Wolfs Variety Store

“Wolf’s Variety Store in Englewood”
Residents of Englewood from the late 1940s until 1971 may recall shopping at Wolf’s
Hardware and Variety Store and finding all kinds of items they needed. Bill Weist, Jr. grew up in
Englewood and holds fond memories of this store. He talked with Virginia Wolf who owned the
store with her husband Douglas to learn more about the Wolf family store and its operations.
The following paragraphs summarize some of the material gathered by Bill as it was related to
him by Virginia Wolf. Thanks to these two members for sharing this history.
Carl Wolf purchased his first store in Englewood from Lon Karns. Karns store had been
located in the rear of the large brick building on the northwest corner of U.S. Rt. 40 and St. Rt.
48 that housed the Farmers and Merchants Bank. Carl operated this store until the end of
WWII. When his son Douglas returned from the service, the father and son operated the store
jointly until 1952. (The bank building burned down later but visitors to Englewood today will see
a brick plaza and large wall mural on the site that used to be the original Wolf’s Store).
Carl and Doug next purchased a lot from Sam Berger on the south side of U.S. Rt. 40
west of the Pure Oil Station. Two small houses on this site were moved to North Walnut Street
and then Wolf’s put up a new brick and concrete block store at this location. The formal
opening of the new Wolf’s Variety Store took place during the latter part of October 1952. (In
later years, Milton Federal Bank bought the building and used it for their Englewood branch
office. Disher’s Bicycle Shop was once located there.
By the late 1950s, Wolf’s had moved from the new building because of a lack of good
customer parking. The third and final site for Wolf’s Store was on the north side of National
Road at the northeast corner of Walnut Street and U.S. Rt. 40. This building had off-street
parking on three sides and front and back entrances. Whistler’s Garage, Palace Auto Sales and
Engle’s SOHIO gas station occupied this location during other periods. Wolf’s operated out of
this site until they closed for good in 1971. During this period, they were a great asset to
Englewood.