Summer is many things. For one, it’s a traditional time for sprucing up properties to give them more “curb appeal.”
In Uptowne Galion, that urge is taking form in two facade renovations taking place along Harding Way East.
In the case of the building at the corner of Public Square and Harding Way East, which formerly housed Woolworth, Leah’s, and Mo’s, it comes with a new paint job that highlights elements of the exterior and gives it a “pop” of color.
The building was originally constructed for Woolworth, which was a “dime store” operation that carried a variety of goods and housed a soda fountain along its Public Square side. It dates from the late 1930s.
The two buildings at 201-210 Harding East are getting a more involved facelift, as painting has been underway for the last several days. The building on the east, with the two bay windows, once housed Marsh Photography, the go-to place for local picture taking in the early years of the 20th century. Charles Burr Marsh had photography studios in Wauseon, Fayette, and Galion; many of his photos are still in local photo albums.
Both sets of buildings are owned by Kent Gimbel.
