Surrounded by portraits of some of the most notorious souls to ever set foot on Titusville soil, Ross Ruot, a native himself, revels in their controversial storied lives. In fact, he named his shop of collectables and unique treasures after perhaps the most gritty soul of them all.
No, not the wonderfully salacious lady of the evening French Kate, who was the Plummer darling that helped Pithole's claim to being the center of decadence and depravity,
Ruot, instead chose Stonehouse Jack, the infamous fire bug, as a tongue-in-cheek name for his business on the bottom floor of the fire ravaged building he saved from the wrecking ball.
In 2015, flames broke out in an apartment that would almost take down the entire block along W. Spring Street at the corner of S. Franklin. Luckily, the fire didn't burn everything to the ground and through cash and sweat equity, the block has been saved.
Ruot decided to buy one of the damaged buildings. He, unlike Stonehouse Jack who would rather burn a place to the ground rather than pay an owed sum, is about preservation and paying back to his community.
"We liked the way the community gathered together to run him out of town," Ruot said about Titusville having had enough with Jack's torching ways back in the day. "So why not name a business after him? His name conjures up a community to me."
No, not the wonderfully salacious lady of the evening French Kate, who was the Plummer darling that helped Pithole's claim to being the center of decadence and depravity,
Ruot, instead chose Stonehouse Jack, the infamous fire bug, as a tongue-in-cheek name for his business on the bottom floor of the fire ravaged building he saved from the wrecking ball.
In 2015, flames broke out in an apartment that would almost take down the entire block along W. Spring Street at the corner of S. Franklin. Luckily, the fire didn't burn everything to the ground and through cash and sweat equity, the block has been saved.
Ruot decided to buy one of the damaged buildings. He, unlike Stonehouse Jack who would rather burn a place to the ground rather than pay an owed sum, is about preservation and paying back to his community.
"We liked the way the community gathered together to run him out of town," Ruot said about Titusville having had enough with Jack's torching ways back in the day. "So why not name a business after him? His name conjures up a community to me."
"It's our schtick," Ruot said, as he looked around the cleaned and renovated second floor of his downtown Titusville get-a-way and business. He gets the irony.
With the historic buildings disappearing downtown, perhaps saving one damaged by fire is the perfect place to preserve the infamous Stonehouse Jack's story? Or is it a kick in the old legend's legacy that he couldn't have this building too?
"Not this one Jack, you couldn't take this one down."
When Ruot heard the building was being considered for demolition after a March 2015 fire, he knew he had to act. The building suffered damaged but wasn't destroyed. The adjacent Towne Square building really sustained heavier damage. The building where fire originated suffered water damage and had a torn-up upstairs, but the building remained something viable for the right person to restore.
In stepped Ruot.
"It is a labor of love," Ruot said. Being able to preserve a downtown building and make it vital thriving part of the community is source of pride for Ruot.
With the historic buildings disappearing downtown, perhaps saving one damaged by fire is the perfect place to preserve the infamous Stonehouse Jack's story? Or is it a kick in the old legend's legacy that he couldn't have this building too?
"Not this one Jack, you couldn't take this one down."
When Ruot heard the building was being considered for demolition after a March 2015 fire, he knew he had to act. The building suffered damaged but wasn't destroyed. The adjacent Towne Square building really sustained heavier damage. The building where fire originated suffered water damage and had a torn-up upstairs, but the building remained something viable for the right person to restore.
In stepped Ruot.
"It is a labor of love," Ruot said. Being able to preserve a downtown building and make it vital thriving part of the community is source of pride for Ruot.
Stonehouse Jack is a place where one can buy one of a kind art to vintage dresses, plates, jewelry and all sorts of furniture and gadgets. Ruot has an eye for the cool as well as the useful.
Ruot spends most of his life in the D.C area. He is always on the lookout for unique items and enjoys sending these to Titusville as part of his plan. "One persons junk is another persons treasure," Ruot said, noting things he finds in one area will not be so common in another area.
Ruot spends most of his life in the D.C area. He is always on the lookout for unique items and enjoys sending these to Titusville as part of his plan. "One persons junk is another persons treasure," Ruot said, noting things he finds in one area will not be so common in another area.
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COVID-19 slowed downhill business a bit, but his current social media postings show things are picking up again. "I want this to be a destination shop," he said.
He talks about the nice market and dining opportunities just a stroll away from Stonehouse Jack, so he sees people from miles away making a day of it to visit Titusville and see what unique things he has to offer. Ruot also hopes the upstairs becomes a place of culture and fun parties.
He talks about the nice market and dining opportunities just a stroll away from Stonehouse Jack, so he sees people from miles away making a day of it to visit Titusville and see what unique things he has to offer. Ruot also hopes the upstairs becomes a place of culture and fun parties.
The store isn't so much glorification of a notorious arsonist as it is an homage to how a place can rise up and overcome, either by driving a scoundrel out of town or by accepting a native son who wants to preserve and build.
Keep up on the happenings at Stonehouse Jack on their face book page here!
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