The Dog Days of Summer are upon us and though they will soon pass the heat will continue for several weeks. As I do so often I think back to my younger years and remember how we cooled off by going to one of the confectionaries in town that offered ice cream or soft drinks.
I remember the ice cream sundaes and fountain drinks served up at Bailey’s, later Longworth’s and Kramer’s Confectionaries on West Main Street. Among the many people who worked in their businesses were Cleo Fiant ,Cecil Haycook, Martha Kreis and Carl Pace who worked for Mr Bailey. Leon and Ruth Longworth worked behind the counter of their business, mixing those root beer floats, preparing mouth watering sundaes or my favorite, a lemon lime phosphate for just a nickel! Later Walter and Cleo (now married to Walter) owned it as Kramer’s Confectionary but serving up the same cold treats. I remember Velma Fink, Betty Bennett, Bob Coleman and LaCreta McClish among the many, many teenagers, some of them working their first jobs at these businesses.
These confectionaries functioned from 115 West Main Street, the same address where, in the 1920’s, Nick’s (Christu) ice cream parlor was one of the most popular businesses in Cardington.
Isaly’s on South Marion Street, where Blanche Mathews was among the many employees, served those skyscraper ice cream cones for a nickel.
There were many more ice cream parlors through the years and grocery stores sold packaged ice cream but who can forget those four dips for a dime cones dipped up by Art Kinsell at Peoples Food Shoppe? I won’t forget them because I once dipped them. Yum Yum!
Every restaurant in town offered ice cream with their dinner menus but it was a main staple with the confectionaries.
Then in 1954 Steve and Pearl Maceyko shook things up when they opened the first soft serve ice cream business on West Main Street named Jeri-Ann. It thrived with traffic on State Highway 42 passing through town. Local patrons visited it regularly. Later, it was sold to sons Steve and Tom. When Tom left the business, Steve and his wife, Linda, took over but the 1981 tornado’s heavy damage resulted in a year round business in a new building and new name “Rainbow Seven.” Several years ago when they retired, they sold the business to a niece and today that soft serve can be enjoyed at Suze-Q’s.
Others may choose a different form of refreshment to cool down or imbibe. At one time around the early 1900’s there were 13 saloons in Cardington!
Today we have the Patriot Bar serving up a favorite liquid refreshment along with good food. The Patriot is also working with Hospice of Morrow County for the fourth annual Poker Run Saturday, August 1. This has proved to be a great benefit for the Hospice program.
Enjoy your summer – and keep cool!
90 years ago; July, 1925: Lloyd Heacock fell off a threshing separator at the Chas. Click home while removing the cover and suffered a gash in the jaw which required three stitches to close.
70 years ago, July, 1945: “First 1945 wheat to be received in Cardington was brought in Monday by Paul Fricke of southeast of town, the Mills Feed and Seed Store reported. Wheat was brought in by Norris Jenkins and J.M. Osborne from south of town on Tuesday morning. More wheat will be combined this year than ever before in the county’s history due to the shortage of labor.”
60 years ago, July, 1955: Kenny White, Jr., 17, of Mount Gilead, made the first Hole in One on the Mount Gilead Golf course by sinking a 170 yard drive on No. 2 green. He was a member of the Mount Gilead High School Golf team and was playing with Lloyd Harris, Dick Harris and Kenny Bendle.
30 years ago, July, 1985:
Dan Green had returned to Cardington, his hometown, after working for various companies for many years He had opened Green’s Lite Stop in March, 1981 and two months later it was destroyed by the tornado. He rebuilt and reopened in September, 1981 employing Dan Robinson, Peg White, Jim Morris, Jane Wells, Diana Davis, Diane Williamson, Debbie Singery, Karen Wllliams, Beth Lawson and Terry Bonnette.
