Missing Along Main Street: 113 E. Main Street

The Lowell Area Historical Museum presents a new weekly online series. Missing Along Main explores the buildings that once occupied Main Street but are no longer there.

113 E. Main St.
North side of bridge

This wooden building was built between 1870 & 1885.

It was occupied by millinery businesses prior to 1885 until 1905. Miss Bosworth’s Millinery was here from 1893 to 1905. Her ad in 1896 read: “Before you buy your winter HAT OR BONNET –call on Miss C.R. Bosworth. Stock new and complete. Prices low. On the Bridge.” Miss Bosworth moved her goods to the Wright building across the street to be safe during the fire of April, 1905. This building was not destroyed but she ended up staying across the street.

A month later, in May of 1905, Mr. Frank Spagnuola bought her building and the one to the west, 111 E. Main. He opened a confectionery selling candy, sweets and ice cream. W. B. Rickert’s Confectionery followed in 1910. Earl and Luella Cole opened “Candyland” in 1918 and remained until 1940 when they sold their confectionery business to Richard Koewers.

During the summer of 1940, the Coles took their daughter Inez, who had just graduated from Lowell High School, to Hollywood, California so she could attend the Max Reinhardt school to learn acting. She later learned modeling and radio. Inez went on to be an actress. Her dedicated parents remained in California to be near her.

Inez Cole’s first role as an actress was “Jane” at the beginning of this film. She was an actress from 1940 to 1948 when her first child was born. She and her husband moved back to Michigan after that.

Inez Cole Craig is pictured in the front row center during the 70th Reunion of the Class of 1940 held at the Lowell Area Historical Museum. Others are –Back row left to right: Esther Kamp, John Scripps, Marjean Fonger Brillhart, John Jasperse, Jack Tornga, King Doyle. Front row l-r: Carroll Kyser, Helen Clark Blow, Inez Cole Craig, Barbara Dawson Schaffer, Dorothy Wingeier.

The Harry and V Shop was at this location in 1943; it was followed by Hickey’s Restaurant and Soda Bar which was famous for its chicken dinners. Leo Hickey sold his restaurant business to George Eastway in 1946.

The Show Boat Inn operated by Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Bassett was here during the 1950s and during the fire of January 2, 1958 that incinerated this row of buildings on the bridge in the center of town up to the old Post Office. That morning when Mrs. Bassett came downstairs from their apartment above to open the restaurant, she discovered the fire at the back of the row of buildings. By the time the fire department arrived, the three tanks of propane in the rear had exploded. The Bassetts lost their home and their business.