The Zurma Brothers

Image courtesy of the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library, Fremont, Ohio

From the 1920s until 1945, two brothers of Italian descent, Urbano and Guerrino Zurma were in the tire business. The Zurma Brothers’ first shop was at 316 Scott Street.

The Zurmas were local distributors for Mason tires. They used a "Vulcanizing" process to repair tires. In an article in the Sandusky Star Journal of April 23, 1927, the Zurma Brothers promised to “give you the best in tire service.”

By June of 1928, the Zurma Brothers had moved their tire shop to the corner of Cleveland Road and Ogontz Street. In 1931, the Zurma Brothers sold Atlas tires and used Standard Oil products in their shop. In an article in the December 13, 1934 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal, Urbano Zurma explained that full retreading of tires was superior to the process of “capping” tires. The Zurma Brothers used Akron Simplex Retreaders at their tire repair shop.

Guerrino Zurma passed away in 1945. The Sandusky Register Star News of November 7, 1945 reported that the Lake Shore Meat Company had acquired the former property of the Zurma Brothers. When Urbano Zurma died in December of 1954, his obituary stated that he had been “a pioneer in the tire vulcanizing and repair business in Sandusky.”