31 East Auglaize Street

The east storefront of the original building was a package liquor store in the front and bar in the rear.  Mr. Patterson owned this business.  The entrance to the bar was at the side of the building.  Mr. Patterson was blind, but ran the bar by himself and was able to make change by memory.  Later the business was bought and run by Joseph B. Miller who after some years moved the business across the street into a building, which is now part of the Chase Bank.  At the time, the name chosen was The Alpha.

When Mr. Patterson’s bar closed, the bar itself was dismantled and moved to the basement of the building.  Some years later the bar was taken out of storage and given away by George Koch.  His mother, Mae Koch-Doolittle, was not very happy about this.  She realized its value.  The storefront then became the State of Ohio Liquor Store.  It continued until 1962 when Flowers and Gifts by Dudley moved there from the Koneta Hotel building.  It remained under the ownership of Dudley Schuler until 1991 when Larry Winner purchased the business, in 2006 they moved to a North Defiance Street location.  After some redecorating New Beginnings, a business for planning and renting decorations for wedding and parties and a complete line of baby gifts and gifts for brides.

29 East Auglaize Street

The west storefront housed the General Tire and Supply Company, owned by Karl Koch and G.L. Patterson.  In 1915, Wehner-Foos Plumbing and Heating Company occupied the building. Leonard Sheipline later took over the business and named it The Sheipline Firestone and Tire Store.  The garage was added in the rear to accommodate the work of repair and changing tires.  The front of the store featured items related to automobiles, toys, trains, and games.  Mrs. Sheipline ran this part of the business and they remained there for 30 years.  When the business closed, much of the inventory was stored in the basement including discontinued items.  Some of the items later found were Shirley Temple dolls, games, and Model T Ford parts.  Some of items were from the original owner Karl J. Koch.  The next occupants of the west storefront were Mr. and Mrs. John Symonds, Symonds Decorating.  Symonds Decorating did contract painting, sold paint, and paint supplies; Symonds Decorating made curtains, draperies and did upholstering.  They later moved to a location close to I-75.