Stores - Retro Toledo Metro

Woolco Department Store, 5821 W. Central Ave.

The Woolco in the image above is not our Woolco, but it sure looks a lot like it. The image of the vacant building below is where our Woolco once was.

6212/6218 W. Central Ave.

6212 W. Central Ave. *Source: Toledo Lucas County Public Library Block Card Collection*.

In the above image it appears 6212 was a store. In 1948 it was Kitty’s Beauty Shop. In 1950 it was a restaurant. It was located next to Four B’s Gulf Station. The building was removed when the US23 construction project began (c1962). The buildings garage remained in place. Ray’s Barber Shop was located next to that garage. See also: Central Avenue School.

Breaking Away, 1221 S. Reynolds Rd.

Formerly Bob Gentry’s Barber Shop (c1961), Paujer Cycle (c1981), Wersells Bike and Ski Shop (1983), Wersells Bike Shop (1983). Breaking Away (1985). Closed 1991.

The Kmart Dirt Mounds

Back in the ’80s there was a small cluster of dirt mounds behind the Kmart at 5956 Central Avenue. Perhaps about five to ten of them, about four or five feet high and maybe ten feet in diameter. Over the years vegetation and small trees grew on them.

Head-Quarters, 1638 Sylvania Ave.

“Hardware” sign visible at 1638 Sylvania Avenue.

Head-Quarters opened in 1969 and was located on the north side of Sylvania Avenue between Jackman Road and Berwick Avenue, former site of Sylvania Avenue Hardware. Head-Quarters was owned by Rick Campbell who also owned the Dry Mouth Cafe (formerly Firehouse). Campbell later relocated/reopened his store to 3340 Dorr Steet in 1974 in the former Tabard Inn. The 1638 building was demolished in 1999.

Fisher Plaza, 5842 W. Central Ave.

I have yet to find an original name for this small shopping center, assuming there ever was one. So I’m calling it Fisher Plaza. Carl and Anna Fisher once owned the property and had the plaza built in 1950-51. The builder was D.A. Spitznaugle.

Jones Friendly Market, 3541 Holland-Sylvania Rd.

Was located on the northwest corner of Blossman and Holland-Sylvania, next to Frontier Bar (later Driftwood Lounge). Operated by Roy Jones, who also operated the Frontier Bar and lived in the home directly next door to the market. Was later known as Stars Carry Out.

Category: Stores