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Owner buys buildingBikle Shoe Store moving next doorBy SANDRA FLEISHMANBikle’s Shoe Store Inc., a downtown landmark for 62 years, is moving — but not very far.Owner William H. Clowser Wednesday purchased the vacant building next door which formerly housed Sword’s Market. The move will double the size of the shoe store,. Clowser said. * 1The first floor of the building will be completely remodeled, inside and out, he said.The exterior of the first floor will feature a modern, simplebrick architectural style that “we hope will tie in with the new square improvements,” Clowser said. ' ''He has hired Bushey and Burirey Architects, the firm under contract^to redesign Public Square, he said.The purchase price was listed at $42,500 according to Courthouse records.The interior of the first floor,which encompasses 6,000square feet, will feature storage areas along both sides and in the. rear of a central sales floor.Clowser is hopeful that the renovations will be complete by mid-winter. The present store will remain open while renovations are made.The owner is also trying to locate a tenant to lease his present site,. I’ve been trying to secure a tenant that will be compatible with the stores next door,” he said.Clowser, who has owned the store since 1962, said his investment shows the optimism about the future of the downtown. “We believe that the better quality merchandise will continue to be marketed downtown,” he said.He also said his decision to purchase his own building rather , than continue renting was based on the city government’s decision to improve the square.“The move is taking place because of the farsightedness of the Mayor and Council in doing the square project,” he said. “They’re finally doing something about the downtown.”Clowser was a former president of the HagerstownRetailers Bureau and unsuccessfully argued for downtown improvement years ago. He clashed in public with the city government when the Long Meadow Shopping Center was built because he begged1 for downtown renovation first.He also said the downtown “will flourish” because of the city's interest in the square. “There, is a trend in other cities under 300,000 toward a general revival of the downtown. In myv travels I've- heard of this in. many cities that weredeteriorated further than weare.Clowser said the tenants residing in apartments above, the first floor have been warned that they may have to vacate. He is still investigating whether he can afford to continue to rent if coal prices are manageable. “Coal costs twice as much as the rent,” he said.Bikle’s is named for its original owner, C. Fred Bikle who opened the store in 1912, Clowser said- In the 1930’s the store was sold to John G. Smith and Ray G. Ballinger.
Newspaper Details
Morning Herald
Hagerstown, Maryland, US
Thu, Oct 31, 1974
Page 28
Full Page
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USA 23 Jul 2020
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