Kenyon Block
by Barry Bauer
M. L. Kenyon built this building on the S. E. corner of Clinton Ave. and Railroad St. in the early 1900s and that’s why it was known as the Kenyon Block. At one time L. J. Calkins & Sons located their grocery business here on the street level floor.
Andrew Eldridge bought the property around 1910 and rented it to O. P. DeWitt & Sons who were in the wholesale grocery business. On February 10, 1923 they bought the building. Sometime in 1940 they bought the garage building formerly occupied by Luecht & Son at the S. W. corner of Brush and Higham Sts. They converted that building into a warehouse and offices and vacated this building.
Andy’s Shopping Basket was located here until Dorr Anderson built a new store out on N. US-27. There are still memories of the donut wagon Mrs. Murray had in the front part of the store.
E. C. Smith & Son purchased this three-story building in 1940. They planned to used the upper two-stories for storage. It had a sprinkler system on all three floors that made it ideal for storage of grain, beans, and wool. The sprinkler system kept their insurance cost down.
A decision on what to do with the street level first floor wasn’t decided at that time.
In recent years Paul Automotive and then the Clinton County News were located here. The modern day façade makeover has hidden the view from the upstairs windows.
Today the 320 N. Clinton Ave. building is occupied by PKSA Karate.