Roger Miller's Column

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Butler County Past   

Downtown in 1950s Middletown was busy   

Roger Miller
      I remember the mid-1950s when Middletown’s downtown was a compact shopping center, with stores and services to fulfill almost every human need. It was a bustling place where friends met to chat at a soda fountain, restaurant or on a street corner. The busiest area was Central Avenue and Broad Street. This is where the city’s main department store, John Ross, was located, along with its biggest drug store, Gallaher’s, and its major five-and-dime store, C.G. Murphy.
   It also was the hub of the Ortman-Stewart bus line, which brought customers on the half hour from every corner of the     community. It was close to the Ohio bus station on Clinton Street, and not far from a taxi stand. You did not need a car, but parking was available in the city at stores or banks.
   The downtown was roughly a business district stretching west to east from Main to Clinton streets, and between Manchester and First avenues. It was anchored by several large department stores with John Ross at the center. On North Main stood Montgomery Ward, and on South Main its main competitor, Sears Roebuck. On East Central was the new J.C. Penney and the Central Store, and a block farther east, McAlpin’s. These were backed up by the big variety stores, C.G. Murphy and S.S. Kresge, and the more than hardware store, Dohn’s.
   The other large stores in regard to floor space were furniture outlets, including Reed-Klopp, Cappels, May-Stearnes, Rathman-Troup    , and Lady Sylvia. Vardelis and, just east of Clinton, Melampy’s specialized in appliances.
   Jewelry stores thrived and carried such names as Rogers, Fenzel-Mc-Donough, Miller’s, Spencer, Freeman and Reeves. If you wanted shoes, you could wear out shoe leather by comparing sales at Doellman’s, David’s, Walker’s, Schiff’s, Bartel’s (which had a foot X-ray machine), Thom-McAn and Merit.
   For children’s clothing, there was Link’s. The men had the Corner Men’s Shop, Worthmore, Greathouse or Halsey’s. The women loved the Joy Shop, Jeanette’s, Burnett’s, Eileen’s and Filsons. Furs were found at McDowell’s. You could have your clothes cleaned at Matthews, Arrow, Capitol or the Band Box.
   When you became hungry downtown, there was fine food at the Manchester, or cheaper fare at the Liberty — the best hot     dogs in town. There was also the Colony, where Charlie Reeder played the organ, or Weber’s and their famous roast beef sandwiches. Others visited Godwins or the Delicia, the Horse Shoe Bar or the Turf Bars. Gallaher drug store had a popular soda fountain, and near it was Parrot’s “good food” sign. You could pick up a snack at the Bake Shop or popcorn and hot roasted peanuts at the stand on the corner. Castell was another downtown drug store.
   The town was still dotted with neighborhood groceries, but downtown boasted of Kroger, with their own parking lot, Reedys, Bales, and others, with an A&P nearby. Mayers Meat Market and the Chicago Meat Market competed with each other.
   You could pick up newspapers and magazines at Klamo, Star or Broadway news stands. Goldflies and Rogers sold records. Bates had the best in draperies. Tobias     made portraits on Main Street. Office Outfitters had a large clientele. Sportsmen visited Roberson’s or All-Sports or went for a workout at the YMCA.
   Arrangements for plumbing could be made at Moore Plumbing or heating at Williamson-Ziegeler. Hannah sold paints. While shopping, the car could be serviced at Goodyear.
   There were still movies downtown at the huge, beautiful Paramount, and cheaper admissions could be purchased at the Colonial or State, or a few blocks to the east, at the Strand. Right in the midst of downtown was Calvary Methodist Church and its next door neighbor was the Middletown Business College, which offered a solid technical education. You could pay bills at the Cincinnati Gas & Electric office on North Broad, pay for the newspaper at the Journal on South Broad, or your insurance     bill at Harrison’s. There were barber shops and beauty shops. The Castell Building had a mix of businesses.
   If medical attention were needed, there were downtown doctors such as Gerber, Skinner, Zollett, Beneseler, and Blizzard. If things came to the worst, two funeral homes
   — Wilson’s and McCoy-Leffler — were nearby. To pay for everything the big banks, Oglesby-Barnitz and First National, were nearby.
   Middletown’s old downtown was a great mix, which developed a true community spirit — a town personality. The downtown of today is not the same as that of the mid-1950s. For those of us who lived during the mid-1950s, it will never be the same, but it does have a bright future for younger generations.
   Roger Miller is a Monroe resident who is interested in local history.     

Oh yes I remember it well....
Thanks Roger