Real photo postcard, rppc, identified on the back as being:
Louis S. Gardner's store on Vine, Lima Ohio.
Louis is on the right wearing a hat, his cousin Russel of Ada Ohio is in the cardigan. (Possible last name is Myers.)
I found a couple mentions of the Gardner Wholesale Paper and Notions Store in the Lima News, and then found LEWIS SEPHUS GARDNER'S obituary on findagrave.com (link).
| Birth: | Aug. 7, 1875 Decatur Adams County Indiana, USA | ||||
| Death: | Oct. 1, 1951 Lima Allen County Ohio, USA | ||||
 Lewis Sephus Gardner Dies Monday Pioneer Wholesaler Founded Supply House Lewis S. Gardner, 76, 1449 Ellison-dr, pioneer Lima wholesale merchandiser, died at 6:10 p.m. Monday in Memorial hospital after a short illness.  He was the founder of the L. S. Gardner Merchandising Co., 129 E. Elm-st. A native of Decatur, Ind., he came to Lima in 1891 and in 1907 opened a confectionery which he converted in 1913 into a wholesale merchandising supply house. He later was associated with the Gardner-Myers Merchandising Co. for three years before founding the present concern in 1927. Offices then were at 335 N. Main-st. He retired from active participation in the business in 1942 because of ill health. The present building at 129 E. Elm-st was built in 1948. He was a member of the Elks and Masonic lodges, the United Commercial Travelers and St. Luke's Lutheran church. Surviving are his widow, Maude; a son, Roger, 1449 Ellison-dr; two daughters, Mrs. Harold McMillen, 110 S. Glenwood-av, and Mrs. Roger VanGunten, 817 Holmes-av; and two grandchildren. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Siferd and Son funeral home. The Rev. John Berger will officiate. Burial will be in Memorial Park cemetery. The body will remain in the funeral home until after services. (published in The Lima News, Tuesday, October 2, 1951) His wife Maude continued to run the company, and it continued after she passed: "Mrs. Gardner had been president of the company's board of directors since her husband's death in 1951. The company now is operated by a son and two daughters." No more info at this point. Family genealogy links from FindAGrave may turn up info for another researcher.
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Note: These items are part of my ''Collecting Lima Virtual Museum''. They are not for sale.
If/when I find more information on these items, I will add it to the post.
Read the Introduction to my ''Collecting Lima'' Virtual Museum Project, all about my Lima Ohio Bottles, Advertising, Antiques collection.
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Ms. Dow Antiques Blog 'Tique Talk is published by msdowantiques.com
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