Category: Old Stories

Mike Keifer has some amazing observations to take back to Maryland after an action-packed visit to the only other Hagerstown in the United States.

He certainly can tell how he was impressed by eating at the iconic Willie & Reds and how he was warmly greeted by hundreds of new brothers and sisters.

He can tell about how he toured the famous Tedco Toys plant, tasted treats from Abbott’s Candies and learned about the town’s Teetor-automotive history.

He can tell an amazing story how the area’s Amish joined thousands of others in taking part in Jubilee Days and how the Nettle Creek School District is ready to coordinate on educational initiatives.

“Everything has been wonderful about my visit,” Keifer said Saturday afternoon during a quiet moment. “It’s just been amazing.”

The most amazing story he’ll tell those back home in Maryland, though, is how the future is so bright for the Hagerstowns as sister cities. There are historic similarities and multiple ways they can work together and help each other.

There’s a long time of catching up from a connection that was just waiting for a pioneer like Kiefer to spark the initiative and then carry it through.

“It should have taken place a long time ago,” said Phyllis Mattheis about the sister-city relationship.

She helped shepherd Keifer on a historic tour of Hagerstown and the area during his four-day visit. Mattheis has visited Hagerstown, Md., along with her husband, Jerry.

She noted that the sister cities have a lot in common historically, including a canal. Both also share a close connection to the Old National Road and to auto racing.

“This is only the start to something special,” Keifer said. “This is only the first trip here (by people from Maryland),” he promised.

The connection was formalized during a simple and poignant ceremony Saturday in the park across from City Hall and the library.

“We’re officially sister cities and we’re excited about that,” said councilman Brian Longbons, who was there on Oct. 1, 2013 when Hagerstown, Md., approved its half of the designation.

Former city manager Bob Warner was there last October, too, along with their spouses and they all were amazed at the interest from people in the Maryland city of 40,000 for connecting with their little sister in Indiana, population 1,769.

A proclamation was read by Wayne County Commissioner Denny Burns, designating Aug. 16, 2014 as Hagerstown, Maryland, Day. Two other commissioners — Mary Anne Butters and Ken Paust — stood along with county councilmen Jeff Plasterer and Rodger Smith.

It was pointed out — as the Hagerstown, Md., flag flew in front of City Hall — that pioneers from there came west in the early 1800s and helped found Hagerstown, Ind. There certainly are blood relations already in the two towns.

The official sister-city proclamation was read by Rick Cole, president of the Hagerstown Town Council.

Immediately afterward, there was a gift exchange with Keifer, one of many made during his visit.

The retiree from Maryland founded the sister-city idea many years ago and kept pushing it toward fruition. His efforts resulted in the enlistment of dozens of Maryland public leaders in the cause. “This means a lot, for Mike to show such passion and come here,” Cole said after the event. “It will be really great for us. I am very proud.”

Keifer expressed his pride, too: “It’s an honor for me to be the ambassador, to put the ribbon on this,” he said.

He did more than put a ribbon on it during a short acceptance speech. He announced that his family would sponsor a $500 scholarship each year starting in 2016 for a graduating senior from Hagerstown High School. “I want to leave a legacy,” he said. “I want to do something special.”

He further announced that the Maryland State Senate would provide a similar scholarship for a new graduate from high school in Hagerstown, Md.

Keifer noted that Jubilee Days opened his eyes to a connection that he’d never considered, that he’ll quickly report back to Maryland.

There are many Amish families that live near Hagerstown, Md., yet are seldom seen at activities there. “Maybe we can reach out there,” Keifer said. “When we make connections, it will strengthen this.”

Butters said she expects Hagerstown, Ind., to learn a lot about tourism-related activities from the connection. For example, the sister city in Maryland has a blues festival that started with hundreds of people attending and has grown to 40,000 each year. The bigger town also has made major headway in redeveloping its downtown. “There are a lot of opportunities in it,” Butters said.

One possibility, she said, is to connect Colts fans from Indiana and Maryland. Today’s Indianapolis Colts had quickly left Baltimore in 1984. “Maybe we can bury the hatchet,” Butters said. “You know, sisters can have their differences and still love each other.”

Call it the unique tale of two Hagerstowns.

The towns in Maryland and Indiana share a lot more than the same name. Both are located near Interstate 70 and the Old National Road. Both have nearby DOT Foods plants and downtowns that are in stages of rebirth. Both have storied histories in pioneering and the arts. One is near our nation’s capital and endured battles in the Revolutionary War and Civil War. One is known for its entrepreneurial spirit in the automotive, railroad and toy industries.

The Hagerstowns share a bond that literally goes back to pioneering times. “That’s how we got our name,” said Bob Warner, former city manager of Hagerstown, Ind. German settlers connected to the Hagerstown, Md., area moved west to eastern Indiana in about 1830, where they forged another Hagerstown.

It’s entirely possible that people here are closely related by blood as well as by town name. “We are connected by the very beginning,” said Brian Longbons, a councilman from Hagerstown, Ind.

He, Warner and their wives visited Hagerstown, Md., last fall to see the town up close and receive the sister-city proclamation and other welcome gifts from Mayor David S. Gysberts. The delegation from Indiana was impressed by the town and its leaders. “I was just floored by everything they did for us,” Warner said. They visited the Antietam battlefield, which was considered the bloodiest of the Civil War and led directly to President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. They saw a brand new library, a revitalized downtown and a high school that focused on the arts. A sister-city designation would certainly benefit Hagerstown, Ind., they quickly realized.

The town council has approved and it will be formalized during Jubilee Days when Mike Keifer, the father of the effort comes to town. He will tour special business, such as Tedco and Abbott’s Candies, and meet with officials from the school district, the library and the police and fire departments.

Keifer has worked on the project for many years. He also recruited the police chief, the fire chief, the tourism leader, schools superintendent and many other town leaders in Hagerstown, Md., to sign on to the project. The proclamation was approved on Oct. 1, 2013. Keifer earlier had made contact with Warner about his sister-city idea and it struck a chord. “There’s all this history there and here,” Warner said. “I hope we can continue this for a long time.” Keifer, a retiree from the security industry, started the effort when he discovered how unique the Hagerstown connection was. “To my surprise, there are only two of them,” he said. “Then I came to find out that folks that settled there came from here and that really got me going.” He has been a driving force, Longbons said: “He has taken this very seriously,” Longbons said. “This is his passion.”

The towns share a passion for excellence and rebirth, Longbons said, noting that the Maryland town has revitalized its downtown area. “They had a downtown just like ours,” he said. “They struggled, but worked very diligently to bring activities back. They have an arts and entertainment district. When they see lots of people there, businesses follow.” Hagerstown, Ind., has a similar focus on a smaller scale — of course — with a population of 1,769 compared to just over 40,000.

“It’s an amazing to discover you have excellent things, unique things, to offer as well,” Longbons said. “We take some of those things for granted and probably shouldn’t.” He thinks the Indiana town will get the better part of the bargain. “One thing they have more of is employees that can help develop (the town) through tourism and activities that bring people in,” he said. “The can show us how to do it.” And how to get started, Warner said: “They have 20 special weekends of activities throughout the year,” he said. “They know how to bring them (people) downtown.” Ironically, Longbons and Warner say, high-school students from here often have stopped in Hagerstown, Md., while making trips to Washington, D.C. Warner remembers when Hagerstown schoolchildren wrote each other as pen pals.

What does that sister-city connection mean? “We can bring their experiences (here),” Longbons explained. “Their schools can connect with ours.” The libraries, too. The leader in Hagerstown, Md., has reached out to work already with Ruth Frasur, the director of the library here. Firefighters traveled to Hagerstown, Md., to do some training. “There’s a lot of interaction already,” Warner said. And that should grow. “As people start to correspond back and forth and it gains strength, who knows where it will go,” Keifer said. “We can bring our creative energies together.”

There are those who wish to help others, and in doing so change lives, including their own. Volunteering is about giving back. Those who dedicate their time, energy and skills to a community work hard to improve the quality of life for those around them and to provide a meaningful and positive place to live.

Residents who volunteer to serve on our town’s boards and commissions are extremely important to the functioning of the town. They also play an important part in shaping Hagerstown’s future. Whether it’s passion or a personal attachment that drives a person to want to volunteer for their community, their valuable contributions to the growth and development of Hagerstown do not go unseen.

The desire to give back to the community that raised them is exactly what drove Fred Dill and Ginny Ozbun to serve on Hagerstown’s Parks and Recreations Board. Dill wants to make it possible for today’s youth to have the same opportunities and to enjoy the same facilities that he did while growing up in Hagerstown. As the current board president, Dill explains that the board’s role is to oversee and ensure that the town’s parks and recreational facilities are performing at optimal levels. Along with cleaning and maintenance, the board strives to continually make improvements and confront problems before they arise.

Dill, who has been on the board for three years, acknowledges that funding is a challenge. He explains that you must stretch every dollar to make it count and not overextend the budget. However, the rewards are what really counts. Dill, like many board members, sets goals both for themselves and for the community. Whether it’s long-term or short-term, “once you see your goals and dreams met, it makes you feel good,” says Dill. Just one recent example of Dill’s goals for the community that will come to fruition is the restroom construction at the Optimist Soccer Field on the southeast part of town.

Ozbun is greatly appreciated by the town due to her years of service. She was the office secretary at the elementary for 46 years, and she continues to volunteer at her church, thrift shop, and has served as the secretary of the Parks and Recreation Board since 1982. Ozbun explains that her interest has always been focused on the children of the community. Volunteering her time allows her to help give opportunities through better amenities to those who might not receive them otherwise.

“It takes all types of people to create a community,” says Ozbun. “Everyone is appreciated. If you have a desire to serve, voice your concern.” She is proud to give back and enjoys serving with her fellow members. “I wouldn’t be happier living anywhere else.”

For Dill, his time volunteering and improving the community is about “furthering the future.” He emphasizes that it’s important for the board and other residents to look forward. It’s about “doing things to make sure the future’s bright, where kids who grew up here want to come back to live, raise a family, and give back.”

The Hagerstown community truly is enhanced by the service of its volunteers, especially those serving on the Parks and Recreation Board. Becky Diercks, who was a member for 14 years, said that her greatest reward of volunteering came while serving on the park board. She served as president during the last four years of her service, and along with Dill and Ozbun, she guided the development of Miller Park and the bringing of the Dutro Pool back to a sustainable resource. She is now serving on the town council, the Planning Commission and the cemetery task force.

We discovered a lot about ourselves when Willie & Red’s – and a whole section of our historic downtown – faced destruction on June 23.

We discovered that we have caring citizens and neighbors.

We discovered that we have an exceptional volunteer fire department and extraordinary disaster preparedness.

We discovered an unshakeable passion for our past, our present and our future.

Willie & Red’s simply couldn’t die.

Neither could the next-door Hagerstown Museum and Arts Place.

“It’s history. It’s Hagerstown,” said Penny Wickes, who along with her husband, Mike, had once already poured their hearts, their hands and hundreds of thousands of dollars into saving the former Welliver’s Smorgasbord.

“We did it to help the community and that’s why we are doing it again.”

Willie & Reds already is doing a steady business in catering through its smorgasbord kitchen as it recovers,

The aim is to have some trial-run events by late October and the restaurant to be fully functioning before Thanksgiving.

Those are amazing happenings considering the fears and tears of that fateful June day, when a fire started about 3:30 p.m. as the staff was preparing to open for a normal Saturday night.

Customers already were milling around outside. Penny Wickes was getting ready at home. Fire chief Rick Cole was just returning from an ambulance run.

“I was just sitting down (when the call came in),” he said.

It had already been so dry that he thought the fire department would be going on a grass run. “I never thought in million years that it would be the biggest fire in Hagerstown history,” Cole said.

But, it was. Word spread nearly as quickly as the flames and black smoke.

Penny Wickes and hundreds of bystanders rushed to the site in horror.

“Our history was burning before our eyes,” said Tammy Moyer, a waitress at Nancy’s Main Diner.

Wickes remembers a constant stream of neighbors and customers hugging her and offering encouraging words while the flames and thick, heavy smoke rose for hours on that otherwise perfect afternoon.

“We’re here for you,” they told Wickes time and again.

“We’re here for you,” the town’s citizens said to each other in words and actions that day.

“We’re hear for you,” everyone has said in the two months that have followed.

The community support has kept the Wickes going as they’ve worked night and day there and at their other extensive business projects.

“That means a lot,” she said. “It’s been crazy the last couple years. We are worn out, but we won’t rest until we get it back.”

New trusses signal from the outside that the rebuilding effort is well underway.

The sights and sounds of construction are noticeable on weekdays along Main Street.

Catering was very busy during the recent Jubilee Days.

Many kitchen employees are still earning a paycheck. They helped haul out burned debris, tore out floors and the ceiling and helped fix water-damaged floors, ceilings and walls. “They’ve been helping every day,” she said.

Cole said he talked with Wickes many times during the fire battle and was impressed by her concern for it spreading to other buildings and for how here employees would be affected. They all had gotten out quickly, but “now, they’d be unemployed,” Cole said.

He took a personal interest in making sure everything was done to help his downtown and the Wickes: “They took a business that was a big part of this town,” he said. “They gambled. They never asked for assistance. They did it on their own.”

The next-door Hagerstown Museum and Arts Place is getting closer each day to opening full-time again.

Hundreds of bystanders and thousands from miles around only could imagine the worst as they watched the smoke rise high in the sky.

“I thought several times: ‘This is gone,” said Cole.

It was so frustrating to fight at first. “We had to wait for the utility crew so it started to take off before we could really get at it,” Cole said. “It had a good head start on us before we could make an aggressive attack.”

Wickes said she thought, too, that everything could be gone as she witnessed the heroic work being done. “I was so impressed with what they did,” she said about the firefighters. “They were out there fighting and giving encouragement.”

Civic leaders took visible roles to help at the scene. They included town manager Bob Warner and county commissioner Denny Burns, who brought in utility help.

Business owners delivered food and drinks. Another brought in backhoes.

Another brought a battery charger to help pump water.

“That’s part of what makes this community unique,” said Cole, who also serves as president of the town council.

Unbeknownst to most bystanders, the fire was contained for the most part in the upper levels of the buildings. Rubber roofing caused the heavy, black smoke that made the fire look even worse.

“The old timber and old roofing kept it going for a while,” Cole said.

That smoke could be seen as far away as the Knightstown exit along Interstate 70.

Wickes was shocked when a fireman friend, who is a longtime restaurant customer, came out of the smoldering building and told her: “It’s not as bad as you think. We’ll get you back in there.”

Wickes remembers thinking: “You’re kidding. I expected it was all burned out inside.”

Her resolve to rebuild for the second time was cemented at that moment.

So many things combined to save the downtown face of Hagerstown that day, a place that always has delivered far more than a great meal.

It’s a meeting place for Wayne County and a destination point for the region.

It’s the backbone of a community.

Most people agree that the response to the fire was extraordinary.

Much of that credit goes to teamwork, and a unique response plan, among surrounding fire departments.

“We train together,” Cole said.

“When it comes to situations like that, we all come together to protect the citizens.”

An association of Wayne County fire departments was started so we could all work together when needed. “This was the biggest,” Cole said.

Because of the arrangement, any structure fire automatically sends out three departments. Previously, Hagerstown had to make requests through dispatch for every need.

The Hagerstown volunteer department and the arrangement are considered to be so strong that citizens have a benefit that they don’t see: Their homeowner insurance rates are cheaper because of better ISO rating.

The fire departments from Greens Fork, Economy and Cambridge City arrived first at the June fire.

It was essential to get quick help from Cambridge City, which is 7 miles away. “Their ladder truck was a big help,” Cole said.

“We could get over the fire.”

Help also soon arrived from Centerville, Dublin and Richmond in Wayne County.

The area cities of Connersville, New Lisbon, Millville and Mooreland sent help.

Police officers came from surrounding towns to help direct traffic.

Many people credit Cole for leading the fire effort: “Those decisions he made were amazing,” said Moyer. “The day of the fire, I thought we would lose the whole block. He helped save us.”

Wickes said she sat and watched as Cole directed the effort. “He was very good,” she said. “I told him, ‘You saved the museum. You kept the whole block from burning.'”

Cole deflects the credit: “It was a team effort of every firefighter on the scene that day,” he said.

No matter what, Wickes and Cole think that Hagerstown will be stronger because of the experience.

“I think when we open back up, it will be bigger and better,” Wickes said. “I hope it will bring new life to Hagerstown.”

Cole agrees: “It could be a blessing in disguise with many good things to come from it,” he said. “We can feed off that, redefine ourselves. I think it strengthened us.”

See more photos of the remodeling on Willie & Red’s FaceBook Page.

People are important here.

That’s the mantra of Dr. Bill Doering in his new role as superintendent of Nettle Creek Schools.

“It’s an honor to be a leader,” said the longtime educator.

“They have placed a great responsibility for me in their children and their community.

Leaders are important here.

Therefore, it’s an extremely important time because Hagerstown has undergone a transformation in prominent public positions. Several new leaders have started in community roles.

Police Chief Keith Folkner started work in late spring and Gerry Keesling just assumed the role of athletic director for Hagerstown High School.

Library director Ruth Frasur also is new to her leadership position in the last year.

Doering, Folkner, Frasur and Keesling echo similar themes of honor, service, responsibility, community — and simply wanting to be here.

They all were thrilled to be selected for their new roles.

“It is an honor to be in a position that allows me to purposefully and positively impact the lives of our community members,” Frasur said.

All four new leaders were attracted to Hagerstown because the community has a reputation for excellence and reverence; it’s a place where residents love their small-town life, yet have big-time ambitions. They all feel welcome.

“I haven’t felt like an outsider at all,” Folkner said. “I knew this was a great community.”

Keesling, who stepped down last year as head football coach at Earlham College, said he’s thrilled to work for a school system that he’s admired for many decades: “This is a special place because of the people within the school system and the greater community. Continually, I am impressed with everyone I meet on a daily basis,” he said. “I come from a small community (Winchester) and I feel right at home here.”

Doering has been impressed by Hagerstown’s academic achievements for a long time. The native of Cleveland, Ohio, was a longtime principal for Richmond Community Schools. He had long wanted to lead a school district and live in a small-town or rural environment. “I want to get a piece of property and raise horses,” he said.

He also enjoys a new hobby as a beekeeper.

His focus is on academic achievement and performance at a broad level.

“As good as we are, we can be better,” he said. “We have so many resources in place.”

Those include dedicated teachers, administrators, students and parents. “I’ve spent a lot of time meeting employees. I am very impressed,” Doering said. “The attitude is what’s catching my attention. It’s positive.”

Frasur was looking for a leadership challenge after working in Liberty for many years while earning her master’s degree. The Michigan native, a wife and mother of three boys, was impressed from the day she first came to visit.

“I decided to check Hagerstown out before ever submitting my resume, and was pleased to find both a library and a community that were warm and inviting,” she said.

“On that first day, I ended up spending nearly two hours just talking with (retired director) Linda Mettler about libraries in general, Hagerstown Library, and Hagerstown as a community.”

Frasur’s visit also coincided with the first Local Authors Day sponsored by the Friends of the Library. “I was able to meet several community members as well as Friends members,” she said. “It really was the perfect day to visit.”

Frasur enjoys problem-solving, something all of the new leaders will face in a variety of ways. “I like seeing how well things are working and finding ways to make them work better or more efficiently,” she said.

“It’s pretty exciting to be able to enrich the lives of people.”

It’s exciting for Folkner to return to east-central Indiana.

“I wanted to get back home,” said the native of Yorktown, who is the father of two grown sons. He served as a police officer for more than a decade in Muncie and most recently worked as a sergeant on the police force at the Indiana University Southeast campus in New Albany.

He also spent a year as a police-training consultant in Afghanistan.

He was looking for career advancement. “Being a police chief was a goal,” he said. “It’s been everything I imagined it could be.”

Folkner said he enjoys the small-town pace.

“What I love is I have time to stop and visit with people,” he said. “I get the chance to shake hands, talk about this and that and to make lasting connections.”

Folkner said his first months have been exciting — and hectic. One obvious reason was the devastating fire at Willie & Reds.

Another reason was a series of storms.

Yet, the transition was seamless because of the help of Kent Hollenberg, who retired at the end of May after serving as chief for 23 years. “He did an awesome job of preparing me,” Folkner said.

The other three new leaders also praise the help of their predecessors in preparing for their jobs.

Joe Backmeyer retired this summer as Nettle Creek superintendent, as did athletic director Terry Schraub.

“This spring I had the opportunity to shadow (Schraub) and I have been overly impressed with the professionalism and abilities of all the teachers and staff,” Keesling said.

Frasur moved up into the role after serving as an assistant for a year under Mettler and then interim director John MacDonald.

“I know a lot of people that don’t enjoy their jobs or have become cynical about their ability to make a difference. I’m very blessed to love my job and to have seen enough evidence of its value to remain optimistic.”

The library recently renovated its lighting and had a successful summer program, Frasur said. “As we move forward, I hope to continue to redefine the library as a community cornerstone.”

She points out libraries have historically connected people through books, but they are evolving at a fast pace. “We hope to create an environment through our facilities, collections, services and programs that fosters the development and communication of information,” she said.

That includes “expanded computer availability, downloadable materials, access to databases, technology training and discussion groups,” she said.

“We also want to take our services outside of the library walls and be more visible as an active participant in local culture.”

All four new leaders share another common ambition: They plan to stick around in their roles for a long time.

“My goal is that this is my last job,” Folkner said. “I don’t plan on going anywhere else.”

Hagerstown is on the move. A favorite cafe and a long-standing pharmacy move down a block. A charming inn makes its debut. A friendly couple takes charge of a famous candy factory. And a gun shop opens up on the outskirts of town. Yes, our town is on the move and we have the inside scoop.

The Cafe 51 and The Walnut Inn

Jeri Eckrote, Lori Kelley and Wes Rayburn

Change is a good thing, indeed, for The Cafe 51 and The Walnut Inn owner and manger, Wes Rayburn.

The cafe opened up in October 2010 and was located on Main Street inside Across the Street Antiques. This past May, Rayburn moved the cafe into an 1850s two-story house on the corner of Walnut and Plum Street, just a block down from the original. “We like the homey atmosphere. It’s a lot brighter,” says Rayburn who has been in the food service more than 20 years.

There is more dining area for customers to enjoy, including outdoor seating and private dining rooms that are available for meetings.

The new location offers more opportunities, including an expansion for a country style inn.

The Walnut Inn has two guest rooms. Both are beautifully decorated with four-poster beds and antique furniture. “The Green Room,” a two-room suite, features a full bath while the other, “The Rose Room” shares a bathroom. Rayburn stresses that the inn is nothing flashy or showy. The guests, though, see the beauty and charm in the rustic wide-board floors, windows, and woodwork that takes them back in time. The Walnut Inn will not be a traditional bed and breakfast, but will be a clean and comfortable country inn that will offer some continental breakfast items for guests.

Not only is the cafe and inn appealing to hungry residents or out-of-towners looking for a nice place to stay, but is also an antique and gift shop. “Everything in the house is actually for sale,” says Rayburn. “All the furnishing, decor… If it doesn’t have a price tag, they can ask!”

The future looks bright for Rayburn and his endeavors. There has been an increase in business since the very first day nearly two years ago. The cafe has added more business hours, including evenings and weekends, and catering is available. If you are in the mood for a Reuben or a BBQ chicken sandwich grilled to perfection on homemade bread, a warm bowl of soup, or sinful desserts, you really ought to pay a visit to Wes and his staff at Cafe 51.

Mon-Fri: 11am-2pm, 5pm-7pm
Sat-Sun: 11am-3pm

Abbott’s Candy Shop

Jay and Lynn Noel

Those who call Hagerstown home are unable to recall a time before Abbott’s Candy. The family-owned business has flourished for over a century, and has recently been turned over to proud, new owners, Jay and Lynn Noel. The couple from New Palestine, Indiana are no strangers to the Abbott business. The Noels have run and operated Abbott’s Also Candy Shops in the Indianapolis area for 19 years. They opened their first location on the north side of Indianapolis in the Clearwater Crossing Shopping Plaza in 1993 and then a second location on the south side near the Greenwood Park Mall.

Lynn is a native to the Indy area and a Purdue graduate who owns an educational consulting firm based in New Palestine. Jay was born and raised near Youngstown, Ohio, then went on to attend The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He graduated in 1974 and later became a sales representative for JP Foodservice (now U.S. Foodservice) where he sold sugar and paper goods to the Abbott’s candy factory.

Previous owners, Suanna Abbott Goodnight and Gordon Goodnight took over the business in 1988 after the death of Rhea Abbott, daughter-in-law to Abbott’s founder, Will Abbott.

The Noels feel that it is important to continue the Abbott’s name. “We didn’t want to see the name go away. There’s so many small companies nowadays that don’t make it. Once they’re gone, they’re gone,” says Jay. “Since they’ve been open for 100 years, we thought we should continue to keep it going. I don’t think a lot of people understand the magnitude of how long they’ve been here and what they do with the product.”

The Noels say that changes are underway, but they will continue to offer the same products, in addition to truffles from Birnn Chocolates of Vermont and 20 different varieties of sugar-free chocolates that are currently available in the Indianapolis shops. The new owners say they will be hands on and that one of the two will always be present. They want to be a face people see around.

Hagerstown Pharmacy

Grandview Pharmacy will be moving into the Jefferson Township Trustee’s office on Main Street in October.

The town’s pharmacy is heading down the street after sixty-three years. Though the pharmacy is moving just a couple buildings over, it’s still a big change to those who have always remembered the drugstore on 25 W. Main St.

Grandview Pharmacy will be moving into the current Jefferson Township Trustee’s office on 47 E. Main St. across from Willie and Red’s and next to The Meeting Place. The move is scheduled to happen this October.

Hagerstown has been the home to many drugstores throughout its history, the first being opened by Enrich Taylor and Mr. Schiebler in 1838, just six years after the founding of the town. In 1941, Melvin Bennett moved to town and took over the management of The Hagerstown Drug Store that was previously managed by Walter Falck. After selling the drugstore to Doc Mays, Bennett bought the Telephone Building in 1949 where he opened up Bennett’s Pharmacy. In those early days, the pharmacy was not just a place to pick up prescriptions, toiletries, and film, but was also a fun hangout that featured a soda fountain.

In 2005, Melvin’s son and daughter-in-law, Fred and Jayne Bennett sold the two-story building to Hagerstown native, Nate Logston. The top floor of the building has served as the home to Logston’s architectural practice, Level-Three, Inc. Logston decided to sell the building this summer after hearing about the pharmacy’s plans to relocate.

Dave Bushman, the current pharmacist, says that the pharmacy’s new location will offer more off-street parking. The pharmacy will offer the same prescription service and products as they currently do. “They [customers] can still expect the same outstanding service and we’ll do the best we can to serve everyone in the area,” says Bushman.

Big Daddy’s Guns and More

Big Daddy’s employees Mike Cain and Bobby Campbell

Hagerstown is the home to many small businesses, but these businesses are by no means small in size. That’s especially the case with Big Daddy’s Guns and More. Big Daddy’s is owned and operated by Hagerstown High School graduate, Brent Meadows. The 4200-square-foot gun shop is on Highway 1, just south of State Road 38 in what was previously the home of Livingston Systems Manufacturing Plant.

“Since I was 21, I have dabbled in and out of the hobby of gun shops,” says Meadows. Big Daddy’s is his fourth gun shop.

Before Big Daddy’s, Meadows owned a gun shop downtown on the first floor of the museum, where the license branch once was. The shop closed in September 2010, after which he took a short break from the business. Alongside his gun shop ventures Meadows owns the public safety consulting company, Meadows Consulting.

Big Daddy’s is a class 3 dealer of firearms with NRA certified instructors and offers a Utah Non-Resident Concealed Firearms Permit course. This course is for those 21 years of age and older to legally carry a concealed firearm in 33 states. Indiana residents must still possess an Indiana handgun license. Big Daddy’s has five to six people on staff, including Meadows’ daughter, Alexandra, who is also a full-time college student.

Big Daddy’s showroom has 500 to 700 new and used guns in stock, which include shotguns, revolvers, pistols, and assault rifles. They also carry crossbows, ammunition, shooting supplies, and targets. There are gunsmiths on site, and the building includes a machine shop in the back half used to manufacture gun parts.

Big Daddy’s does not only appeal to Hagerstown residents. Meadows says the business is reaching people in Delaware, Henry, Randolph, Fayette and Union counties as well. “We’re even drawing people from Ohio and Kentucky pretty steadily,” he says.

“The town of Hagerstown has been very supportive of me,” says Meadows, who is thrilled about the future of Big Daddy’s. The shop will offer hydrographic printing, or water transfer imaging, in December of this year. They are also going to build a 100-yard indoor gun range, opening in April of 2013, where customers can rent and shoot guns. Big Daddy’s will also offer basic pistol, rifle, shotgun, and self-defense lessons once the range is open. Meadows says there will be about 15 classes offered, and each class could take a couple of hours up to one to two days.

Big Daddy’s takes appointments and is open five days a week.

Mon-Tues: 9am-6pm
Thu: 9am-9pm
Fri: 9am-6pm
Sat: 10am-4pm

It’s that time of year again. Natives and visitors of Hagerstown are gearing up for yet another weekend of Jubilee Days festivities. The Nettle Creek Lions Club will host this celebration August 16-18.

The festivities will kick off on Thursday evening with the Hagerstown Rotary’s gyroscope contest and the Sight Queen Ice Cream Social. On Friday, the Festival Market will return with crafts, food and games, along with the Classic Car show and musical entertainment. The tradition will continue with the Jubilee Day parade on Saturday morning with an estimated 1,500 people in attendance.

The remainder of the fun-filled weekend will be packed with fun activities to celebrate the community, including the return of the Lions Club Fish Fry, a talent show, the Kid’s Zone, the Grand Prix Go-Kart Race, and Dale’s Pizza/Wannabeez’ Band Bash, which will feature live music from local musicians.

The Grand Prix has been a big hit and continues to grow. This will be the third year that the Southern Indiana Racing Association comes to town. The racers always look forward to returning, says Robin Nugent of the Lions Club. In previous years, the race has coincided and competed with another race nearby. Because there is no conflict this year, Nugent believes there will be more karts and ultimately more spectators. She hopes that this will result in a bigger turnout from the community.

Another highlight of the weekend will be the crowning of the 60th Jubilee Days Sight Queen. The Lions Club contest honors local young women and raises money to aid the Hagerstown community. The Lions Club assists those in need of eye care and donates to food banks, the high school band, sports teams, and FFA. They also adopt several families and provide gifts during the holiday season. The Sight Queen contestants help raise this money by door-to-door campaigning, car washes, and bake sales, among other various fundraisers. Contestants this year are Abby Bridgford, Cassi Federico, Desiree McNew, and Zoey Scarrette. Logan Ritter was crowned last year’s Sight Queen.

Hagerstown has celebrated and looked forward to the third weekend in August for more than 60 years. Everyone comes together and takes pride in the neighborhood and small-town living. “It is one day a year that brings everyone out for the positives,” says Nugent.

The Jubilee weekend is not just for those currently living in the area, but for those who grew up in and graduated from Hagerstown as well. “It’s a homecoming for the town,” says Becky Reed, Lions Club President. Most of the Hagerstown High School class reunions are held during this weekend and many of these classes organize floats that ride in the parade. It’s a fun weekend that brings old classmates and friends together. “This is one day that the streets are lined and old friends reunite and new friends are made,” says Nugent.

Kyle and Lori Cross, owners of Dale’s Pizza and Wannabeez Bar, are also doing their best in making sure the weekend is even more enjoyable for the community. The goal of involving music and entertainment into the town’s celebration has become a nearly all-day event called Band Bash, which originated last year. “Band Bash is my attempt as a musician, and someone who grew up in this town, to bring live music and something more to Jubilee Days,” says Kyle Cross.

The town council approved closing the Dale’s/Wannabeez section of Washington Street from noon until midnight for the occasion. Cross explained that this year’s Band Bash is more of a community event. Families and those under 21 can bring lawn chairs, sit back, and enjoy the entertainment. Band Boosters will be sponsoring Kid Zone’s bounce house and selling snow cones in the parking lot of Chris Mull Homes, across from Dale’s/Wannabeez parking lot where the stage and beer garden will be held.

“Band Bash is something that people really enjoyed. We hope that it’s a tradition we’ll continue to do and hoping that other businesses will find their ‘Band Bash,” Cross says.

Click here to see who will be performing at Band Bash 2012.

HAGERSTOWN, Ind. — IronGate Creative has a stately, leisurely appearance from the outside. But, there’s a beehive of business activitity going on inside.

It’s multimedia mecca on Main Street.

Drawing tables and computer stations fill the upstairs rooms.

Colorful framed creations line the walls and staircase.

Award plaques and a huge conferencing table attest further to the company’s success with advertising, marketing and product branding.

IronGate designs logos, magazines, packaging and web sites. It offers on-the-edge services with social media.

Its success in Hagerstown is a testament to a shared vision and community resources.

Co-founder Jeff Huffine says a loan for $30,000 through Hagerstown’s economic development fund was essential in the final decision to locate the business at 35 W. Main St., within steps of an old-fashioned pharmacy, a pizza parlor and the post office.

He and business partner Jeff Richards had started their business in Hagerstown, but were considering other location options about seven years ago.

Many people scoffed at the potential of the rundown old residence, Huffine says.

It had a colorful history, including serving as home for the Exponent newspaper.

Besides stories that were produced in the building, there were persistent sightings of a friendly ghost.

Those all heightened its appeal, gave it artistic character, Huffine jokes.

The choice for Huffine and Richards was about vision and branding, about picking hometown and character over a potential relocation.

It also was about taking a risk.”Jeff and I joke that we’re not smart enough to be scared….. so we proceeded on with our plans,” Richards says.

The two received a loan from First Bank Richmond to buy the building and make initial renovations.

Hagerstown official Nick Jarrett helped steer them through the EDIT process that resulted in a $30,000 loan at 1.5 percent interest.

“The Town of Hagerstown made a good EDIT Fund investment by making this low-interest loan to this business.” Says Peggy Cenova, President of the Hagerstown Town Council. “Not only did they preserve a historical building on our Main Street – but they have added professional employees to their payroll. This business is a perfect example of retaining the kind of well-paid jobs that we need to grow to a prosperous future.”

“The loan was just what we needed,” Huffine says.

Penny Wickes credits her early years growing up in a small town with helping to instill her strong work ethic and a willingness to listen to and learn from her elders. When Penny and Mike Wickes started their first business many years ago in Tennessee, there was a group of older businessmen who mentored young entrepreneurs because they knew thriving businesses were crucial for the success of the community as a whole.

After Mike and Penny brought their manufacturing business back to Hagerstown, well-known Hagerstown resident Bob Beeson provided similar mentoring, Hoosier style. The message of these business predecessors was not lost on them. When Welliver’s Restaurant closed, the Wickes knew the ramifications would extend far beyond the building and the staff. Penny states, “We were plenty busy with our other business. We didn’t open Willie and Red’s for us. We opened the restaurant for the good of the town.”

When they took the leap into restaurant ownership, the plan for phase one of the project was to do whatever was necessary to get the restaurant open. That meant an overhaul from top to bottom, including a new roof and ceiling, all new wiring, new floors, new kitchen equipment, and new restrooms.

An outside view of the bar at Willie & Reds.Now plans are moving forward into phase two, focusing on the west side of the building. As this phase develops, they will consider the possibility of reinstating some form of the smorgasbord, but that will require first installing a second kitchen. Presently they host occasional large group parties, with an in-room buffet, in the west room or across the street in another of their community projects, The Meeting Place.

The Willie and Red’s menu has changed very little from the previous Welliver’s menu, with the main difference being the addition of some of the former smorgasbord favorites as side items. However, it’s important to the Wickes that Willie and Red’s offers meals at a variety of price points to provide something for everyone from young families to retirees. Specials include Italian fare, a result of the expertise of their kitchen manager, and 2 for $20 specials on Thursdays and Sundays.

Current dining hours at Willie and Red’s are Thursdays 4:00-8:00, Fridays and Saturdays 4:00-10:00, and Sundays noon until 8:00. Reservations are accepted for groups larger than 15 people.

Penny and Mike Wickes walk the talk of their commitment to community, receiving a high level of support from grateful area residents. Penny notes, “People we have never known before have come up to us to thank us and to tell us how important Willie and Red’s is for the community.”

When asked what makes her proud to be a Hagerstown business owner, Penny Wickes says she’s most proud of being in a position to provide jobs for other people and to offer guidance to help them overcome obstacles and build a future. Clearly, Mike and Penny Wickes learned well the lessons of the elders and they are paying them forward to help ensure that Hagerstown’s heart beats strong far into the future.

Hagerstown Town Council President Peggy Cenova has lived in this area virtually all of her life, and there’s no place she’d rather be. She spent her childhood in Greens Fork, and he and her husband Chris, have lived in Hagerstown for 26 years, raising a daughter and becoming deeply involved in the community.

At age 56, she’s serving her third term as a member of the Town Council, her first as its president — and she has high praise for her fellow council members and the townspeople in general.

“By and large, the people who live here are proud to live here,” Cenova says. “To them, Hagerstown isn’t just a place to live. To them — and to me — Hagerstown is home. We care about this place and we want to make it even better.”

For Cenova and her colleagues in local government, one key to a better Hagerstown is reflected in the ongoing effort to establish an environmentally friendly industrial and office complex in town — a LEED-certified “eco park.”

A LEED-certified facility is one that meets the standards of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system developed in 1998 by the U.S. Green Building Council. Those standards rate building performance in five categories of sustainability: site, materials and resources, energy and atmosphere, water-use efficiency and overall indoor environmental quality.

Cenova knows the value of such a facility. She works in the Richmond satellite office of the Indiana Small Business Development Center, offering advice and assistance to entrepreneurs and small-business owners in a five-county area that includes Wayne County. She hears virtually every day from entrepreneurs who are hungry for ways to establish and operate “green” businesses — and she and other business-development experts are confident that Hagerstown can offer a place for such firms to grow.

The council first embraced the eco park project nearly two years ago, committing some of its own development funds and partnering with the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County to explore the concept. The first step was to identify and hire an engineering firm to determine the best site for such a park. That firm — Portland, Oregon-based Group Mackenzie — is now on the job, and Cenova says its experts are looking closely at “three or four” potential sites. Town officials hope to have a site chosen by early next year.

The ultimate vision is for the park to be a privately developed and owned site on a lot of between 100 and 120 acres — large enough to accommodate six to eight small to medium-sized businesses.

Town officials had hoped to move more quickly on the project, Cenova admits, pointing out that the original plan was to have the park built and occupied by at least one tenant by the spring of 2010.

“Of course, we came up with that plan before the economy tanked,” Cenova quipped. Still, she insists that the plan, though delayed, is not derailed — and she says that town officials are using this time to sow the seeds for the park’s success by taking as many “small steps” toward sustainability as possible.

“There are lots of little things we’re trying to do now to try to change attitudes and to lay the groundwork,” she says. For example, she says, officials are reassessing energy use by the town itself, including a close examination of the operations at Town Hall. She says the town also is considering the purchase of more environmentally friendly trucks and other equipment.

Though she and her colleagues are not able to move quickly with development of the eco park right now, “we can still take the initiative and set an example,” Cenova says. “We want to lead the community in a thoughtful process.”

By “walking the walk” when it comes to environmental sustainability, she explains, town officials hope to generate enthusiasm, not just for the potential economic benefits that the eco park can bring, but for the long-term, quality-of-life issues it represents.

“We have such a rich heritage here in Hagerstown, and that’s a great platform to build on,” Cenova says. “But we don’t just want to rest on our grand past; we want to create a grand future.”