Urbana’s Sweet Spot: Carmazzi’s

Exterior of Carmazzi's Candy and General Store, Urbana Ohio

No secret where the candy is on Urbana, Ohio’s Monument Square.

Downtown Urbana, Ohio, has been undergoing an impressive renaissance. New restaurants and retail businesses. A brewery. Loft apartments.

And building owners who are taking risks, creating new development and stripping away 1970s facades to reveal Urbana’s past glory – before chain stores lured commerce and people from the city center.

When the pandemic put life on pause, change brewed beneath the surface. Then emerged, accelerating before our eyes ever since.

Back in 2014 there was renewed hope when the Urbana United Methodist Church bought the shuttered Urbana Twin Cinemas and started returning the theater to economic, cultural, social and spiritual vibrancy as the Gloria Theatre. And in 2021, when the old Douglas Hotel on Monument Square was saved from years of neglect to become Legacy Place, the home of senior apartment living, along with the former Urbana North and South elementary schools.

Burgeoning signs of progress in Champaign County nudged me to restart this blog, which I originally launched in 2010.

A Constant Presence

In this post, however, I feature a business that has endured for decades amidst an everchanging downtown, Carmazzi’s Candy and General Store, at 100 S. Main St., Urbana. The shop has satisfied our community’s sweet tooth for generations on the southwest corner of Monument Square in a Federalist-style building. Constructed in 1811, the building served a brief stint as military headquarters during the War of 1812.

The iconic gold lettering on the shop’s window proclaims: “Carmazzi’s Serving You Since 1893.” Above that, in tantalizingly large letters, “CANDY” calls kids and kids at heart to a wide assortment of sweets, like my favorites, Baby Ruth and Bit-O-Honey. And other products, like another personal favorite, locally roasted coffee from Hemisphere Coffee Roasters.

John Carmazzi at Carmazzi's in Urbana, Ohio

John Carmazzi

Sam Bianchi opened the business in 1893 as Bianchi’s Fruit Store. In 1931, Mr. Bianchi’s niece, Victoria, and her husband, Frank Carmazzi, bought the shop from him and gave it their name. One thing stays true to the original store. To this day, Carmazzi’s still sells fruit baskets.

The Carmazzis’ children, John, Bob and Rosemary, worked alongside them. John, who started waiting on customers before he could see over the counter, bought the store from his mother in 1952.

In 2014, John sold Carmazzi’s to Jeff Donay, as featured in this past Champaign Uncorked post. And after Donay, Pat and Patsy Thackery, owners of Café Paradiso, became owners of Urbana’s cherished candy store.

Not Owners, But Caretakers

The current owners, Jay and Kate Johnson, in August celebrated their first anniversary at Carmazzi’s. But, as Jay says, “Nobody really owns Carmazzi’s. We’re just the caretakers. It belongs to the city of Urbana.”

Kate and Jay Johnson, owners of Carmazzi's Candy and General Store, Urbana, Ohio

Kate and Jay Johnson: how sweet it is to own — or caretake — Urbana, Ohio’s candy store, Carmazzi’s.

Each iteration of ownership has brought minor tweaks to Carmazzi’s, while retaining the original charm and nostalgia, keeping it real for people who grew up here and want to cherish the memories.

Despite being newcomers to town themselves, Jay and Kate quickly came to appreciate the timeless allure of Carmazzi’s. (They moved here in December 2020. More about that, in a moment.)

“The best part is all the people who come in and want to share their stories,” Kate says. Many of the posts on the store’s Facebook page feature customers who drop by to buy candy – many also to reminisce while back in town to visit friends and family.

“We took over right before fair week last year, and I was amazed by all the people who came from everywhere, and I’m not talking just Ohio. I’m talking, Arizona, Chicago … they would all come back to Champaign County just to go to the fair. I thought that was amazing.”

Jay and Kate moved to Urbana from Dublin. They’d lived there since 2016 when Jay became a lecturer and director of the George V. Voinovich Academy for Excellence in Public Service at Ohio University’s Dublin campus – a job he still holds and easily commutes to.

Prior to that he served 30 years in the U.S. Marines, retiring as a colonel. In that span, they moved 22 times around the world and country.

“You can see how that would segue right into candy,” Kate jokes.

Finding Their New Home

About their move to Urbana, she explains, “when Covid hit (and she and Jay had lived in one place – Dublin – for four years) I took it upon myself to decide where we were going to move next. We gave ourselves a parameter: an hour out of Dublin.

“We like Dublin. It’s very nice, but we like small towns.”

Jay and Kate Johnson, owners of Carmazzi's Candy and General Store in Urbana, Ohio, with employee JD Knopp.

Jay and Kate Johnson with employee JD Knopp, behind the counter of Carmazzi’s.

Jay grew up in Washington County, Ohio, near Marietta. And Kate in Zanesville, in Muskingum County.

They met as students at Ohio University, living in a co-ed dorm. Kate was Jay’s resident assistant.

In their search for a new home, Kate first explored Urbana on her own. Jay stayed home to watch football.

“I went to the Depot and had a cup of coffee. Then I looked around. I liked this place, and here we are.”

Jay joined her on a return trip. That led to finding a real estate agent. “We didn’t know anyone in Urbana,” Kate recalls. “We had a fantastic realtor, Patrick Hamilton. He’s as welcoming as they come, his entire staff, so it felt like family when we moved here (in December 2020). It’s been a great decision.”

After buying their Urbana home, they shared with Hamilton the one shortcoming they had discovered in Urbana. “Urbana didn’t have an ice cream shop,” Kate says. (More on that later.)

“Then a few weeks later we got wind of something about Carmazzi’s, not that it was for sale, but would we be interested, instead of ice cream?”

Hamilton arranged for them to talk with Pat and Patsy Thackery.

“The main thing we all agreed on is it would have to remain Carmazzi’s,” Kate remembers. “That’s the whole reason we would want Carmazzi’s, because it’s Carmazzi’s!”

Next, the Thackerys and Johnsons went out to the Dragonfly Vineyard. “It was a chilly spring day,” Jay says. “We passed a couple of napkins back and forth on the table and closed the deal.”

Jay and Kate’s transition to retail business owners was relatively easy. Says Kate, “The store was ready to go. It was turnkey, as they say. They (the Thackerys) had done such a fabulous job, that one day I showed up and took over.”

 

And now about Urbana’s lack of an ice cream shop….

Welcome to the Cool Spot!

Ribbon cutting at Cool Spot, 124 S. Main St., Urbana, Ohio, October 13, 2023.

Jay and Kate Johnson, in the center, cut the ribbon in front of their new ice cream shop, 124 S. Main St., Urbana, on October 13.

Problem solved, thanks to Jay and Kate, who just opened the Cool Spot, at 124 S. Main St., down the block from Carmazzi’s. The ribbon cutting ceremony was held at noon Friday, October 13, so the shop was open in time for the last of downtown Urbana’s Second Saturdays of 2023, on October 14.

The Cool Spot offers 28 flavors of Hershey’s hand-dipped ice cream. The menu includes cones, cups, milkshakes, floats and pie à la mode. (Carmazzi’s had been offering a limited selection of Hershey’s ice cream, which it will replace with a selection of ice cream novelty treats.)

Sign in front of the Cool Spot ice cream shop, 124 S. Main St., Urbana, OhioCool Spot hours:

Thursdays, 1 to 5 p.m.

Fridays and Saturdays, 1 to 7 p.m.

Sundays, 2 to 5:30 p.m.

They’re open year round.

By the way, Jay named the new ice cream shop in fond memory of the many times his mother took him out for ice cream at the Cool Spot (since closed) in Coolville, Ohio.

Doc Sanders, Beyond the Barn … and Then Some

Dr. Don Sanders shares stories from his 50-year career as a large animal veterinarian in his new book, Beyond the Barn.

Urbana artist David Greenlee drew the illustration for the cover of Dr. Don Sanders’ new book about his 50 years as a country vet, which is available for order.

Don “Doc” Sanders knows cows from every angle, inside and out. Even from under a fallen cow, as depicted below in an illustration from his newly published book, Beyond the Barn. This, his eleventh book, offers a mix of humorous and poignant recollections from his far-flung 50-year career as a large animal veterinarian.

On most days, Doc Sanders has managed to stay atop his profession:

  • On Friday, August 4, the Ohio Agricultural Council inducted him into the Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame – in recognition of his professional contributions to agriculture. (Check out the video about Don’s career, produced by the Ohio Agricultural Council, at the end of this post.)
  • Bovine Veterinarian Magazine once included him in a list of 20 of the most influential beef and dairy veterinarians.
  • He was president of the Society for Theriogenology, a national organization of veterinarians, who like him, are board-certified in reproductive medicine.
  • He’s served on the respected Council for Agriculture, Science and Technology, which provides unbiased, science-based information about food and agriculture to policymakers, the media, the private sector and the public.

Illustration from Dr. Don Sanders' new book, Beyond the Barn.

If you want the whole story about how Doc ended up like this, order his book.

After growing up with three brothers on the Sanders family farm in Waynesfield, Ohio, Doc went on to college and the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. There he met Judy Sauerbrei, who, after some persistence on Doc’s part, became his vet school sweetheart. Before graduation, they married, and boldly dove together into life and veterinary practice.

They started out in a storefront office in Urbana, Ohio. Dr. Judy cared for small animals, and Doc, large animals. Eventually, on the edge of town, they designed and built, for efficiency’s sake, a round veterinary clinic. Their Urbana Veterinary Clinic gained national recognition for the unique design and the quality of its veterinary care.

Doc and Dr. Judy practiced together for more than 40 years, until her passing in 2011.

Through the years, Doc extended the range of his practice, from farm calls in the immediate area, to across the state, and then nation. And eventually around the world.

Spreading His Knowledge Beyond the Barn

He served as a dairy consultant to the World Bank and has trained veterinarians and farm managers in China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Ukraine, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Colombia and Nicaragua. He’s helped them feed their neighbors more efficiently and treat their animals humanely.

He’s further shared the breadth and depth of his knowledge in farm animal health and management through the written word. Which is where I came into the picture. I’m grateful he’s asked me to edit several of his books, including Beyond the Barn. Most of his books are practical guides on food animal health and management, some for 4-Hers. (By the way, for many years Doc served as the official veterinarian of the Champaign County Fair.)

Doc’s most widely published and translated volume is Milk Them for All Their Worth! (which is not, as he often jokes, a how-to for lawyers or church stewardship committees). He’s also written columns in agricultural publications like Ohio’s Country Journal. He was a regular on the Our Ohio public television show and Down the Road TV, and is co-host of Beyond the Barn, on Ready-FM 105.1.

Plus, for eight years he served as an associate professor for his alma mater, training, mentoring and accompanying fourth-year veterinary medicine students on farm calls.

With all his impressive accomplishments, Doc approaches life with humility, generosity and a strong faith in God (we both attend and serve at Urbana United Methodist Church). And he maintains a mischievous sense of humor, which you’ll get a hardy taste of in Beyond the Barn.

 

Win a Made in the USA Best Seller by a Champaign County Original

Ohio Manufacturing Month came to an end Friday. But I’m continuing the celebration, giving you a chance to win a copy of a New York Times Best Seller, Factory Man, authored by a product of Champaign County, Ohio – Beth Macy.Factory Man by Beth Macy

To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment below. I’ll announce the randomly selected winner here November 10.

Factory Man author Beth Macy speaks at Champaign County Library, Urbana, Ohio

Author Beth Macy with her proud high school English teacher, Margaret Tabor.

Beth, a 1982 Urbana High School graduate, returned to Urbana in August for a book talk and signing at the Champaign County Library. The library meeting room was packed with Beth’s high school classmates, family, friends, her high school English teacher, Margaret Tabor, community members, and yours truly. I was managing editor of the Urbana Daily Citizen when she interned there.

Factory Man author Beth Macy at Champaign County Library, Urbana, Ohio/

Beth signs books after her presentation at the Champaign County Library

Upon release in July, Factory Man, Beth’s first book, became an instant best seller, welcomed by rave reviews including a tweet from actor Tom Hanks: “Great Summer Reading. I give it 42 stars. No, I give it 142 stars. It’s THAT good.”

And that was no idle tweet. Hanks’ production company, Playtone, is developing Factory Man as an HBO miniseries.

Recently, Publisher’s Weekly selected Factory Man for its Best Books of 2014 list.

Well researched and entertainingly told, Factory Man chronicles the rise and evolution of the Bassett furniture dynasty and John Bassett III’s determined fight against globalization and offshoring to save his Virginia-based furniture company, his employees’ jobs and his town.

Back in Beth’s hometown, and across the country, manufacturing is on the rebound from the Great Recession. Manufacturing employment in Champaign County, at 3,700 in 2001, hit a low of 2,373 in 2010 before rising to 3,487 this year. That number could be higher if manufacturers – in Champaign County and throughout the U.S. – weren’t having such a difficult time finding enough qualified candidates for skilled, high-tech positions. (Local efforts have been launched to introduce students to manufacturing careers.)

In this video, produced by the Alliance for American Manufacturing, Beth (whose mother worked for Grimes Manufacturing in Urbana) talks about the significance of American manufacturing.

For a chance to win a copy of Factory Man, don’t forget to leave a comment below – by 8 a.m. EST Nov. 10.

For instance, what is your favorite U.S.-made product? Or tell us about your experience in manufacturing (while in college I made fireplace inserts on an assembly line). Or tell us about your favorite job in any setting.

New Publication Aims to Draw Churches Together

As a husband and father of five Pat Bass of Urbana seeks out local family-oriented entertainment and activities.

Pat Bass, editor and publisher of The Road to Damascus Publication, Urbana, Ohio

Pat Bass with a copy of The Road to Damascus Publication.

He just wished he had a resource to make his search easier.

While out of town in his job as a business coach last year he found what he had in mind – a publication in the lobby of the church that hosted his seminar. “This is exactly what I want to do,” he thought.

Thus, Bass created The Road to Damascus Publication, a monthly tabloid size newspaper – his first venture in publishing – which he launched in April. The free newspaper – supported by advertising – features news and events of Champaign, Clark and Logan county churches. It’s available in print throughout the three counties, and you can read it online.

Thanks to a small business attorney that Bass works with, The Road to Damascus stretches beyond a listing of events. “When I shared my idea, he said, ‘I think you’re missing the boat. I think there’s a place for events. But what about reporting on the good that people are doing, what about the good things churches are doing in your community?’”

So that kind of news is in The Road to Damascus, too.

“I think we’re in a special time in life and a special time in our community, in Urbana, in Clark County and Logan County,” Bass says. “There are a lot of people here who have a heart for God and helping people.”

Bass, who attends Second Jerusalem Baptist Church in Urbana with his family, envisions Road to Damascus uniting churches: “How can we together further the kingdom of God?”

And that, he believes, could cause people not involved in a church to take notice – that maybe our local churches have more in common than not.

Check out the June, May and April editions and share your thoughts here – or with Pat.