Tons of tile free to take away

YOUNGSTOWN — At one time, the Wall Tile Co. on Mahoning Avenue was a hot spot in the Valley for hard-to-find ceramic tile.

Now, after the company’s landlord was left in the cold when the owner disappeared last year, the store’s remaining stock is being given away for free.

Petrarca Companies, the company’s former landlord, will give away ceramic tile, mortar and joint compound that the owner left behind last year when he could no longer pay rent, said Tom Petrarca.

The giveaway will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday at 2432 Mahoning Ave., where the Wall Tile Co. did business for more than 50 years. Those taking advantage of the giveaway must haul the products away on Wednesday, Petrarca said.

“He was elderly. With his age and the economy, his business slowed up and he just retired,” Petrarca said. “He left everything behind. We thought it would be a great way to clean the building out and in addition help a lot of people.”

Petrarca said the 51,000-square-foot building hasn’t had business for a year now, but it is still full of ceramic tile and ancillary products to install the tile.

“He would buy lots of old tile when they quit making it,” Petrarca said. “If you needed to match tile, this was the best place, maybe in the state.”

Read more in Wednesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com