Ewers and Sons Celebrate 100 years of Family and Business

When Harry Ewers first started in business in 1908, the only horsepower involved was literally the four legged kind. 100 years later, his great grandson is celebrating a century of hard work and family values.

Ewers and Sons, located at 3512 Woodford Road in Kennedy Heights is inviting customers old and new to a 100th anniversary party on Saturday July 26 at the site where the family has been doing business for the bulk of its history.

Humble Beginnings

Harry Ewers began his business at the foot of Mt. Adams doing light hauling with horses, which quickly evolved into a feed and building supply operation. Ewers and Sons located to their Woodford Road site in the early 1920’s and found their niche, home coal delivery, which would serve them for the next three decades. Long time residents will remember a series of coal silos on the property, which were all built by family members “in their spare time and finished just in time for the great depression” according the current owner Bob Ewers.

Kennedy Heights fixture

Upon arriving in Kennedy Heights Harry moved his family into a house he built which is on the edge of the Ewers site and raised 4 boys and six girls. Members of the family would live in the building until the 1960’s, and many other family members stayed in the neighborhood. Several lived in the “Lang Subdivision” encompassing Edgeview, Glen Edge and Skyview.

Changing With the times

Post World War Two found less and less homes heating with coal, so the silos were emptied and Ewers and Sons moved into the blacktop business, which conveniently was flourishing with the booming popularity of the automobile. Today, Ewers portfolio boasts a number of projects both commercial and residential, ranging from many driveways and local basketball courts to more high profile efforts such as the Highland plaza parking lot and the center court tennis surface at the ATP stadium in Mason

Still Family Owned and Operated

Now in its fourth generation, Ewers and Sons still employs great grandson Bob and his Sister Lori and Bob’s brother in law, Roger Van Pelt. It is certainly the oldest family owned business in Kennedy Heights and most likely one of the oldest in the Greater Cincinnati area. Bob Ewers says such a feat could probably not be duplicated today. ”You couldn’t start this business today” but he agrees that the longevity and constant of the family occupying the site has helped account for their century of service. While Ewers isn’t sure there’ll be a fifth generation to carry on, he surely has no intentions of quitting. “We’re going to just keep going the way we are. We always have more work than we can do.”

100th Birthday Bash

The folks at Ewers and sons will be celebrating their 100th year in business on Saturday July 26th from 10am to 2pm. The festivities will feature a cookout, video and pictures of the family’s history, and door prizes donated by some Ewers vendors. Along with customers past and present, there will be family members in attendance stretching back three of the four generations, as founder Harry Ewers’ daughter is even going to make an appearance. Whether you’re a customer or not, Bob Ewers is inviting Kennedy Heights neighbors to stop by, “After all, our family were some of the first people in this area”. One hundred years later, they’re still here and going strong.