Results tagged “Bon-Ton” from York Town Square

Santa's annual visit to the Bon-Ton and downtown York, Pa., came after he landed first in the York Airport along Roosevelt Avenue and later its Thomasville location. Background posts: Ho, ho, ho - uh, Santa, hold on, The Grumbachers: 'Builders and Heroes,' Part III and What was famed architect John Dempwolf's own house like?

JoAnne Everhart, that astute observer of the York area with a keen memory, noticed recent York Town Square posts on the old Roosevelt Avenue Airport and tied that to another recollection - Santa's trip from the airport to the Bon-Ton to kick off the Christmas shopping season.

I include her e-mail here because it touches on so many parts of the York-area's past:

The first article reminded me of stories my late father, Hamilton B. Everhart Jr., told me of going to the airport as a young boy in the 1930's to see the airplanes, which were housed there... .

Notice in the photo the two women looking down on Santa as he climbs up the ladder on his annual visit to the Bon-Ton and downtown York, Pa.
Background posts: Ho, ho, ho - uh, Santa, hold on, The Grumbachers: 'Builders and Heroes,' Part III and What was famed architect John Dempwolf's own house like?

Continuing the series of photos that capture York County, Pa.'s, history:

With a one-arm wave as the other firmly grasps the ladder, Santa greets the crowd before his entry into York's Bon-Ton in his annual visit to York.
Background posts: The Grumbachers, Builders and Heroes and York scores another first: Wal-Mart's entry into Pa.

This photo captures post-World War II York, the day of the Big Three - Bon-Ton and its competitors, Wiest's and Bear's. (People often say, don't forget Sears and Jack's and Gregory's and McLean's and ... )

Santa parked his sleigh outside York County in those years. He flew into the area by plane and, later, by helicopter. He was ushered by fire truck to the Bon-Ton where he entered the store's third-floor window... .

Max Samuel "Tom" Grumbacher, who died in 2006, was an integral part of his family's Bon-Ton Department Stores for 65 years. He was the son of Bon-Ton founder Max Grumbacher and his wife, Daisy. Background posts: The Cassimatises and The Yeagleys,

In the middle part of the 20th century, Bon-Ton's downtown store served as one of York's big three. Bear's and Wiest's made up the primary retail attractions in the heart of York.

When suburbia beckoned, the Bon-Ton expanded to the York Mall, the North York Mall and Queensgate.

Today, the retail chain has about 275 stores in more than 20 states... .