See the latest Downtown News.
Koby & Sons Tin Shop
By Eric D. Tudor
At the heart of downtown Lebanon, where Jefferson and Commercial meet, lies more than just a busy intersection—it’s long been the center of our community’s story. And one of the most memorable pieces of that story is the legacy of Koby & Sons Tin Shop, a family-run business dating back to the late 1880s.
Back in 2005, I had the privilege of interviewing James Fredrick Koby, who was born in 1915 and passed away just shy of his 100th birthday in 2015. Though he had traveled the world, his roots were deeply planted here in Lebanon, and his memories painted a vivid picture of our past.
James was the son of Fred Peter and Flora Ethel (Keck) Koby. He and his brother, Lt. Col. Francis R. Koby, both spent time working alongside their father in the family’s tin shop. When I sat down with James at his longtime family home—located where Infuse Credit Union stands today—he shared how both sets of grandparents lived on either side of him: one near the former York’s Service Center, and the other by Helton’s and Pam’s Flower Shop.
So where exactly was the shop? That question’s been debated over the years. Some believed it was up on Commercial near the Post Office, others guessed it was in the 100 west block. But James clarified it was located on Jefferson Street, just like the rest of his family. With the help of 1910 and 1932 maps, I was able to confirm its location—just behind what’s now First State Community Bank, long before the drive-thru and parking lot were added.
In a separate interview with longtime art teacher Alva Hazel, James also shared that their business was once the only metalworking shop in town. Koby & Sons provided many of the beautiful pressed tin ceiling tiles you still see in some downtown buildings today—historic details that often resurface during renovations, connecting us to the hands that shaped them.
From tin ceilings to timeless craftsmanship, the Koby family’s legacy is truly woven into the framework of downtown Lebanon.
