A Saturday evening in July 1999 brought eight fire companies and 100 firefighters to Main and State Streets to fight what would become a seven hour long battle. The fire, which started 2 State Street, quickly spread through 4 State Street and then to an adjacent building at 17 Main Street. Heavy smoke billowed from the second story windows causing major damage to all the buildings.
Several firefighters sustained minor injuries but were later released from Medina Memorial Hospital.The Jones Hardware store sustained heavy damage but fortunately Jones had vacated the apartment above the store just the week before.
A grassroots organization worked hard to get that building renovated and today it houses the comfortable and popular Alternative Grounds Caffe.
Watch a video of shots taken at the fire on July 1999 at the Jones Hardware building.
And today, the former Jones Hardware Store is now the Alternative Grounds Caffe as shown here.
Actually the fire started at Jones Hardware and broke through 2 State Street from an unknown door on second floor of the hardware store then causing fire to break through 2 State then to 4 State Street as determined by fire investigaters.