J.J. Newberry's

I pass this building very often downtown, and I used to shop here for my hair and beauty supplies. This morning, something told me that there is more to this story.

The building, now Newberry Lofts on 6th, was one of five-and-dime chain stores founded by John Josiah Newberry, who worked at S.H. Cress stores from 1899-1911, after working for department store Fowler, Walker, & Dick for five years.

In 1919, his brothers C.T. and Edgar joined J.J. in management. At the time, there were 17 stores, and yearly sales of $500,000.

Between the 1930s-1960s, Newberry's was among the retail powerhouses in the United States, competing with the likes of Woolworth and S.S. Kresge Co for the discount market.

Over the years, Newberry's acquired stores all over the U.S., including this one in Cincinnati on 6th Street. This location was likely built in the 1950s, and has gone through various incarnations, including a beauty supply store and the current CVS store before finally closing locally 1997. At the time of J.J. death in 1954, the company had 475 locations.

The business declined over the years, filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1992, and closing its final store in Portland, Oregon in 2001.

Happy Hump Day!