Grange building reborn as home of local businesses

By KEVIN HOWELL
SALEM— After buying the old building on state Route 165 just west of state Route 45 in Salem, local business owner Dave Doepker knew he had to preserve the building.

Although the building will now serve in a different capacity for the community, housing Doepker’s business, Doepker Vinyl Graphics, the old building will remain a monument for times long gone as the Goshen Grange, Doepker said.

“In most cases, old grange buildings fall apart, and we didn’t want to see that happen,” he said. “People who have memories here need to know that the building will be preserved.”

A 25-year Air Force veteran, Doepker said he learned how to make vinyl signs in the military and found he had a knack for the business. Moving to Greenford in 1989, Doepker started his business in 1994. Highly successful, Doepker Vinyl Graphics has done work for national customers, most recognizably Summit Racing, country singers Big & Rich and Geico Motorcycle as well as local companies including Quaker City Raceway, Salem Airpark, Witmers Inc. and Das Dutch Village Inn.

Involving the entire family, the Doepker Vinyl Graphics is the epitome of the small family business, with wife Lily serving as secretary, 15-year-old son Eddie as vice president, 17-year-old son Jesse maintaining inventory and general maintenance, 21-year-old son Robert managing installations and 23-year-old daughter Stacy in charge of sales.

“I like Goshen because it is a country environment,”

Doepker said. “It is a place where a small family business can come in and fit in.”

After the Goshen Grange merged with the Smith Grange just over two years ago, the building sat empty while ownership of it was debated, Doepker said. Mentioning to Mike Pidgeon, owner of the Sky Line Diner, where the old Goshen Grange sign is now displayed, that he was looking for land to buy, Doepker said Pidgeon mentioned the old grange building.

“It was funny because I always thought that the building would be nice to own, but never pursued it,” he said. “When Mike mentioned it, I knew I had to do it.”

Buying the building from Mary Bryan, who owns the adjacent property, Doepker said he wanted to incorporate the building’s history into his business.

“I wanted to keep the dents and scratches, keep the hominess of the building,” he said.

Although the building was in extremely good condition for its age, Doepker said he did make a few renovations. Reinsulating and replastering the walls, he said family friend George Lipscomb helped apply nearly 40 gallons of paint to the building. Doepker said he installed new windows, but only refurbished the wood floor and exposed the old brick chimney. He also has incorporated the old theater seats from Sebring’s Strand Theater that came with the building into the new decor.

“My goal is to restore the building to what it would have looked like in the past,” he said. “If something was dented or bent up, we left it that way.”

The vinyl business is not the only one that will occupy the building, though. Buying crafts from flea markets and retail from local business, the Doepkers also operate Home on the Range at the Old Goshen Grange Country Crafts and Collectibles, reselling the combination of new and used crafts.

Occupying the second floor, Columbiana photographer Jim Davis will operate J M Davis Web and Imaging Services. A 2004 graduate of Columbiana High School, Davis was operating his photography business out of his home. As a pilot, though, he was working at the Salem Airpark where he met Doepker.

“It was a perfect opportunity for me to expand the business,” Davis said. “Although Goshen and the building don’t mean as much to me as they do to some, it’s nice to see the building restored. It has come a long way from what it was and places have a lot more character when one sees it come back.”

Having eaten breakfast in the building when the grange still used it, Davis said it feels good to know he can help save something with so much meaning to the community.

“It definitely feels good to know I am a part of keeping history alive,” he said.

As both businesses strive to provide local companies and community members with quality, affordable prices, both Doepker and Davis said they want the community to feel at home in the building.

“We have a very personal feel,” Davis said. “It’s a place for people to come, hang out and relax.”

In an attempt to preserve and incorporate the history of the building into his business, Doepker has reserved a wall on the first floor for memorabilia and history concerning the building. Already possessing materials that had been left in the building, Doepker said he encourages community members with any items to have them displayed on the wall.

On Saturday, May 3, community members will have an opportunity to see the building when Doepker and Davis host an open house from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Refreshments will be available and miniature wooden images of the Goshen Grange will be available for purchase, as well as a 20 percent savings on all crafts and in-stock signs.

Hours of operation for the Doepkers’ businesses are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesdays and they can be reached at 330-277-SIGN or visit http://www.DVGsigns.com.'>www.DVGsigns.com. Davis’ studio is open for free consultation by appointment and he can be reached at 330-718-3311 or visit http://www.jmdavisstudio.com'>www.jmdavisstudio.com

Kevin Howell can be reached at khowell@salemnews.net'>khowell@salemnews.net