For over a quarter of a century, a single retail building on the eastern edge of Celina served as a commercial and social anchor for Mercer County. Its story, chronicled in the pages of The Daily Standard, is one of mid-century ambition, community integration, public debate, and the eventual, inevitable shifts in the corporate world that reshaped American retail. This is the definitive history of that landmark, as told by the sources themselves.
Part I: The Jamesway Era (1969-1981) – A Promise on Route 197
The story began on Monday, May 5, 1969, with the announcement that The Jamesway Corp., with main offices in New York City, planned to open a 65,000-square-foot discount department store in Celina. The article specified the location as a 10-acre tract on Ohio 197, just west of the Celina Roller Rink. The project was developed by Hir-Mac Associates, a Lima-based firm, which owned the land and would build the complex before leasing the main store to Jamesway.
The announcement immediately sparked a local debate. A May 28, 1969, editorial in the Standard acknowledged the “threat” that a “65,000-square foot Jamesway Corp. discount department store” posed to downtown merchants, who knew “only too well that their namesakes in other communities have been badly hurt by the construction of shopping centers in outlying areas.”
The official groundbreaking on Saturday, October 11, 1969, brought Jamesway Vice President Monroe J. Simon to Celina. He was joined by local dignitaries including Celina Mayor Wallace McDougall, Chamber of Commerce President John Gibbons, and developer Robert McNamara of Hir-Mac. The general contractor for the project was Herbert Baird of Greenville. As the opening approached, a Jamesway Vice President addressed concerned downtown merchants on June 12, 1970, promising the new store would be a regional draw. An advertisement on July 22, 1970, announced the official opening date. On Thursday, July 30, 1970, Jamesway opened its doors.
According to vivid community accounts, the arrival of Jamesway was a “big thing” for Celina, a sign the area was “getting like the big cities for shopping.” The grand opening was an unforgettable spectacle, described as “a real zoo” and “jammed packed,” made legendary by the appearance of baseball star Pete Rose, who some recall being on top of the building. The store’s surprising celebrity connection continued, with locals also remembering country music icons Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson holding an album signing there. But beyond the initial excitement, Jamesway wove itself into the fabric of daily life, becoming a major local employer and a backdrop for cherished family milestones. It was the place for the sacred tradition of visiting Santa Claus—with one resident sharing the powerful memory that her own father played Santa there—and where another family had their daughter’s first baby pictures taken. For a generation, it was a store of “firsts”: the place to buy a first artificial Christmas tree, a first rifle, or the latest Cabbage Patch Kids. From getting ears pierced to shopping for bell-bottom jeans, Jamesway was a fixture of growing up, and it is remembered for its everyday character as much as its milestones, right down to its famously leaky roof that required buckets in the aisles to catch the rain. Ultimately, Jamesway was more than just a retailer; it was a landmark where a generation of Mercer County residents worked, shopped, and made memories.
The store quickly integrated into the community. In the fall of 1970, it sponsored a “Miss Jamesway of Ohio” contest. An article in the Standard announced Gail Stephens of Arcanum as the winner, flanked in a photo by the managers of the Celina store, Bruce Sears, and the Greenville store, Bob Horan.
Part II: The Harts Era (1981-1995) – A New Name, An Old Soul
The first major change came on Tuesday, December 9, 1980, when Hart Stores, Inc., a Columbus-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Big Bear Markets, purchased Jamesway’s three Ohio stores in Celina, Greenville, and Delaware. Hart President Michael Knilans announced the conversion to a Harts Family Center, with Jamesway’s last day of operation set for January 11, 1981.
The grand opening of Harts Family Center on Sunday, January 25, 1981, was a major community event. The new store manager, Tony Karner, was joined by Mayor Blair Williams and other local “Ambassadors” like Jack Loyd, John Coe, and Bill Maehlman for the ribbon-cutting. While the name over the door was new, some things remained the same. A frustrated customer wrote to the editor on August 7, 1981, complaining that Harts’ “on sale” advertising practices for out-of-stock items were identical to Jamesway’s, right down to the unfulfilled promises of rainchecks.
One of the store’s most powerful connection to the community was its Santa Claus. For 14 years, a beloved local man, Jim Wasson, had greeted children at Jamesway and then Harts. In December 1982, the community was outraged when Harts management replaced the traditional Santa stand with a large display of toilet paper. Letters flooded the newspaper. “I was very disappointed when I went out to Harts and found Jim Wasson was not being Santa this year,” wrote Jane Griner. “He always took the time to really care and act like Santa, not just someone in a Santa outfit.” Wasson himself wrote in, aghast: “In place of a true Santa stand that had been tradition at that location for the past 11 years was stacks of paper towels and toilet paper. Can you believe that the paper towel and toilet paper display took priority over Santa Claus and what he stands for?” The incident cemented Jim Wasson’s status as a local legend and demonstrated the deep, personal connection the community felt to the store and its traditions.
Part III: The End of an Era (1995-1996) – The Inevitable Closure
The retail landscape continued to evolve. The arrival of a Wal-Mart in Celina, chronicled in a January 12, 1990 article, signaled a new era of competition that put immense pressure on regional chains like Harts.
The final chapter began on Saturday, September 9, 1995, with the headline: “Harts Store To Close.” The store’s parent company, Penn Traffic Co., was closing or converting its remaining Harts outlets as part of a corporate restructuring. The Celina store, located at the formal address of 909 E. Wayne St. (the same road as Route 197), employed 73 people at the time of the announcement. The store manager was identified in this article as Matt Fitzsimmons.
The definitive closure date was announced in a Standard article on October 5, 1995: the store would shut its doors for good on January 1, 1996. This article identified the manager as Brian Fitzsimons and stated the closure would affect 45 employees. The discrepancy in the manager’s first name and the employee count likely reflects the fluid nature of the situation as the closure neared.
In the final days, the sense of loss was palpable. Big Bear President John Josephson cited “competitive reasons” for the closures. Manager Fitzsimmons told the paper, “I think it’s pretty sad. It appears that in a little town like this that only leaves Wal-Mart for people to shop.” On January 1, 1996, the doors closed, ending a journey of just over 25 years that began on Ohio 197.
Bibliography
“New Department Store To Be Built In Celina.” The Daily Standard [Celina, OH], 5 May 1969, p. 1.
“A Threat Or A Challenge.” The Daily Standard [Celina, OH], 28 May 1969, p. 4.
“Jamesway Breaks Ground.” The Daily Standard [Celina, OH], 11 Oct. 1969, p. 1.
“Retailers Advised: Jamesway To Help.” The Daily Standard [Celina, OH], 12 June 1970, p. 1.
“We promise you more at Jamesway…” (Advertisement). The Daily Standard [Celina, OH], 22 July 1970, p. 12.
“Miss Jamesway…” The Daily Standard [Celina, OH], 30 Nov. 1970, pp. 1, 2.
“Columbus Retail Firm Buys Jamesway Store.” The Daily Standard [Celina, OH], 9 Dec. 1980, p. 1.
“meet your new neighbor… Harts Family Center” (Advertisement). The Daily Standard [Celina, OH], 10 Jan. 1981, p. 10.
“Harts Family Center Grand Opening…” The Daily Standard [Celina, OH], 26 Jan. 1981, p. 7.
“Hart Ad Policy Like Jamesway.” (Letter to the Editor). The Daily Standard [Celina, OH], 7 Aug. 1981, p. 4.
“A Santa Problem.” (Letters to the Editor). The Daily Standard [Celina, OH], 2 Dec. 1982, p. 4.
“Wal-Mart: City Boon Or Downtown Threat?” The Daily Standard [Celina, OH], 12 Jan. 1990, p. 1.
“Harts Store To Close.” The Daily Standard [Celina, OH], 9 Sept. 1995, pp. 1, 2.
“Harts Reportedly Will Close Jan. 1.” The Daily Standard [Celina, OH], 5 Oct. 1995, pp. 1, 2.
“Food Processor Buys Vacant Minor Plant” and “Harts” (Continuation). The Daily Standard [Celina, OH], 10 Oct. 1995, pp. 1, 2.
“Promoting Good Will By Playing Santa Claus.” The Daily Standard [Celina, OH], 24 Nov. 1995, p. 3.
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