FORMER BUSINESSES OF IRONTON, OHIO
(in existence in 1949 but not in business today 1998)
Submitted by: Sharon M. Kouns

THE LEADER STORE
HENRITE'S PRODUCTS CORP.
LEADER STORE HAS SET FASHION FOR CITY SINCE 1912
IRONTON SUNDAY NEWS
OCTOBER 9, 1949

The story behind your Leader Store in the Masonic Building started in 1912, when Mr. Joseph Cohen Come to Ironton and opened the original store in the Berg building.

The original sales staff of this store was: Elizabeth McBride, Ona Haggerty, Ida McBride Webster, Katie Cloran, Maggie Hassey, and Kathryn Ritter Collett.

Since the death of Mr. Cohen the store has been operated by his wife, and his son Bert Cohen.

Following the 1913 flood the Leader moved to 109 North Second street where it remained until 1937 when they moved to their present location in the Masonic Building.

The Leader carries in its stock a wide line of nationally advertised ladies ready to wear apparel, millinery and shoes.

The friendly sales staff of the Leader at the present time is as follows: Johnina Lucas, Ann Parnell, Mary M. Nagel, Hannah Salt, Ona Haggerty, Irma Lohr, Ida Kuehne, Emma Schroeder, Al Finkelstein, Mary Hutchinson and Herbert Lewis.

The first Henrite Products Corporation factory building was completed in Ironton in the Spring of 1927. The corporation was founded in 1923 and incorporated in the same year in the state of New York. The Ironton company was incorporated in the state of Ohio.

The first building employed only 25 workers and covered only 5,000 square feet. The corporation now has several buildings, employs 400 workers and covers 100,00 square feet.