Hughes Supply Inc, Dayton Ohio in album ads

In Albums: murals ads

A broad street in a mostly-empty industrial area, with a big white building reading Hughes Supply Inc

Sep 4th, 2004, by Alex Zorach

This photo shows a building of Hughes Supply Inc in Dayton, Ohio. Hughes Supply was a large construction supply company; it was bought by Home Depot in 2006, which renamed it HD Supply, a brand with an obvious abbreviation for Home Depot, but which uses its branding to downplay the connection.

This photo captures what much of Dayton, Ohio looks like. Dayton is a mid-sized city, much larger than Lancaster, PA where I grew up, but much smaller than Cleveland, Ohio, where I later spent some time. Like many cities in the midwest, it has very broad streets and lots of space. It is also rather industrial, and in a state of moderate decline. Much of the city is very quiet and empty, with lots of vacant lots and little-used parking lots.

I love this particular building, as it has a fun and colorful mural, imparting a cheerful look to what would otherwise be a rather dreary industrial neighborhood. Keep in mind, this photo is taken at the end of summer; during much of the year, this region of the country features gray skies and wintry mix.

I have not seen this building since Hughes Supply was bought by Home Depot, but I will say, I really hope they kept the mural.