A Little piece of Paradise… College Hill, Ohio - SELFCRAFT

Chapter 43 The Developing Business DistrictThe early settlers had business that they could run alone or with the help of their family, frequentlyout of their cabins. The economy was agricultural and stores provided equipment and seeds for farming,building materials, and those things that a person couldn’t do practically for themselves, such as grindgrain or make shoes.Because there were few directories printed, we don’t know the complete lists of businesses inCollege Hill. The original business district was a cluster of store around the Hamilton and BelmontAvenues intersection. There, Skillman had his grocery store and the post office was nearby, and for a timewas in his store. As people built further away from this area, stores were built a few blocks away.Flamm’s was at Belmont and Llanfair, Kroger’s across the street from Hamilton and Larch Avenues.Because of the lack of early documentation this could have been an early store started by Barney Kroger.Photographs of the store show the same logo on the window as other Kroger stores of that time. CollegeHill was a walking community - perishables were bought daily at close by stores.The business district continues to change as customers have a wide array of goods and serviceseverywhere they turn - from huge malls to fewer stores along a sidewalk or in a strip. National chainswith enormous buying power, and lower prices, make competition difficult for the small businessman.Merchants from other near-by communities sold their merchandise in College Hill. There was aconstant stream of wagons and early cars going between College Hill and Northside. One such businesswas Crystal Springs Ice Company located at Knowlton and Apple Streets. There a stream of pure waterwas turned into ice. Because most of the cost of ice was for transportation, a retail outlet was included inthe factory for those wanting a larger than average sided piece of ice and a lower price. During the wintermonths, they sold coal.Doctors were also part of the Hamilton Avenue landscape. Dr. Charles Howard had his office in aframe building (still standing) slightly south of Ambrose Avenue. Dr. Milson Basil Van Pelt, originallyfrom Holland and practiced first in Colerain township, built his frame home and office at Marlowe andHamilton Avenues in 1908. This building was behind the Brighter Day Bookstore. Near Linden Drivewas Dr. Charles Geiser. There are still several doctors at that corner. Dr. Schonwald also had his office onthe Avenue, as did Dr. J. C. Willke (6304 Hamilton Avenue), Drs. Fred. Swing, Sway, Rice, Sanker andHunnicut.A & P, 5905-7-9- Hamilton Avenue, 1926260