The building on the west side of Jersey & Leavitt was until recently home to Pattie's Home Plate Cafe. It was originally constructed as a Ford Agency (dealership) in 1924.  Later it was to become a drug store, who's second owner Glenn Davis, installed a Orange Julius stand. Because of that initial acceptance Glenn put in a fountain lunch.  The lunch counter remained a popular destination over the years.

 

The origins of this particular prime real estate go back at least as far as 1890, when a wooden structure known by various names but initially as the St. Johns Hotel was built.

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file-page2Looking East - St. Johns Hotel in 1905.  Central School in the background. 

file-page3Looking West - Probably no longer operating under the St. Johns Hotel name at this point the building can be seen on the right, just ahead of the tree.  Group photo of Odd Fellows, circa 1907.

file-page5November 18, 1904 St. Johns Hotel Thanksgiving Menu.

 

file-page4November 11, 1904

file-page9St. Johns Hotel on Jersey and Leavitt November 1905.

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file-page1View from 1920.  Between the American Shoe Shop and the St. Johns Grocery is the Raymond House, a boarding house, formerly the St. Johns Hotel. 

file-page10The Raymond House 116 S. Jersey to be moved.  September 1923

 

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McCamey Motor Company has new building constructed for them by W.R. Evans, co-owner of the St. Johns Hardware. The building located at 116 and 114 S. Jersey is on land vacated by the Raymond House November 1923.  Learn more about McCamey Motors.

file-page8January 1924

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mccamey-ford-motor-co-opens-in-new-building-8501-n-lombard-jul-1924July 1924

1950 Grabateria next to Peninsula BankLee Witty's St. Johns Drugs in 1950.  Lee Witty was operating from this location by 1931.  Learn more about pharmacies in St. Johns.

12003914_894967590540265_983882753498062827_nSt. Johns Rexall Drugs - late 1960's.  Robin Smith photo.

the-mans-shop-patties-home-plate-8501-8511-n-lombardThe Mans Shop and Pattie's Home Plate Cafe  8501 - 8511 N. Lombard

(Both businesses closed in 2019)

 

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Special Thanks to Gil Parton on this project!