

Leslie Korenko2018-10-31T09:59:22-04:00

GRAY DRUG Gray Drug was located on the SW corner and this is the side that faced Columbus St. The longest part of the building ran along Market St. Gray Drug was a drugstore chain in Cleveland Ohio. The chain began in 1912 and grew to 46 stores by 1946 and over 100 by the 1970s. [...]

Gray DrugLeslie Korenko2018-10-31T09:59:22-04:00

J. L. Hudson Store

Leslie Korenko2020-01-12T09:17:10-05:00

THE SCHMIDT BUILDING This building was built by Sandusky contractor George W. Doerzbach in the Spring of 1894. It originally was a 100 foot square brick structure. An article in the Sandusky Register of March 30, 1894 reported that the foundations of the building were blasted out of the stone bedrock. That stone was then [...]

J. L. Hudson StoreLeslie Korenko2020-01-12T09:17:10-05:00

History Is Alive

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