Historic clock making a return

Dayton History announced last week it was building an 100-foot tower at Carillon Park where the historic Callahan clock will sit for people of the Miami Valley to enjoy.

Growing up, I remember the clock when it was located on the former Reynolds and Reynolds building in downtown Dayton near Interstate 75 and always assumed that was its first home. Actually, the clock has been the centerpiece of downtown Dayton for more than a century.

Reporter Lisa Powell wrote this week the clock was first the crown on top of the Callahan Building, sometimes referred to as Dayton’s first skyscraper. Located at the northeast corner of Third and Main streets, the original building, with a sharply peaked roofline, was completed in 1892.

According to Powell, the prominent downtown office building was built by William P. Callahan, an Irish immigrant who became a prominent banker and manufacturer in the Gem City.

The clock was moved to the Reynolds and Reynolds in 1978 and Dayton History became the owner in 2006 when that building was razed.

Brady Kress, president and chief executive of Dayton History, told reporter Thomas Gnau the new tower will be located at the western edge of Carillon Park, providing a view of the interstate and the Great Miami River.

Car dealership to expand

Al Castrucci started his car dealership in the late 1980s in the area near the Dayton Mall. Now his son, Matt Castrucci, plans to expand the business beyond the Auto Mall on Mall Park Drive.

Matt Castrucci exclusively told reporter Thomas Gnau last week he has plans to move his auto dealership to a new location on 37 acres near the intersection of Byers and Lyons roads.

Matt Castrucci told Gnau he is working with Miamisburg to get zoning to bring the dealership to the location.

Matt Castrucci said he needs more room for the growing car dealership.

Gun sales soar

Black Friday was a good day for gun makers and retailers.

The FBI said it fielded 203,086 background check requests for gun purchases on the day after Thanksgiving — the highest daily total ever. There were approximately 185,713 background checks last year on Black Friday.

Gun makers and retailers have increased marketing efforts this year to sell firearms at special sales rates on Black Friday and the holiday season. Firearms makers are pulling out all the stops to get rid of an excess of inventory built up after fears that a Democrat in the presidential office would push tighter gun control.

During the presidential campaign, retailers stocked up on firearms — anticipating increased gun sales if Hillary Clinton won. Instead, they saw sales slump when President Trump won since it seems unlikely that gun control laws would be tightened under a Republican president.

Rich Gillette is the Dayton Daily News business editor. Reach him at rich.gillette@coxinc.com.