Antes Cleaners wall sign: say goodbye to a piece of downtown history
By Rhonda Dedyne
Everything ages with time. People, places and even pieces of local history – like the painted advertisement sign for Antes Cleaners.
Although the business has been closed for decades, memories of Antes and its owners have been kept alive thanks to the sign on the west wall of building that stands at 108 W. Walker Street in downtown St. Johns. Those memories will remain, but the faded paint of the sign will soon disappear. A new, stucco-style finish is in the works due to maintenance issues and safety concerns about the wall’s old, aged bricks and crumbling mortar.
Time has faded the painted lettering in recent years to the point where it’s nearly illegible today. It probably would not have survived this long if the Mathews Dairy building that abutted Antes had remained standing. When that building ceased to exist, the Antes brick wall re-emerged – so says the following information taken from the 1980 History of Clinton County in a caption that accompanies a photo of the wall and its painted signage.
“After the old Matthews Dairy plant was torn down in the mid-1970s, this early sign reappeared and still graces Antes Cleaners in 1980.”
The 1980 History also includes this information on the Antes family business:
“The Antes Cleaners was established by M.G. Antes in 1915. He bought out another dry cleaning business and was located on East Walker Street. The business moved to its present location at 108 W. Walker in 1916.
M.G. Antes’ son, Dana, joined his father in the business in 1921 and took over ownership when his father died in 1953. The business is now owned by Dana’s daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Don Low, who took over the business in 1971.
Sarah Ross was with the firm for many years, joining as a presser and finisher in 1927. Thelma Jordan and George Knight both joined the firm in 1945.”
Taking some final photographs of the Antes wall prompted me to think about other “brick wall” signs from years gone by – ones that no longer exist. It seemed like I remembered seeing others, but where? Calls and emails to some true local historians, Jean Martin and Ruth Nihart, produced quick responses and some wonderful old photos: an ice cream sign on a wall of Parr’s Pharmacy; the Fowler & Ball Hardware sign when that building occupied the southeast corner of Walker and Clinton; Elmer Emmons Cider Mill sign at the business that was a favorite gathering spot on Railroad Street east of the old Grand Trunk Depot; the ice cream advertisement on the south wall of Parr’s Pharmacy; the signs on the old City Laundry owned by the Caudy family; the remains of the St. Johns Table Factory; and the elevator and lumber yard on the northwest side of the railroad tracks.
There is one painted wall sign remaining in downtown St. Johns and, ironically, it’s located on the opposite side of Walker Street from the former Antes building. The Game Master dragon still stands guard near the Walker Street entrance to the educational toy, book and game store that was owned and operated by Bill and Joi Tennant from 1983 into the early ’90s. That was the heyday of Dungeons and Dragons – a favorite of Bill Jr., his dad recalls, noting that Cam Wood painted the sign on the wall along with a wooden placard sign that hung by the doorway of the business.
It’s entirely possible that the Game Master dragon won’t be the last sign standing, either. St. Johns Shopping Distric is hoping to paint a mural in the downtown business district – a new sign for a new generation.
Until that happens, what a treasure it is to have the images of the old signs provided by Jean and Ruth. If you have old sign photos to share, please send digital files to mail@sjindy.com.
It will be interesting to see what other memories may resurface.