Palmison's Bicycle Shop on Central Avenue

Palmison’s Bicycle Shop was in business in Sandusky, at several different locations, for over eighty years. The business was begun by Salvatore “Tutie” Palmison, who came to this county from Italy in 1888. From 1915 through the 1930s, the Palmison family resided at 411 Central Avenue, which was also the address of the bicycle shop. 

This advertisement appeared in the December 6, 1915 issue of the Sandusky Register:

In the early years, the store also carried groceries. A small article about the business was featured in the January 14, 1922 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal:

During the 1923 holiday season, the Palmison Bicycle Store sold bicycles, wagons, “kiddie cars,” as well as Christmas trees:

The Palmison family also repaired bicycles, usually in the evenings after the retail store was closed. By 1946 the store had moved to 279 East Market Street. The shop moved to 1030 Hayes Avenue in the early 1950s, when Tutie’s son John Palmison, Sr. began working in the store; after Tutie Palmison's death in 1952, his son took over the bicycle business. The store moved from its Hayes Avenue location in 1974 to 2525 South Columbus Avenue, and was known as Palmison’s Cycle City. 

An article in the July 30, 1980 issue of the Sandusky Register, stated that John Palmison, Jr. took over the business in 1978, after having worked with his father in the bicycle shop for several years. According to John Palmison, Jr., the bicycle store was busiest during the summer months as well as the holiday season. The final location of Palmison’s bicycle shop was at 1022 West Monroe Street. The store was in business through the late 1980s. The 1991 Sandusky City Directory listed Scoop’s Ice Cream shop at 1022 West Monroe Street. 

Though Palmison’s is no longer in business, the three generations of family members who worked in the bicycle store for several decades played an important role in the lives of many local residents who used bicycles for transportation and recreation along the streets of Sandusky. The address that was once known as 411 Central Avenue is now home to the Good Shepherd Center of St. Mary’s Parish.