Ohio’s oldest retail store successfully uses Entrepreneurial Clearinghouse
TIFFIN, OHIO – January 5, 2022 – Today, Joe Obringer and Klinton and Kymberlee Wood announced that Kuebler Shoes, established in 1832 in Tiffin and Ohio’s oldest continuously operating retail store, is under new ownership and will continue serving the community for years to come.
Kymberlee Wood was excited to make the announcement, saying, “Kuebler Shoes has an amazing history and provides outstanding shoes and service to the community. We are honored to continue that tradition.”
Obringer agreed: “I am so happy to see Klinton and Kymberlee take over as the new owners of Kuebler Shoes and to keep our tradition of quality shoes and service alive. I wanted to retire, but I cared deeply about the business continuing. The Clearinghouse gave me the opportunity to connect with a lot of potential investors and helped make this a reality.”
Today’s announcement is the culmination of a three-month process that began with the promotion of an opportunity known as “Project Starlight” on the Tiffin-Seneca Entrepreneurial Opportunity Clearinghouse (TSEOC) at the beginning of September 2021. In it, details about the business and asking price were made known but the business name was kept anonymous.
In less than two weeks, twenty interested parties were directed to contact the Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership (TSEP) to gather basic information, and then TSEP sent that information to Obringer to review. Obringer then reached out to each of the prospects, and four serious ones were identified with a letter of intent signed by September 13. The business owners have been working on finalizing the deal since then.
Tiffin Mayor Aaron Montz commented, “We’re happy to welcome Klinton and Kymberlee as the new owners of this great local business, and I encourage everyone to support them. I’m also glad to see the Clearinghouse continuing to see success in helping foster entrepreneurship.”
About Kuebler Shoes
Founded in 1832 in Tiffin, Kuebler Shoes is the oldest continuously operating retail store in Ohio. The store carries 25 different brands of shoes and stocks nearly 6,000 pairs of shoes for men, women, and children in a wide selection of sizes and widths. They also carry a variety of handbags and other accessories, and the stores employees have over 50 years of experience in the custom fitting of footwear. They are located at 440 W. Market St. in Tiffin and online at www.kueblershoes.com.
About the Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership
Started in 1983 as the Seneca Industrial and Economic Development Corp. (SIEDC), the Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership is a private, non-profit corporation dedicated to driving positive economic, downtown, and community development in Tiffin and Seneca County, Ohio, which consistently ranks among the top communities nationally for economic development. Learn more about the great things going on in Tiffin and Seneca County at www.tiffinseneca.org.
