Downtown Arcade

[Towntalk]

Jay, I located this layout drawing of the arcade ie. Hippodrome Arcade in my files.
This layout drawing represents half the total length from the Commerce Street entrance,

[Towntalk]

This illistration dates fr0m 1928.

[Towntalk]

Jay, here are a couple of bits of information about the arcade:

However both were ambitious and Markham B. Miller matriculated at the Kentucky State College and was graduated therefrom with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He started on his business career as a clerk in a furniture store in his native town, and at the termination of five years had acquired an interest in the business. In the meanwhile Clifton W., when thirteen years old, became a clerk in a clothing house at $5.00 per week. Previously he had taken special lessons in accounting. Later he became a clerk in the same house as his brother, and for a number of years following his leaving that concern, lived at Pullman and Chicago, Illinois, where he was engaged in a diversified line of business, clerking for a number of establishments, handling real estate, selling typewriter attachments, and being on the road as a commercial traveler. After twelve years he went to Cleveland, Ohio, and joined his brother Markham B. Miller in establishing a chain of stores. The Miller Brothers in this way bought the McElroy Company at Youngstown in January, 1905. In January, 1907, the Callahan Building, in which the business was housed, and the Ewers Building adjoining were destroyed by fire. The day following, Miller Brothers bought the interests of the Guthman Brothers Furniture Company, and on the second day business was resumed. A part of the land where the firm operates was in 1872 rented by De Loma Callahan and used as a livery stable. Mr. Callahan was urged to buy the property, which he finally did for $5,000, payment being made in cash, mules and horses. This property is now valued at nearly $600,000. By actual purchases and long time leases the Millers now have a total of 25,000 square feet of ground space extending from Federal to Commerce streets. As their business expanded improvements were made to meet their requirements. An arcade was constructed through from street to street, and here, in addition to their own extensive establishment, stores and offices were leased so that in this arcade are to be found almost every conceivable kind of merchandise. At this time the Hippodrome Company was organized, and the Hippodrome Theatre was built. This theatre, one of the best in Ohio, has a seating capacity of 2,000, and possesses the Youngstown exclusive rights of the B. F. Keith's circuit. Markham B. Miller located permanently at Youngstown in 1912, and Clifton W. Miller, the year following.
History of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley – Butler – Vol. 2; Pg. 143

Youngstown (Ohio) public library has changed its fiscal year to the calendar year, to coincide with the city fiscal year. This change will save much confusion and unnecessary work. On February 1, the Newark charging system went into effect. This included not only the recarding and pocketing of all the books in the library but the reregistering of the library card holders. Readers were not required to make out new application blanks. A station of the library has been opened in the Hippodrome arcade, which runs through between the two main streets of the city. The library consists of two double bookcases with glass doors. These cases stand in the center of the corridor, close to the entrance of the Hippodrome theater. The station is open from 9 in the morning until 9 at night, in charge of library trained assistants. It is doing a heavy business as it catches the shopping and theater crowds. A stock of 1200 volumes is replenished by daily deliveries from the central library. Books may be borrowed and returned interchangeably by the readers.
Public Libraries Vol. 21, Pg. 203 - 1916

[Towntalk]

Jay, as to pictures, I seriously doubt that there are any around. I've tried to find some from when the Hippodrome was there and couldn't come up with any even at the Public Library. The only thing that I could come up with was a Sanborn Fire Insurance Map image, but it doesn't identify the individual businesses that were located in the arcade.

The Health Food Store later relocated to a storefront across from Powers Auditorium before moving to Boardman.

As to the Arcade itself, there really wasn't anything special about it.

As far as I know from my research, the building was built as a theater building much like the Palace Theater building to accommodate both a theater and other businesses, but in order to identify individual businesses other than those I do recall, you would have to research City Directories going back to at least 1920.

[jay]

I'm pretty sure the shoe store was Buchman's Shoes.  Buchman's is now located in Boardman.

The Health Food Store was also there.  That store also eventually moved to Boardman.

[Towntalk]

Jerry Lee Jewelry and Camera Shop, a Music store, McKelverys had an entrance there, a doughnut shop, a beauty parlor, a shoe store. a hearing aid store, a Dollar Bank branch, and a Health Food store.

Before Grayhound moved in, The Hippodrome occupied the portion that Grayhound later took over. The Hippodrome was a Vaudeville house that was owned by a national stock company, and for a time the Public Library had a branch in the Arcade.

[jay]

Remember the Arcade next to McKelvey's?

What shops were in the Arcade?

Did the Arcade have more than one name?

Does anyone have pictures of the inside of the Arcade?