Around The Block Again - Masters Building Update
April 13, 1997, article three

Back in January the Focus ran an article on the history of the recently demolished Masters Building which housed various businesses over the past century.

Following that article I received phone calls, visits, and even a fax (isn't modern technology slick?) With other intriguing details about the building and the adjoining businesses. It's high time I shared these with the Focus readership.

We got a highly informative letter from Jo Hollingsworth regarding the complexity of the demolition. Since the building was condemned and abandoned with property taxes unpaid, the Seneca County Health Dept. found itself in a bind.

If the Health Dept. Condemns a structure that the owner doesn't tear down, the Health Dept. Must itself shoulder the expense of the demolition, $20,000 in the case of the Masters Building.

The City of Fostoria used Community Development Block Grant funds to take the building down. In addition, the demolition required the cooperation of three local government units - the City of Fostoria, the Health Dept. and Seneca County Prosecutor to clear all the legal hurdles so the demolition could proceed. City Zoning Inspector Dale Helms told me that process took the better part of the year.

Now some folks may have gotten the impression at the end of the first article that I felt the loss of the Masters Building was avoidable and that an historic old landmark was needlessly torn down. I didn't intend to imply that.

Mr. Helms also told me that in addition to other problem, part of the roof had collapsed. It was a three story building with some of the roof on the second floor - not good. The building had to come down without question.

A fellow called me to tell us that the building might well have been named after Jeremiah Masters, a gentleman who may have owned it around 1910.

John Sharp dropped by the office to pass along the information that the Bert in Bert's Restaurant was Bert Azaar. Bert sold the restaurant to Freddie Lombardi who ran it as the Parakeet. The Lombardi brothers came to Fostoria from Sandusky after World War ll and opened Lom's Grill in the 100 block of N. Main where the Fluted Ribbon is today.

Mr. Sharp also passed along word of a fellow names Pete Dongas, a Turkish immigrant who ran a shoe shine shop located along the North St. side of the Masters Building in a narrow 6 foot by 30 foot extension. The address was 100 W. North St.

As early as 1929 a gent named George L. Brown occupied that location with his shoe repair business. By 1932 the establishment was listed as Brown and Dongas and by 1934 Pete had the enterprise all to himself and so affairs stood until 1956 when he retired

Mr. Sharp suggested that Pete Dongas was an interesting character and worth checking into. And so he was.

Many readers will recall that Pete's was much more than a shoe shine stand. Pete's was divided into two sections; one was devoted to the shoe business, the other, according to the 1942 Fostoria City Directory, was a "Confectionary, cigars and tobacco, news stand."

That same directory also called the shoe end of the business a "shoe shining parlor." Shoe shining parlor? That has a nifty ring to it.

I talked with some folks at the American Legion and George Pappas at Candyland. Almost everyone remembered that Pete sold popcorn. And he may have sold a specific brand. Using a magnifying glass to examine the photo accompanying this article, I made out a sign on the front of the building that might say, "Tony's Corn." It must have been a popular item.

Hot peanuts in the shell, candy, cigars and cigarettes were other staples available at Pete's.

Newspapers and magazines were popular, too. There are still lots of people around town who remember when downtown Fostoria was quite a hot spot, the place to be, on Saturday nights.

Farmers used to come into town on Saturday night and one of the things many of them did before heading home was stop at Pete's and pick up a newspaper or magazine for Sunday afternoon reading.

Pete's was also a waystation for kids going home from school in the days when a few pennies or a nickel would purchase a satisfying treat.

Pete was a naturalized citizen and came to Fostoria in 1926. He was a mill worker, candy maker and ice cream maker. He counted Bud Gross of the B&J Restaurant as his best friend.

On December 27, 1962 the Review-Times reported Pete's death from a heart attack at age 68, his third. After a second, Pete went to Duane Harrold of the Harrold Floriana Funeral Home to make final arrangements for he correctly feared another attack would end his life.

When Duane Harrold asked for obituary information, Pete replied, "Just say old Pete is dead."

He was a genial, good-humored man known to greet folks by saying, "This a wonderful day, wonderful people."

That kind of attitude sounds like a prescription for wonderful way to live.

I'd like to thank everyone for their interesting and informative replies to the first Masters Building article. Reader response like that not only opens up possibilities for new articles, but it's rewarding and motivating to boot. We always look forward to hearing from you.