In 1857, Frederick Eaton and his nephew, John Eaton, Jr., opened the dry goods store, Frederick Eaton & Co. Sometime in the next 15 years, Fred presciently placed two lion statues in front of the store. In 1890 that store officially became Lion Store.
Until it was bought in 1999, Lion Store went on to become the Toledo area’s most beloved department store with locations at Southwyck, Westgate, Downtown, Franklin, North Towne, Fremont, and Bowling Green. Lion for the Home, Moonlight Madness, and children riding the lions in front of the store will always be fondly etched into the memory of longtime Toledo residents.
Everyone from Toledo has a Lion Store memory. What’s yours?