Historic Hood River
Snyder Building
1-5-2015
Notes
Let’s have some fun with recent history. Sally Donovan has kindly donated the 35mm slides she used to inventory the Hood River historic district in the 1990’s. While what’s special about our historic district is how little has changed in the last 100 years, the small changes of the last twenty years make for some fun reminiscing.
Can anyone fill in some details about the Tip Top Stoveworks? They were located at 105 Oak Street, nudged right in between Doug’s Sports (then Hood River Windsurfing) and Andrew’s Pizza.
There are a few more subtle changes: downtown urban renewal put the utility lines underground, replaced the streets and sidewalks, and added new street trees.
Category: Downtown Hood River
Tags: 1990s, Donovan collection, Oak Street, Snyder Building, Top Hat Stoveworks
Tags: 1990s, Donovan collection, Oak Street, Snyder Building, Top Hat Stoveworks
Charlott
Is this where Mrs. Wirrick had her 5 and dime store. Gamble’s later Western Auto was on the downhill corner. I think in there further up the street was Garrabrandt’s garage. Never heard of Tip Top Stoveworks. Apparently it didn’t thrive.
Jerry Larsen
There is a website called "Bizapedia" at http://www.bizapedia.com/or/TOP-HAT-STOVEWORKS-INC.html that describes this firm as an "Oregon Foreign Business Corporation filed on January 26, 1989. The company’s filing status is listed as Inactive." Principals are listed as Stuart and Kathleen Sneider, from Husum, WA. Husum is a tiny community north of White Salmon 3 or 4 miles, up Route 141. Don’t get any hits on "The Tinderbox Gifts" which looks to be more evocative of the store’s purpose.
l.e.
This article might give you a little more information about Kathy Sneider, the original owner of Top Hat Stoveworks and now Ikote Beads.
http://www.hoodrivernews.com/news/2002/oct/09/bead-by-bead/
I often visited the hardware store that Charlott mentions. I was thinking it was Coast to Coast, but Charlott is probably right about Western Auto. It was a family owned business which later moved up to where Murray’s Second Hand Furniture is now located.
I think???
James Holloway
I know Stuart and Cathy, personally, and remember that store well. Tinderbox gifts was Cathy’s take on ‘upscaling’ HRiver. Stuart cleaned chimneys, sold and installed stoves, and related accessories. It was a ‘classic’ husband and wife small business. The Sneider’s in the Snyder Building! Does anyone remember, that maybe in this building, or very nearby, in the late ’70’s, was the Oregon Employment Office. It was somewhere near there. Also I remember Western Auto, and their move to the Height’s Murray furniture bldg.
Spinsur
We bought a gas heat stove from Stuart at top hat. And yes, it was a coast to coast, Nancy Wesche had the franchise. It was wonderf having them and Pete at Franz so close by.
l.e.
Some information about the Snyder Building:
Frank Bancroft Snyder:
Born 1875
Died 1942 in Hood river
Buried at Idlewilde
married Mary Thurber
From the July 24, 1919 HR Glacier:
"Business Change
To whom it may concern: Be it hereby made known that the former partnership, as carried on between F. B. Snyder and B. B. Powell and known under the firm name as the Hood River Plumbing Co., is hereby dissolved, said business to be continued, however, by F. F.Snyder under the old firm name as above described and att he old location, towit: No. 105 Oak stree.
Signed F. B. Snyder."
In 1907 there is a Gould and Snyder Plumbing.
There is also a Frank Snyder married Nellie Cathryn Garrabrant Morton VanHoy in 1945
Perhaps a son of Frank B Snyder?
Judy
I had them "re-brick" my Earth Stove. I thought that they had moved to The Dalles. The Unemployment Office was in the next block to the east. Down around Andrew’s Skylight theater. The Western Auto Store was across the street from the Hood River Hotel. They later moved the store to the Heights area. I think it was where Doug’s is now. The stairs are still there….
l.e.
Sorry for the spelling mistakes. I didn’t proof read the above, before I hit submit.
M
I may be wrong, but….I think after Western Auto moved from the corner of 1st & Oak to the heights, Coast-to-Coast occupied the space for awhile.
Cathleen
Is Doug’s Sports where The DO IT Center (hardware) was? Does anyone remember the DO IT Center in the 90’s?
Steve r
I spy a health food store …
Libby
I remember an unemployment office there. It was a very busy place.
Barbara Parsons
Isn’t it funny that we always called the employment office the UNemployment office? That is a better name for it.anyway, because people usually go there when you don’t have a job.