In time for the busy holiday shopping season of 1949, the Lasalle and Koch Company opened a Lasalle’s department store in downtown Sandusky at 247 Columbus Avenue. This location had previously been the site of the Sloane House, and now is an Erie County office building. Rev. Rush R. Sloane spoke at the opening ceremonies held on October 28, 1949. The Sandusky High School band, under the direction of B.F. Aldrich provided music for the event. Mayor Kahler cut the ribbon across the main entrance to the new Lasalle’s store. The store featured four floors of merchandise. The outside walls were made of light brick, and the front of Indiana limestone. Glass windows across the entire front and side of the store created a huge show window.
Lasalle’s sold clothing for every member of the family, along with home furnishings, shoes, appliances, and furniture. A snack bar in the basement provided lunch for employees as well as shoppers. A beauty shop was located on the third floor of Lasalle’s. When shoppers rode the elevator, an elevator operator assisted you in getting to the upper floors of Lasalle’s.
Pictured below are the first Sandusky sales managers for the Lasalle’s store in Sandusky. Lasalle’s provided jobs for many area residents through the years.
The Lasalle’s store served Sandusky area customers until 1981. Do you have any memories of shopping at the Lasalle’s in downtown Sandusky?
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when I was in high school I worked here on Friday night and all day Saturday in the men and boys dept. Sometimes I was the elevator operator. During Christmas I worked the entire week. My wife and I years later bought our first high chair there from Ruth Huffman, who was my Den Mother.
I remember going with my mother to Lasalle's on Saturdays to get her hair done. This would have been in the 60's. I used to love to watch the hair dresser tease my mother's hair while she twisted and wrapped it until it formed a tall "beehive." Mom's hair was not long enough to form that big hairstyle on it's own, so she always brought with her a partial wig in a little hat box, which the hair dresser would "top" the tower of hair with so it would be big enough! Lot's of ladies went there every Saturday to have their hair done so it would look it's best on Sunday for church and be set for the rest of the week!
My grandma Edna Rotsinger worked in the hosiery dept for years & won the smiling Santa award 3 or 4 years in a row at Xmas time. She was a petiet woman of 4ft 11 & often got to buy the shoes off the maniquins when they changer the window designs.
I worked in the office for several years with Nancy Stricker, Donna King was the office manager and Harry Wagner was the manager! I remember Edna Rotsinger well! She was a fun lady! Lasalle's was a great store.
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