This is Frank Kristof’s World War 1 Draft Registration Card. It is the only bit of information I have found so far that confirms the presence of an ‘F Kristof’ at 1700 East 31st Street, Lorain OH. I’m not sure he’s the building’s namesake, though. It doesn’t make sense that a single, 25-year-old ‘lake seaman’ would have a brick and mortar shop that’s he’s not around to tend. [see update below!]
EDITED TO ADD, courtesy of Reader Rick:
“The Frank Kristof that you found is almost certainly the son of the building’s owner. The 1920 census records list a Frank Kristof, age 59, as living at that address, with his wife Druhala and 4 roomers. At that time Frank was working at the steel plant and his wife’s occupation was listed as grocer, own grocery store. So the building apparently housed the Kristof family, 4 roomers, and a grocery store.
In the 1930 census, Frank (age 69) had apparently retired from the steel plant because his occupation was now listed as merchant, grocery. He was still living in the building with his wife and several roomers.”
LORAIN 365 
Hi Lisa,
I think it’s great that your site is providing photographic documentation of many of the old neighborhood buildings in Lorain. Unfortunately, many have already been lost. The F. Kristof building is a nice example that appears to be it good shape. The 1920s was certainly the “era” of yellow brick buildings!
The Frank Kristof that you found is almost certainly the son of the buildings owner. The 1920 census records list a Frank Kristof, age 59, as living at that address, with his wife Druhala and 4 roomers. At that time Frank was working at the steel plant and his wife’s occupation was listed as grocer, own grocery store. So the building apparently housed the Kristof family, 4 roomers, and a grocery store.
In the 1930 census, Frank (age 69) had apparently retired from the steel plant because his occupation was now listed as merchant, grocery. He was still living in the building with his wife and several roomers.
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Hi Rick! Thanks for your kind words! I’m glad you’re enjoying our tour of Lorain’s old buildings. I appreciate your contributions to their stories, too. You did a great job putting the pieces of the F Kristof puzzle together. I’m going to make your comment a part of the main post so everyone can see the F Kristof story.
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I just found this page based on searching for the address in Google. My father-in-law, Charles Sargent, 89, remembers helping out in the grocery as a boy. He recalls the ladder attached to the rail which he could slide down the shelves.
His father, Charles Ray Sargent, was adopted by Frank’s sister Marian Kristof Sargent.
Though his memory is shaky, he thinks both his dad’s uncle and his dad’s grandfather were both Frank. The building is certainly named after the earlier F. Kristof, who immigrated from Russia.
My father-in-law gave a loud “WOW!” when I showed him your page. Thank you for giving us all the joy of observing this trip down memory lane.
Randy Bond (husband of Sally Sargent, great-great-granddaughter of the first F. Krsitof.
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