Last week an amazing thing happened a block away from the Anthe Building (the site of our new headquarters). Workers began removing the ugly brick cladding from a building at the corner of Fourth Street and Scott Boulevard. What was below the brick was a link to our family’s past.
Lucy’s family ran the chain of Grote Drugstores in Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati in the 20th century. They had two stores in Covington. One was at the corner of Pike Street and Madison Ave., what is now The Hannaford, a trendy bar.
The other store was at Fourth Street and Scott Boulevard. But Jane May nee Grote (Lucy’s mom) couldn’t remember exactly which corner it was on – the area has changed a lot.
On Sunday, Lucy and I visited the construction site at Fourth and Scott. The work had revealed a gorgeous storefront that still had some intact glass. Two windows said “Prescriptions” and one said “Hy-Pure Drugs,” an old brand.
I showed Jane the photos and she confirmed that yup, that was the drugstore her father owned and ran. Jane said she worked the lunch counter there when she was 15 or 16 and would fill in for the employees who were on vacation. The lunch counter was inexpensive, close to the courthouse and a quick place to get a bite.
It also is one block from the Anthe Building. We are thrilled that the drugstore storefront is coming back to life and can’t wait to see what it will be in its next life.
— Christopher Schwarz
Great story. It is also really nice to see the restoration work taking place.
Great time to be there, with everything being restored rather than torn down or bastardized. Excellent.
If I remember correctly, the upper floor(s) of that building were the Covington Boys Club. Wasn’t there often, just remember a gymnasium on an upper floor.
The building is the old Masonic lodge. I haven’t been upstairs in it. Maybe some day.
Maybe a Boys Club after a Masonic lodge? A look through old City Directories at the Kenton County Public Library would provide a timeline of occupants.
I had a friend who rented the apartment upstairs and there was a basketball court that once was a ballroom of sorts.
This feels like the kind of discovery and belonging that only happen when walking. Oh, the joy of a walkable city!
Fantastic!
It’s great to see the old buildings come back to life, I went to a pub/bar last week in Stow Maries Essex UK, the name of the pub is The Prince Of Wales, a lovely old English public house of how many years I do not know, one thing that struck me was adjacent to the bar counter was a door which was probably an entrance to a room, but the bottom of this door was 6 feet from the ground and no longer used unless you were a gymnast, it obviously had been part of the original building before it was converted to a pub. I wish I had taken a picture of it but didn’t think at the time. Rather strange to see a door leading out to nowhere. The website. https://www.prince-stowmaries.net/ for those of you who are interested in the bar, not much history I’m afraid about the history of the building, by the way, they do great real ale.
Lovely story!
Noting the upper story windows in the first photo: Is it masonry, cast iron or tin fabrication? We have quite a lot of cast iron and tin ornament on buildings of that period in our city here in Virginia.
This one is stone, I think. We have a lot of cast-iron storefronts here.
It occurs to me that there were also some companies that did large fired clay architectural castings in the period. Sometimes they are hard to distinguish from stone, and of course much less expensive.
They’re probably just going to demo a lot of what remains. If it were me, I’d ask if I could take out the glass that has the HyPure and Prescriptions on it. I’m sure you could find a place to use or preserve it.
Does she still do the radio show? Maybe some listeners will remember more detail?
I have a selection of photos of the Fourth and Scott store from back in the day. Whats a good way to send them to you? I remember going to “Grandpa’s Store” as a kid in the 50’s. The toy section was my favorite.
Hi John!
You can email them to us at fitz@lostartpress.com. I’d love to see them!
It’s great to see small towns making a comeback, however small and scattered.
As people begin to abandon certain states, and certain metro areas, one hopes they will foster a renaissance in smaller town living, and hopefully community participation.
Keep up the good work!
Dude, what a cool synchronistic event for you guys! This whole thing is an really interesting follow.
Very cool..love stories like this!
What’s old is new again! Gotta love it when respect for the past takes hold.
Love.