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

Bill, Sr. repaired TVs, radio and small electrics but as the appliances moved away from tubes andinto circuit boards, Bill, Sr. no longer was able to repair them and moved onto the selling floor.It was voted by Cincinnati Magazine as the ‘Best Appliance Store in Cincinnati’ on its 50thanniversary in 1994. By stressing quality, service, and customer satisfaction this store has successfullymet and bested its competition.Bill, Jr. followed the steps of his father and grandfather in the business. He retired and the businesswas purchased by one of his employees and his brothers.Charles and Alice Brill opened their furniture store in 1946 on Savannah Avenue, just over the line inNorth College Hill. They later opened a second store on Hamilton Avenue in College Hill, closing theearlier store. Charles Brill died in 1970 and Alice Mary Brill died in 1988. For generations this store soldfine furniture.College Hill Food Market, 4 5846 Hamilton Avenue was started in 1945 by George and Frances Smith. A‘Mom & Pop’ grocery store, the business was continued on by their nephew, Marvin Kolde and his wifeHilda. Once a staple on every block, these small grocery stores thrived until the large supermarket chainsstarted expanding into all neighborhoods.College Hill Coffee Company and Casual Gourmet has anchored the corner of Hamilton and NorthBend at 6128 Hamilton Ave. for fourteen years. Its current owner is Tina Stoeberl who has brought a bitof fame to her store by its inclusion in “The Dinette Set” cartoon by Julie Larson which runs in theCincinnati Enquirer. The cartoon actually uses the store’s logo. The café is a great place for buyinggourmet coffee, gifts, food and wonderful pastries. This space was formerly a drug store.College Hill Progressive Building & Loan 5 began in 1911 at 5910 Hamilton Avenue. About 1950 it wason the south east corner of Hamilton and Ambrose Avenues. In 1957 it moved to its new building at 6230Hamilton Avenue. The name, too, changed over time. About 1970 the name was shortened to ProgressiveSavings, in 1972 it merged with Central Fairmount to form Central-Progressive. It was acquired in 1982and changed its name to Gem Savings and Loan. The last occupant of the building was the Fifth ThirdBank, which acquired the Dayton, Ohio, based Gem Savings and Loan. The business was started by D. D.Flannigan, A. H. Davis, Charles Smith, Jr., John J. Dupps, John Hoffman, Jr., W. H. Carpenter, D. E.Hayman, Robert B. Haskins, O. C. Peters and Dr. J. Ferris to serve a rapidly growing community.Desh Dry Cleaners 6 was started in 1939 by Lee Becht who later sold the business to Sherman Evans.The business first was at 5928 Hamilton Avenue and in 1946 moved to 6015 Hamilton Avenue. HerbertDesh, Sr. purchased the business that was later operated by his son, Herbert Desh, Jr. The last owner wasClifton Poe.W. H. Forbes and Son 7 built many homes and commercial buildings in and around College Hill. Thebusiness was found in 1880 by Charles Henry Forbes, who lived at 17 Cedar Avenue. His son, W. H.Forbes, built the family house at 6017 Cary Avenue by the light of coal oil lamps in 1904. During thesummer months, Charles H. Forbes would build homes. During the winter he built wagons and carvedwoodwork, molds, etc. from his shop behind Deininger’s blacksmith shop. The Forbes and Deininger4 Source: Marion and Hilde Kolde5 Source: Terry Edward Todd, whose father, Edward H. Todd, grandfather, George E. Todd, and great uncle, Herman Knuepfer, all were employed bythis business over the generations.6 Source: Herbert E. Desh7 Source: Karen Forbes-Nutting263