I Am Home: John Stein

HOMEI am John Stein

By Deborah C. Gerbers | Photo Provided

Although technically a Texas native born in Dallas, where his father had a sales territory in the 1940s, John Stein has Fort Wayne roots through his mother, and to this day, he calls the city home.

Growing up in Fort Wayne back then, Stein recalls when trolleys ran through town until 1947.

“We lived at the corner of Packard and South Wayne, which was on the #4 line,” he said. “The trolley made a run through downtown to Foster Park via Broadway and then reversed itself to return to Packard. My mother swore she never let her 4-year-old son ride alone, but I know better. This is when I got my first good upclose look at the city.”

Today, Stein is proudly the third generation in a four-generation family business. For example, my master bedroom has an all-glass wall overlooking a courtyard hidden behind a 6-foot security fence. I can see out, but no one can see in. The other wonderful thing is that there are plenty of walls to hang artwork that I have collected for years, especially in the bedroom. Some of my art tends to be fun and quirky, which is also the way that I would describe the house.”

Stein describes Fort Wayne during his childhood with a bustling downtown, four beautiful movie theaters, the Pistons, the Daisies, city parks with summer activities, high school basketball, bowling, outdoor movies and more.

“My grandfather Julius started it in 1939 when, fresh from emigrating from Germany, he couldn’t find a job,” he explained. “He began selling what are today called promotional products. He died suddenly in 1948, and my dad took over the business. I joined him after college in the mid-sixties, and my youngest daughter, Wendy, joined me in the business in 1996. She’s the boss now!” “But much of that disappeared or was replaced in the 60’s and 70’s,” he said. “Retail fled, leaving downtown to become the financial and government center, but there was nothing to do after 5pm. Neither the public nor the private sector knew what to do or even seemed inspired to try.”

Stein and his family lived on Oakdale Drive during his school years. “It was a lovely neighborhood then and now,” he said. “But a couple of classmates lived in Wildwood Park, and it seemed ‘a bit nicer’ to me. I thought then that if I ended up living in Fort Wayne as an adult, I wanted a house there. The yards were larger, and the houses set back farther from the streets. No matter how you entered the neighborhood, you came up a hill. Add to that the location: it’s a neighborhood not in the center of the city but near west and convenient to downtown. If you like old houses, big trees and old lawns, quiet streets, and a neighborhood that has maintained its personality since it began a century ago, it’s hard to beat Wildwood Park.”

In the 70s, Stein found a great potential home for his family, and during a two- year period, they worked with an architect to build a two-story traditional wood frame house that didn’t look out of place on the block.

“Turns out it was the perfect home for a family with two adults, two kids, and one Irish Setter,” he said. “

Now, Stein lives in a different Wildwood Park house just two blocks away from that home.

“Preparing to grow old, I moved into a mid-century ranch built in 1952 on a block with other mid-century ranches and a few traditional two-story houses,” he explained. “It was designed by an artist who wanted lots of glass so she could see the beauty of the neighborhood no matter which way she looked. “As time passed, the Grand Wayne Center and Allen County Public Library made big statements,” said Stein, though nothing came to bring the people on to downtown streets.

“Headwaters Park and associated activities were good. So was the downtown Tin Caps stadium, Parkview Field. And then we started to see momentum. New hotels finally replacing the ones we had when I was a kid. And then BOOM! The few old buildings still standing were remodeled and upgraded to house restaurants, bars, and housing. We didn’t have enough old buildings to fill the need so more had to be built. Businesses built corporate headquarters. Restaurants wanted to be downtown. We have more projects underway than ever. I have a big smile on my face when I see the construction cranes in operation as I drive along Main Street.”

Another bonus according to Stein: “We stopped simply talking about the rivers and started developing. Phase 1 opened to such success that phases 2 and 3 were announced simultaneously. Electric Works is going to open this year. I’m so excited to see my city, asleep for so many years, now running full speed. Those two projects will flank the downtown with its alleys suitable and safe for foot traffic and full of public art, with restaurants now finally offering outdoor seating. The Landing has finally been brought to its full potential and full of people. I remember Columbia Street like that in the 40’s and 50’s. It is just spectacular to see the people respond to today’s efforts to attract and engage and encourage them into our central city. There is so much to do and still more to come. Are we alive and vital again? It would seem so!” a