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 A floor of hexagonal tile with a Greek key border is seeing the light again in the Corner Cafe after newer flooring was removed. The tile, which was popular in construction between 1910 and 1930, was likely added during a 1914 renovation of the building, which was a bank at the time. |
“My dad originally wanted to buy the building because it was not being used,” said Katy Bode, Wolf’s daughter. “It was kind of dilapidated. He just wanted to see it open and a viable business on Main Street.”
The restaurant opened back up in March 1996 operated by Darrell and Mary Ritenour. They retired in 2014. Ginette and Rick Renard owned the Corner Cafe from 2015 until their recent retirement from the business in May.
The building itself was built as the First State Bank of North Bend in 1886 after a fire destroyed the previous wood frame bank building.
The building covers a quarter block. Originally, the bank was in the southwest corner with space for two other businesses to the north. Today those bays are filled by city hall and A Little Off the Top salon.
The bank was shut down due to insolvency in January 1929. After several rounds of legal wrangling, the former bank was converted to a restaurant sometime in the early 1930s. It was Joe Tobola who bought the cafe in 1938 and renamed it the Corner Cafe.
The name has stuck through the many decades, owners and operators since.
Some of that history is being uncovered by the current renovations.
Removed flooring is revealing white and black hexagonal tiles with a Greek key border that may be original to the building’s 1886 construction, though it was more likely installed during a major renovation in 1914. At that time, the building’s outer appearance was remodeled to what is seen today. The entrance, which was originally at an angle on the southwest corner, was moved to its current location on the west side.
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