Shoppers lined up as early as 7 a.m. recently to be one of the first in the door at Gordmans located at 405 Park Lane. As many as 170 shoppers were in a line that stretched past a nearby shoe store when the Chillicothe Area Chamber of Commerce, chamber members, and store employees held a ribbon cutting ceremony just before opening the doors to members of the public. Chillicothe Mayor Theresa Kelly was on hand and welcomed the new retailer to town. "We are so excited to have Gordmans here in Chillicothe. It is always exciting when a new business opens, but especially a retail business." Gordmans promises to have something for everyone - from children to women's and men's clothes, teen clothes and shoes, and beautiful home goods.
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The sliced bread machine on loan to the Grand River Historical Society and Museum will remain in Chillicothe for at least another three years, Pam Clingerman, curator of the museum said recently. The 1,000 pound bread slicing machine is the second ever used, as the first fell apart after six months of use at Bench's original bakery, which was located in the current Sliced Bread Welcome Center on the corner of First and Elm Streets. The Oliver 777 machine is on display in a temperature and humidity controlled area at the museum located at 1401 Forest Drive. It cannot be used for demonstrations. After Frank Bench used it for the first time, his bread sales went up 2000% in two weeks. Pictured is a 1936 bread slicer.
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This large slice of bread led the 2nd annual Sliced Bread Day parade on Saturday, July 6. The state's first official Sliced Bread Day was Sunday, July 7. Sliced Bread Days were celebrated July 5-7 in conjunction with the annual Freedom Festival which wrapped up with a 20-minute fireworks' display. The Freedom Festival ran from 5-10 p.m. and featured live entertainment, inflatable games, and food vendors. Sliced Bread Days celebrate the greatest invention ever - sliced bread, which was invented in Chillicothe on July 7, 1928. The Sliced Bread Innovation Center located at First and Elm Streets held an open house over the weekend. A bread contest was hosted at the Grand River Historical Society and Museum followed by a bread machine demonstration.
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Recently, Kelly Poling's family accepted a resolution from Mayor Theresa Kelly which officially named Chillicothe's Arts District, the Kelly Poling Arts District. Kelly Poling's influence on Chillicothe can be seen almost anywhere throughout town; and now he is the namesake of the Kelly Poling Arts District. Throughout Chillicothe, there are 60 murals painted by Poling. Ben White, executive director of Main Street Chillicothe, said Poling started his first mural in Chillicothe in 2000 and completed the last one in the summer of 2018. The newly named Kelly Polling Arts District is located in the area around Locust Street where Poling's business, Original Artworks by Kelly, is located. Courtesy Photo / Jamie Saucedo
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