Columbus Indiana Business Ads From Bygone Days

If you grew up in Columbus Indiana in the 1950's or 1960's, chances are pretty good you may have frequented one of the following  businesses from time to time. From gas stations where attendants pumped our gas, checked our oil, and cleaned our windshields to a rather new thing called "pizza delivery," the following ads are a reminder of where we shopped, where we ate, and in some cases, where we hung out on school nights and weekends. It wasn't beyond my 1962, 10 year old dignity to call local drug stores at random and ask if they had Prince Albert in a can and when they answered "yes," shout "YOU BETTER LET HIM OUT BEFORE HE SUFFOCATES!" The old one-liner "is your refrigerator running?" was also a staple prank call and served both Columbus Indiana businesses as well as households when I was bored to death. One of the most popular phone numbers for kids to call was the Crump Theatre. For years, I thought I remembered the number as 372-3456 (it wasn't necessary to dial the 37 part of the number back then), but checking the 1962 phone book, it's listed as 376-6363. Once you got connected, you could listen to previews of what was showing at the Crump as well as the Drive-In. 

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All ads are taken from the 1962 Columbus Indiana phonebook

After all these years, Art's Cleaners is still in business at the same location.

Two ads offered here. The Bob-O-Link Restaurant, where Blockbuster is today, and something rather new to the early 1960's Columbus Indiana area: A Ring Brings Pizza (they sure do put alot more toppings on pizza today than back then!) A Ring Brings Pizza was located on State Street.

Whether young or old, bowling was a great pastime in the days of my youth. There were 3 bowling alleys  in Columbus (does that say anything about the popularity of bowling?): Bulldog Lanes, which was located out by the Drive-In on 31A (and still is today!), Miller Lanes on National Road, and Columbus Lanes in East Columbus (still in business).

If you needed electrical work done, chances are you called one of these people to take care of your needs.

There was nothing better than a hot fish sandwich from either Carmichael's or Horn's Fish Shop. Both businesses were located on 4th Street, between Jackson and Washington. As you can tell by this ad for Carmichael's, they also had a location on 25th Street.

The old Central Pharmacy building sat on the southeast corner of 25th and Central. Many drug stores of the day had "fountain service," which meant they served cokes, and possibly sandwiches or soups. Central Pharmacy was only one of many scattered throughout Columbus that offered this.

Coffman Drugs was located in the strip of shops next to the old State Street Elementary on State Street in East Columbus. Carson's Flower Shop sat at the opposite end of Coffman's. Coffman's had a clock out front, but in all the time I spent growing up in East Columbus, I don't think it ever worked. It was always 4 o'clock.

Two ads here. The first is for the old Dog n Suds, a drive-in for hot dogs and charburgers. It was located on National Road, across from the Eastbrook Plaza shopping center.

Lib's Nook, a popular place to eat, was between 5th and 6th Streets on the west side of Washington. They specialized in family dining.

Dooley Moving & Storage was located on McKinley Avenue in East Columbus.

Two ads for gas stations. The first is C & S Standard, which was at the intersection of Indiana Avenue and State Street in East Columbus, and Doyle Fleetwood's Shell on the corner of 7th & Jackson.

Many building supplies came from either of these two Columbus businesses. Taylor Lumber, which was located where Brand's is today, and Dunlap's, which was on the corner of 5th & Jackson (where Cummins Headquarters is today).

Fisher's Drugs was on the southwest corner of 11th and Lafayette. Later on, it became the Bottle Shop, and now sits empty.

Frisch's Big Boy was a popular hamburger joint in Columbus for many years. Their specialty was the "Big Boy," which is similar to a Big Mac. Although the Frisch's in Columbus is long gone, you can still run across them in other parts of the country. Kentucky and Ohio are two neighboring states where you can find them. Frisch's was where Enterprise Leasing is today.

Gene's Bakery was located downtown between 5th and 6th on the east side of Washington. They also had a place of business in the Eastbrook Plaza shopping center.

This was one of many places women throughout Columbus got permanents (do they still use that word?), bleach jobs, and manicures. The Charm Room Beauty Salon was located on Cottage Avenue.

The Happy House was located in the Eastbrook Plaza shopping center.

Hawe's Insurance was located on 5th Street, between Washington and Franklin.

For years, Herschel & Ernie's Sinclair sat on the southeast corner of National Road (US 31 and Washington Streets. This building would remain some type of gas station for many years. It was demolished to make room for the Village Pantry sometime in the 1990's.

For years, Kenny Glass Company was on Jackson Street, just past 7th Street. It was demolished to make room for Cummins Headquarters. Kenny Glass remains in business, and is now located on US 31, just outside of Columbus (approximately where the old Park n Eat Restaurant used to be).

King's Taxi was located on the northwest corner of 4th & Jackson.

Loesch's Heating & Air Conditioning was located on 11th Street.

This is an ad, which contains a picture of the old Northside Drugs on 25th Street. Northside Drugs had two locations: one in the 25th Street shopping center, and the other farther east on 25th Street, past National Road. Originally, I thought this picture was of the old Northside Drugs before the 25th Street shopping center was built, but I believe now it might be a picture of the "new" location just beyond National Road.

Otte's Sunoco was on the north side of 3rd Street, just before crossing the 3rd Street Bridge leaving downtown Columbus. During this day and age, 3rd Street was a two-way street.

Two ads here: The first is for the old Palm's Cafe, which was where 4th Street Bar is today. The second, the old Frostop Drive-In, which was on the corner of 3rd and Lafayette Streets.

Tom Pickett's Music Center has been around since the 1950's, and remains in business today. I remember Pickett's when it was "two doors west of Columbus High School" on 25th Street.

Two ads for gas stations here: The first is the old Northside Sinclair, which was on the southeast corner of 25th and Cottage (right next to Frisch's). The second, Richard's Standard, which was located downtown on the northeast corner of 8th and Washington. The shell of the original building still remains.

Besides King's Taxi, Columbus had another taxi service, the Safety Cab Company, located on Washington Street, just past 6th.

"Sap" Essex took a dream and turned it into a multi-million dollar business in Columbus. Sap's Bakery had the best donuts in town, and provided wonderful smells around the corner of Central Avenue and National Road. To be able to walk in and buy warm, fresh donuts was quite a treat to many Columbus residents. For a long time, my favorite (besides the original glazed donuts) was the honey bun. Mmmmm... Today, this is the home of Dolly Madison.

Sparkle Car Wash has been around forever, and is still in business at the same location on National Road, only back in this day and age, they sold gasoline as well.

Stadler's sat almost on the Hawcreek on State Street. For many years, Stadler's provided tenderloins for those delicious sandwiches at the old Columbus Bar, as well as providing a place of employment for many Columbusites. A question which will plague residents for many years: Did that nasty smell really come from the place?

Dick Mann was a customer of mine, back when I was employed with Consolidated Electrical Distributors (CED). I saw Dick almost every Tuesday for many years. This ad is when Thomas Electric was located on 4th Street, between Jackson and Washington.

Tovey Shoes was on the west side of Washington Street between 4th and 5th Streets. The home of Poll Parrot Shoes, they even had Poll Parrot, a live parrot in their store. I remember buying shoes there and receiving a Poll Parrot clicker. I just might be able to post a picture of the clicker in the near future!

Three ads here: The first is for the old Putt Putt place that used to be on the corner of 17th and National Road. The second, Snyder Elevator, which had two locations, one in Taylorsville, the other in Elizabethtown. And last, Wally's IGA. Wally's IGA was on the corner of Mapleton and McKinley, and required an occasional bike ride to buy stuff there.

Walt's Body Shop was located on McKinley Avenue in East Columbus.

Westermeier Hardware sat on the corner of 3rd and California Street for many years. Today, Kline King & King make home here.

Wilson Olds Cadillac was on the west side Jackson Street, between 2nd and 3rd.

Zaharako's Confectionery remains at the same location in downtown Columbus after 104 years of business, and is one of the oldest businesses in Columbus. Rumor has it that, back in the 1950's/1960's, Walt Disney offered the Zaharako brothers one million dollars for the interior. He wanted to move it to a new place called Disneyland. Lew, Pete, and Manual, however, decided not to sell the place. Zaharako's remains one of my favorite places to this day.