Jun. 7—ASHTABULA — Lorenzo “Ren” T. Carlisle III, who died on May 26 at the age of 81, made a lasting impact on the community.
Ren grew up in Ashtabula and he was a fifth-generation Carlisle. He spent the bulk of his career at Carlisle’s, a regional chain of 14 department and specialty stores in Ohio and Pennsylvania, where he served as President, CEO and Chairman until the sale of the company in 1996.
One of Ren’s many accomplishments included the revitalization of Bridge Street in the historic Ashtabula Harbor.
Ren and his wife Toni opened their store, Carlisle’s Home in the Harbor, in 2002.
“We love the atmosphere,” Ren said in a 2010 Media Magic Ohio interview for Youtube. “The building we’re in … 1889 … wonderful brick walls, high ceilings … great sense of history. It had a great feel.”
The success of the store made Ren and Toni realize the potential that Bridge Street had.
During that time, the Lift Bridge was undergoing repairs that lasted longer than the city anticipated.
“Ren rallied what merchants were on the street as well as others in the area to create the Lift Bridge Community Association and breathe new life into the district,” said Ashtabula City Manager Jim Timonere.
Toni said that Ren had a very strategic mind and during his time creating the LBCA, he met up with the mayor of Willoughby.
According to Toni, the mayor told him if he wanted to create a healty environment, he was going to need great restaurants.
Since then, the buildings on Bridge Street have remained occupied with different shops and restaurants that continue to flourish, especially during tourist season.
Independent We Stand named Bridge Street the winner of “America’s Main Streets” contest in June 2018.
Timonere said that Ren’s work on Bridge Street was, “instrumental in what you see in our Historic Ashtabula Harbor today. Ever since he [Ren] said, ‘We need to make Bridge St. a regional destination for tourism,’ everything we’ve done has revolved around that mission. Unique shops, outstanding restaurants, huge street events and a now a hotel, all of which will continue to attract tourists to our community. I will certainly miss our conversations and his input.”
Lorenzo Tyler Carlisle, Ren’s great grandfather, entered into a partnership with Miles Allen in 1911 and formed Carlisle Company Department Stores at 163-165 Main St.
Ted, Ford and Tyler — third generation Carlisles — expanded the business when they took complete ownership in the 1950s and early 1960s.
Charla Timonere Sarbiewski said that she worked at the store from 1971 until 1992.
“They [Ren and Toni] make me feel as an extension of their family,” she said. “Being here I see a lot of the customers that I interacted with on Main Avenue and a lot of the older employees that I worked with that shop here [Carlisle’s Home in the Harbor] now. I’m enjoying that full circle environment.”
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