I found these very interesting lists of businesses that were in Ida
in 1968. I got these lists from the Ida Area Centennial 1868-1968.
Our library has a whole room with all sorts of very interesting "stuff" about Ida.
Here are 2 lists, 1 contains a list of businesses that were here in Ida in 1968 on Lewis Ave. The other list is of businesses that were also here in Ida in 1968 but were not located on Main Street.
Ida Businesses on Lewis Ave. 1968
Bob's Marathon Station
Village Recreation
Ida Variety Store
Goodrich's Barbershop
Central Tavern
Climes Hardware
Noble's Market
Al's T.V. and Radio
Brown's Barbershop
Mann's Pharmacy
Gorm's Garage and Freeze Cone
Clair's Style Shop
Oberski Plumbing and Heating
Kurtz's Implement
Jerry's Shell Station
Zorn's Garage
Scheid's Plumbing and Heating
Ida Tavern
Ida Food Locker
Betsy's Grill
Nick's Coney Island
Mathew's Barbershop
Opal's Beauty Shop
Gruber's Market
Barron Oil Company
Ida Implement
Wolverine Farm Service
Riley's Real Estate
Ida Businesses not on Main Street 1968
Robert Barkenquast, Contractor
Lee Hoppert and Son, Contractor
Fabrow Manufacturing Company
Fabian Geiger, Mason Contractor
Merl Sanch, Builder
Capaul Funeral Home
Richard Tuller, Contractor
Wilbur Lohr, Insurance Agent
Marion (Sam) Shields, Insurance
Ida Orchards
Ida Center Market
Ed and Dell's Market
Tallend Printing
Village Ceramics
Newman Electrical Service
Appleman's Peat and Nursery
Bordner's Nursery
Skip Bliss, Trees and Nursery
Diroff's Florist
Hovizi's Florist
Alice and J. Miller Insurance
What happened to those businesses? I see that several are still here, and a few have changed their name.
By the looks of the 2 lists Ida was a boom town in 1968.....Wouldn't it be wonderful if our Close Knit Community could be a boom town again but still keep the small town charm that it has now?
To me, Ida is like Mayberry... but of course it is NOT DRY, and thank goodness for that.