A Bicentennial Moment: Program Tonight Celebrates Fairport's Business History

Tonight at 7pm the Bicentennial Year Lecture Series will continue with the fourth of six history lectures.  The topic will explore the businesses of Fairport through its 200 years and will take place at the Harding High School Auditorium.  FHTC and Bicentennial chairs Mike Scruggs and Pat Spivak will be presenting.

                                                 Arthur J. McCrone

Born of pioneering parents in Fairport, Arthur J. McCrone was proprietor of McCrone's Clothing Store.  Celebrated as a youth for his prowess as a member of the famous Fairport Baseball Clubs of the era, his belief in the village's future led him to establish one of the earliest business blocks in Fairport.  His store became an anchor of this business section of the village for over two decades.  McCrone served several terms on Village Council.  His civic mindedness led him to serve on the Board of Education and become involved with many community projects.

                                                     A. Rogat

A. Rogat was reared in Newark New Jersey and arrived in Fairport in 1921.  Aged 23, he immediately established his first business at 328 High Street.  Within three years his business prospered and he erected a brick building on the original site  The store became known as Rogat's Hardware.  Business continued to do well so much so that Rogat enlarged his store once again and in time added a second store to his business block.  The second store became Rogat's Furniture Store.  Both stores became lasting staples in the Fairport and Lake County business communites.

Other well known Fairport Businesses (partial listing) were Tantre's Market, Kapel's Winery, Ulle's Market, Lunka's Tavern, Isaly's, Thall's Shoe Store, Mackey's Self Serve, Rasmussen Deli, Ben Franklin, Lyric, Lake& Park Theaters, Bailey's, North Star Dairy...