Historic & possibly haunted Bissman building hits the auction block

MANSFIELD — A piece of Mansfield history will go on the auction block next month

The Bissman Building is for sale via an online auction administered by Remaley Auctioneers. The auction opened Saturday and ends on Dec. 27 at 10 a.m.

The building has housed a grocery store and warehouse, served as a filming location for the Shawshank Redemption, and become a ghost-hunting destination.

The four-story building is located at 193 N. Main Street. It’s more than 33,000 square feet includes a full basement, office areas, storage rooms and a rear parking area, according to the listing.

Listing agent Shad Remaley said the owner hopes the property goes to someone who wants to preserve the building. He said the building’s roof needs repaired, as well as some flooring. The building also needs updated electric.

For 139 years, the Bissman Building has been an iconic part of Mansfield’s skyline.

The Bissman Building is named for the Bissman family, who traveled by steam ship from Germany to the U.S. in 1853. The family ultimately settled in Mifflin.

Peter Bissman worked at The Tracy and Avery Company as a boy and later decided to open his own wholesale grocery business where the Richland Carrousel Park is currently located.

In 1886, the Bissman Company relocated to its iconic building at 193 N. Main St. The building was constructed by the same contractors behind the Ohio State Reformatory.

As a grocery distributor, the Bissman Company carried everything from coffee and cigars to alcohol and mouse traps. The company employed hundreds of people.

The grocery portion of the store closed in 1976, but the business continued as a beer distributor until shutting down in the early 2000s.

Ghost hunts and movie sets

In the 2010s, it operated as the Haunted Bissman Building, offering ghost tours for paranormal thrill seekers.

Ghost hunters believe the soul of F.W. Simon, a former Bissman grocery employee, still lingers in the building.

The fourth-floor manager was decapitated on the third floor by the elevator the day he was set to retire in 1911. Some believe he was sticking his head out to talk to his fellow employees.

Some psychics believe Ruthie Bissman, the granddaughter of Peter Bissman, also haunts the building.

Other people claim to have seen the watchman, who guarded the Bissman Company after its safe was broken into once.

The Bissman Building has been featured on shows like “Ghost Hunters,” “My Ghost Story” and “Ghost Asylum,” the movie “The Dead Matter,” and a music video for Mushroomhead.

The building also served as a filming location for The Shawshank Redemption.

A first-floor room was transformed into the “Portland Daily Bugle” editor-in-chief’s office, and the facade of the building was used to portray the Brewer Hotel in the film.