Code,911070
Subject,Violet Frayne
Date,6/18/2011
Interviewer,Michael Rotman
Abstract,"Violet Frayne discusses the Hippie Era of Coventry Road. She shares that she and her husband moved into the neighborhood in 1966, and almost immediately she began working for Bill Jones selling dresses. She discusses many of the businesses there and how they came together to form the Coventry Merchants Association. They realized that they needed the help of the residents to be effective so they later created the Coventry Homeowners Association, which became Coventry Neighbors. Throughout the interview, she talks about the Hippie Culture of Coventry and how it lent a unique feel to the neighborhood that is still going strong."
Tags,"Coventry Village, Coventry Road, merchants, Bill Jones, Susan Malone, Tommy Fello, Ace Drugs, Ron Eisenberg, Carol Drug, Coventry Merchant's Association, Sun Press, Cleveland Press, Homeowners Association, Coventry Neighbors,Haight Ashbury, Hippie Culture"
Special Notes,
0,Introductions: Born in NYC in 1942; Earliest memory of Coventry-moved to an apartment in 1966
1,Her husband convinced her that going to pick and pay was hopelessly american- need to go to the chicken mart and get fresh chickens; She was appalled that the package was still warm
2,In 1968 they bought the house they still live in; She took a job working for Bill Jones and his new dress store- Manager was Susan Malone-Violet was hired to sell dresses part time
3,They found a bigger place and moved around; The only true hippies on the street was Bill Jones at the time; She also remembers The Covent-tree and Tommy of Tommy's was working for Ace Drungs
4,"She says since the fire it is hard to remember coventry as it was; Tommy was there, but he did not own the restaurant yet;"
5,When she moved to Coventry she would go to Ace Drug to have a soda and they would talk to Tommy behind the counter; Several owners and Tommy says they all tought him something
6,"She talks about Ron Eisenberg owned Carol Drug and how he was supportive of the new merchants, but he was not a hippie; She also remembers the jeans store moving in and Record Revolution opening up too"
7,She describes the various stores that are unique to the street; She went to a meeting where they were going to do public relations for the street
8,Describes the meeting and how they decided to from the Coventry Merchant's Association; They would hold meetings once a month and she shares what they used to talk about
9,She says the city council disliked them;
10,Talks about their strategy: They said that people thought hippies were unclean so they bought a street cleaner; Interesting story about one of the daughter's of one of the business owners running the street sweeper
11,"she says she then wrote an article about this that included pictures called ""Hippies Clean up their Act"" sent it to The Sun Press, The Cleveland Press, and the Plain Dealer"
12,Also installed a light; Realized that they weren't going to be anything without the homeowners so they started the Homeowners' association- began inviting people around 1971; raised the money to plaint first trees
13,Coventry Homeowners association became Coventry Neighbors-at this time she became less involved after 1972; Other merchants were not necessarily against them
14,"Describes how upset Mitchells were when they were forced to move; The city and maybe some neighborhoods disliked them, but not the merchants"
15,Any distaste from the merchants would be directed towards another merchants; even the most conservative merchants did not care (aside: Irv's deli always being raided by board of health because of rats)
16,
17,Describes the Haight Ashbury in California; She describes connecting to the Hippie culture and what they were into
18,"Says that people connected to the Hippie culture, and the only way they could reach the culture waas through Coventry"
19,She thinks that the contrarian view has not ended; it won't end until Crate & Barrel shows up
20,She says she's pleased to see so much interest in the street; thinks she is lucky to be a part of the nieghborhood during that time;
21,She thinks it is a nice neighborhood democracy; End of Interview
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