Klingbeil Grocery occupied the eastern half of the Stukey Pharmacy building at 2282 Main Street (now Graeter’s Ice Cream) with the pharmacy operating on the other side. In 1925, Roy Wentz, Sr bought the building and Wentz Pharmacy opened. The grocery continued for a period of time, but eventually Mr. Wentz rented the space to other businesses – Willard’s Restaurant followed the grocery and then a notions’ store (selling items related to sewing and tailoring) filled the space. By 1930, Roy Wentz was preparing to use the entire first floor for his business.

During the early years of the Village of Bexley, there were various grocery stores, such as Piggly Wiggly, K&W Grocery and Schirner’s Bexley Market. In 1925, Paul Foltz opened Paul’s Food Shoppe on the south side of East Main Street, between Cassingham Road and Montrose Avenue – this was a full -service grocery with its own bakery and telephone operators to take customers’ orders and four delivery trucks.

Albers Super Market, at 2218 East Main Street made its appearance in 1941. It would have been a smaller version of a current day Giant Eagle or Kroger. In the 1950’s, a car dealership opened in the building; then it was sold to Capital University – which used it for a time for its Law School. The building was eventually demolished in order to build Bexley Square.

Written by Nancy Beck
Originally published in Historical Herald, Fall 2018

If you have information to add to this topic, please let us know.

All comments are reviewed before posting.