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‘Businesses’ Category

Nicodemus’s Feats of Clay

Friday, September 12th, 2008

Here’s a very nice Columbus Dispatch article about Chester Nicodemus.

Chester Nicodemus’s Price List

Friday, September 12th, 2008

nicodemus-price-listChester Nicodemus is a favorite Clintonville person of mine, in part because he lived on my street. I was delighted when Joe Motil shared an old 1978 Nicodemus Pottery price list with me. The pottery was dear, even back then! (Document courtesy of Joe Motil)

D. H. Bradley, Veterinarian

Friday, September 12th, 2008

Jan Bradley Zenisek shared these two family pictures with me. Her father, Dr. D. H. Bradley, operated his veterinary clinic on the ground floor of the home originally built by Henry Cooke and shown in my book and here. The Bradley family lived upstairs.

The photo on the left shows Jan’s mother, Ellen May Bradley, with Jan in 1941.

The picture on the right shows Jan’s father (Dr. Bradley) holding Jan’s cousin Neal Cooper, and Jan’s grandfather George Cooper with Jan, outside the clinic/house in 1943. (Photos courtesy of Jan Bradley Zenisek.)

The house was later destroyed to make way for a car dealership. Jan salvaged the lovely arched windows and they now adorn her Riverlea home.

Beverlee Drive-in

Friday, September 12th, 2008

Many North High grads recall the Isaly’s ice cream plant that was located at 2800 North High Street until the early 1950s. In 1956 the building served as corporate headquarters for Beverlee Drive In but was torn down by the Schottenstein Company around 1966 to make way for a strip mall. This is an advertising picture when the building was occupied by Beverlee.

Drexel Theater

Friday, September 12th, 2008

Mark Fontana is a former manager of the Beechwold Drexel North Theater, and he has started a Facebook page devoted to preserving the history of this theater. Also known as Beechwold Theater or Camelot North, it was located at 4250 North High Street and the building currently hosts the Columbus Sports Connection. When the building was a theater, it also served as temporary worship space for several churches in the area while the churches were being enlarged or rebuilt. Check out Mark’s web site!

Walkers Bait Store

Friday, September 12th, 2008


Sorry for the bad image—it’s taken from a photocopy. Walker’s Bait Store was located on the east side of High Street between Arcadia and Dodridge during the 1950s. (Photocopy courtesy of Frank Jones.)

Street Scene

Friday, September 12th, 2008

This photo was probably taken along Olentangy River Road. Note the smudge pots, which were used before the advent of electrical blinking warning signs. I assume this picture was taken around 1953. (Photo courtesy of Franklin County Engineers)

ABC Motor Court

Friday, September 12th, 2008

…was located at 5050 North High Street, across from Graceland where Noodles and Company/Petmart now is. (Photo courtesy of Melissa Goodrich)

Adeline’s ribbon cutting ceremony

Friday, September 12th, 2008

This was probably a ribbon cutting ceremony. It took place at Graceland Shopping Mall in the early 1950s. (Photo courtesy of Casto Corporation)

For additional pictures of Graceland’s early days, check out George Campbell’s online collection of vintage pictures.

Beechwold Hardware

Friday, September 12th, 2008

Forrest Smith began Beechwold Hardware in 1944 and 9 years later his son Jack joined him in the business. This photograph shows Forrest Smith and his son Jack around 1960. Jack’s son-in-law now owns the business, but Jack works at the store regularly when he’s not out playing golf. Beechwold Hardware may be the longest-running family-owned business in Clintonville. (Photo courtesy of Jack Smith)