For more than a century, this 50,000 sq. ft. landmark has stood at the heart of Mentor, bearing witness to the city’s growth and innovation. Its story began in 1868, when the Hart Nut and Washer Company built Mentor’s very first factory here—for just $11,500.

Through the years, these walls have echoed with progress. The Mentor Knitting Mills took root in 1891, followed by the Columbia Match Company in 1938, whose matchbooks and machines gave the building its lasting name. By 1955, the Production Machinery Corporation carried on that legacy of invention, keeping Mentor at the forefront of American industry.

As the decades passed, the building evolved with the times. In the 1980s, its expansive halls were transformed into modern commercial office spaces, ushering in a new era. Today, it thrives as a hub for business, creativity, and community—proof that history and progress can live side by side.