Recently I reflected on the golden age of retail in downtown Dayton, tracing the history of Rike's, Elder-Beerman, and other popular downtown department and specialty stores. Today the environment is much different, with many local businesses struggling to survive and only a … [Read more...] about The Decline of Downtown Retail post-1950: Suburbanization, Urban Renewal, and More
Salem Mall
James H McGee Boulevard History: Road Widenings, 35 West, and Neighborhoods
In my last article on the Bowers Building on West Third Street, I mentioned how James H McGee Boulevard was originally created as a widening of what had been Western Ave. As it turns out, that is an interesting story in its own right which I'll dig into today. James H. … [Read more...] about James H McGee Boulevard History: Road Widenings, 35 West, and Neighborhoods
History of Sears and Roebuck in Downtown Dayton
In its heyday, downtown Dayton bustled with retail activity, from small shops to massive department stores with so many amenities that they almost served as mini cities of their own. I tell the story of Rike’s in my book Lost Dayton, but today’s article will be about … [Read more...] about History of Sears and Roebuck in Downtown Dayton