05/31/2026
Powell’s Memorial Day Parade
As we celebrate the Powell Liberty Historical Society’s 40th anniversary this year, we were honored to take part in the Memorial Day Parade on May 25th. A special thank you goes to long‑time resident Ron Chapin, who represented the Society in his beautifully restored 1957 Pontiac Star Chief convertible.
Ron’s connection to Powell runs deep. His family moved to Liberty Township in 1956, settling at the corner of Rutherford and Liberty Roads. The following year, his mother purchased a brand-new 1957 Pontiac Star Chief sedan—a car that sparked Ron’s lifelong admiration for the model. In 1973, he found his own ’57 convertible in a small junkyard on Smokey Row Road and spent years gathering additional cars for parts. With the skills he honed running his own body shop at that same location, Ron eventually completed the stunning restoration we see today.
Ron and his wife Jana also played a memorable role in Powell’s business history. From 1985 to 1995, they owned the Powell Food Market at the southwest corner of Olentangy Street and Liberty Road—now the Kraft House. Jana, whose father was an executive at White Castle, brought her restaurant experience to the store, where, yes, they sold White Castles (and “a lot of them,” she recalls). The market became a community hub, offering deli sandwiches, local notices, gifts and crafts on consignment, and even mailboxes and dog houses. Before the Chapins, the store had been run for 39 years by the beloved Clara Bell Langstrom. The building was owned by the International Order of Odd Fellows.
It’s said that when Clara retired, several thousand dollars in IOUs remained unpaid—a testament to her generous spirit and the small-town kindness that continues to shape Powell today.
