former The May Company and Kaufmann's; Cedar-Center Plaza, University Heights, Ohio. 1950s exterior view. (photo courtesy Pat Richardson)

former The May Company and Kaufmann's; Cedar-Center Plaza, University Heights, Ohio. Exterior sign. (photo courtesy Pat Richardson)

The May Company's Ohio division built its largest branch store in University Heights, Ohio at Cedar-Center Plaza in 1956. The four-level store included a nine-story warehouse (six stories tall, with three sub basements) attached to the south side of the main store, designed to handle furniture distribution for Cleveland's east side.

The red brick warehouse facility, designed to look like an integrated part of the colossal store, was only used for a short time. The warehouse remained empty from 1960 until the University Heights store was demolished in the 1990s.