2 South Main St.

One of the area's earliest settlers, William Axford, owned this property in 1838. Axford was a Township Supervisor, 1849-1852 & 1854-1859. He and his brother, John, are credited with building the "first store at Clarkston". While this might be the site of that store, it is not clear since the Axford's were listed in 1850 tax records for a "store & dwelling" on Lots 5 & 6 of Block 1 which would put the store south of this location, about where part of the Clarkston Cafe is now. One of Clarkston's early manufacturer/craftsmen was listed in tax rolls for this site begining 1844 and the assessed value at the time was high enough to assume that there was a building on the site by then. The 1850 tax rolls listed Philip Foy as the owner of Lot 2, Block 1, except for 24 x 44 feet on the southwest corner which belonged to Horatio Foster. Foy and wife, Sarah, also owned the west 1/2 of Lot 1, Block 1, now a part of the property of 8 East Washington. Until 1856, the property on the corner of South Main Street and East Washington Street apparently held Foy's shop while his residence was the house at 8 E. Washington St. In 1840 Foy and Albert Birdsell, the first Village blacksmith, " formed a partnership to manufacture fanning mills and engage in general blacksmithing" in a new shop "near where Smith's (Nicholas B. Smith) store stands." (Heritage, pg.20). Smith's store was on the northeast corner of N. Main & E. Washington St. It is not known what became of Foy and Birdsell's building, but an 1895 bill of sale, below, for a building which was reportedly moved to this site makes it clear it is not the same one which served as the Addis candy/soda shop.  The property which has recently served a variety of commercial uses was long known as the site of the Addis store, first owned by Daniel, then son, Roy. Daniel Addis is listed for the site beginning the turn of the century. There is an 1895 bill of sale from E. Jossman, dealer in general merchandise & produce and signed Cornelia M. Bearsley, showing the purchase by Daniel Addis of a building formerly known as the Scranton store. The store was on the site of the house at 3 North Holcomb St. According to family history, Daniel moved that building to the 2 S. Main Street site. Daniel, then son, LeRoy, "Roy", ran a candy store/soda shop on this site until the mid 1930s. About 1924 Roy bricked three sides of the building with a buff yellow colored brick, leaving the south facade's original clapboard exposed (this side was covered with aluminum siding in the 1970s). LeRoy, "Roy" and wife, Margaret Hammond Addis, lived at 44 E. Washington. In 1999 a new window was installed on the north facade after new owners changed the name of Carol's Village Grill to the Olde Village Grill. Architecturally, this is a simple false front building with a street facing pediment which rises above the actual roof height to give the facade more importance. Note the "Addis" nameplate.