A couple of quick memories about Peoples Drug

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Joan

This July post got us started talking about memories of Peoples Drug.

Included was this photo, originally seen on June Lloyd’s Universal York blog. It shows the store in September 1955, with its windows taped as protection against a coming storm.

Kathleen Campbell Beaverson says, “This picture sure does bring back great memories!!! Going in there sitting at the soda fountain and getting drinks!!!”

And my friend Melanie P., a former Yorker now living in Virginia, said, “People’s Drug!! I worked for People’s for 12 years, starting in 1976 (down here in Virginia, alas, not in York). Minimum wage in ’76 was $2.30 an hour. Hershey bars were, I think, 15 cents. You could buy a six pack of the big bottles of Coke on sale for 99 cents. And during Back To School season, metal lunchboxes with Thermoses were around $2 or $3. Why didn’t I buy one of each back then? They’d be worth a small fortune now! LOL! And the soda fountain… best cheeseburgers and milkshakes in town. Good, good memories!”

Any other Peoples Drug memories to share? I’d love to hear them!

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Reader photo: Snow through the branches

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Joan

What: Early morning snow and the sun rising.
Submitted by: LuAnn Scruggs of West Manchester Township
Something interesting: Today’s reader photo continues my snow theme started in a photo earlier this week. Whether you like snow or not, it’s a great example of what LuAnn captioned “nature and beauty.”

As always, you can share your own photos of scenes around York County here.

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The one thing everyone remembers about Babe Keller’s restaurant

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Joan

OK, this is just fun.

We talked almost six months ago about memories of Babe Keller’s Restaurant, and as part of that, Wayne Breighner had some stories to tell about how that restaurant’s owners were real jokesters. And the fun stories continued from some other commenters.

Rodney Beaverson says, “I grew-up around the corner from Kellers restaurant, and remember a sign that hung above the bar area that read ‘Helen Waite is our credit manager. If you want credit, go to Helen Waite.’ Always thought that was the funniest sign I ever saw.”

And another commenter, who didn’t leave a name, wrote, “First of all thank you for the great work you do on the DO YOU REMEMBER articles. One additional note about KELLER’S RESTAURANT. There used to be a really neat sign behind the counter and it read: Helen Wait is our credit manager, if you want credit go to Hell and Wait. I was only in the place about three times but I remember the sign. I am a retired social studies teacher from Northeastern and tried to incorporate as much local flavor as possible, much to the chagrin of some of my administrators. My thoughts were always that if people don’t pass the local items on to others that it will die and we don’t want that to happen. You should be well informed about your local items. Thanks again for your great work.”

Well, thank YOU – for sharing a fun story and for trying to make history local. I know some other people who share that idea as well!

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Reader photo: Snow in Spring Grove

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Joan

What: Snow on Main Street in Spring Grove
Submitted by: Judy Ensminger of North Codorus Township
Something interesting: Since I’m going to Vermont Wednesday and Thursday, where I hope it WON’T be snowy (imagine that), I thought it might be fun to share a snow-based reader photo I received a couple weeks ago. You know, kind of a “reverse psychology” kind of thing?

As always, you can share your own photos of scenes around York County here.

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Ask Joan: Vermont week edition

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Joan

Hubby and I are taking a special trip this week – my Christmas present was a getaway to Bennington, Vermont! After a hectic week and weekend last week, it’ll be nice to get away, but the preparations are keeping me busy! (Don’t worry, Only in York County will continue uninterrupted, though today’s Ask Joan material is some “quick questions” for which I’m hoping you’ll be willing to help me provide details.)

What’s inside
1. Finding organic local restaurant options
2. Where was the Slug’s Roost
3. Remembering “Tales from the Tomb”
Continue reading →

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Memories via Facebook from Dale Boyce

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Joan

I love Facebook. For better or worse, I really am on there all the time (to be fair, much of it is for work).

One thing I’m having happen more and more often is that readers will find me on Facebook to share their stories and memories, which I think is great!

This, for example, came from Dale Boyce. He writes, “Do you remember Silo appliances, Sterner Chevy and Hickey Toyota in Red Lion? Silo was on Rt 30 across from the North Mall. Sterner was where the Rite Aid close to Dairyland Square is and Hickey was originally down Rt 74 where Pleasant View school is located. I think Hickey was originally an AMC dealer when I was a kid. Then they changed to Toyota then moved to where Red Lion Chevy is today. Then they changed to Diehl Toyota. Also when I was young, Barnhart Ford was where the antique shop is today on Main St in Red Lion. Then it was Smeltzer Bros and they moved to where Apple Ford is today. After Smeltzer’s it was Mac Jones Ford and then Apple. I think I am right but not positive.”

Any ideas for Dale? I will share them ALL OVER THE PLACE – on the blog, on Facebook and probably in print – if you do! :)

Meanwhile, you’re welcome to be my friend on Facebook as well (request me here) – but if you don’t want to see all my goofy Facebook games, I might recommend you “subscribe” to me instead…

… which you can do right here!

Looking forward to staying connected in as many ways as possible!

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Following up with even more A&P and other grocery store memories

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Joan

A & P logoTuesday, we talked about Stewartstown memories, including Norris Grocery – which had formerly been an A&P.

That got me started thinking about that chain again, which no longer exists in York County. We’d talked about them back in June (that’s when I’d originally shared the Norris Grocery photo from Mary Kurman).

And originally, in this April post, we starting talking about A&P following a letter from Linda Arnold.

Since then, I’ve heard from some other folks who remember this grocery chain. Continue reading →

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Gino’s is still the place to go: A roundup on one of our favorite eateries!

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Joan

Longtime readers and longtime residents of the area certainly know Gino’s, especially since it’s made news recently for reopening even more stores.

Today, a few quick notes to share on this awesome restaurant.

My husband found this neat retrospective from Philly.com, which delves a bit into the chain’s demise and recent resurgence.

This photo slideshow from the Baltimore Sun depicts the August opening of a Gino’s in Towson, and was shared with me by reader Sue McKinsey. She says, “I am from Dundalk, MD & we had a Gino’s & Ameche’s not to far apart. My brother lives in Bel Air, MD & sent me this from The Baltimore Sun paper. The person they quote, Bob Currier, I went to school with, graduated with & am still in contact with. We graduated in 1964 from Dundalk Senior High School & a bunch of us get together several times a year just to stay in touch.”

There are now three open Gino’s – the King of Prussia location I visited with some readers last year; one in Bensalem; and the Towson, Md., store. Also planned for this year are stores in Perryhall, Md., and Coatesville, as well as, according to the official website, “23 others.” York, PA, anyone??

(On that note, I heard from another reader, Katie, about one of the store’s former York County locations – she says, “I also worked at the Susquehanna Trail store in 1976 had lots of fun.” Have Gino’s memories of your own to share? Leave me a comment!)

And, of course, if you’ve missed our earlier notes on Gino’s…

April 20, 2011: Even more Gino’s memories from a longtime manager and others
March 30, 2011: Food, geography, and our blog in the newspaper
March 16, 2011: Everybody goes to Gino’s, Part II: Catching up more on our recent trip
March 9, 2011: More on Gino’s: It’s all about the people and the food
March 7, 2011: An amazing weekend criss-crossing Pennsylvania: Gino’s welcomes York, PA
Nov. 24, 2010: The return of Gino’s to Pennsylvania, and a local reunion
June 29, 2010: Everybody goes to Gino’s, because Gino’s is the place to go!

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Mail call: More Stewartstown snowstorm memories

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Joan

Today’s letter comes to me from Jackie Tredway Korte of Red Lion, who you might remember sent me a clipping of some quotes from the 1950s.

In her accompanying letter, Jackie talked about memories trigged by this post, in which reader Mary Kurman shared a photo of her family’s grocery store in the town after a huge snowstorm.

Here’s Mary’s photo, which was taken in February of 1958.

And here’s a photo shared with me by Jackie, also taken in 1958.

1958 Stewartstown snowstorm

Jackie writes, “I grew up in Stewartstown. The picture … of the snowstorm, I remember well. Norris’s Grocery Store was on the square next door to Malles’ 5&10 store.”

The picture, she says, is “me in front of the house on Mill St. where I grew up. My mom and I did a lot of shoveling that day.”

And, she concludes, “Stewartstown was a very nice town to grow up in. Some of my friends still live there.” As do some of mine, Jackie, and I know they’d agree!

Posted in Local memories, Southern | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Ask Joan: Nunchucks edition

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Joan

Regular readers might know that I study tae kwon do at Dover Dragons TKD. Well, one of our programs for more advanced students has included lessons this month in using nunchucks (nunchaku). I love it. Thankfully for those in close physical proximity, we practice with foam ones. After a while, though, it still can hurt if you miss too often!

What’s inside
1. Seeking venue for 100 people
2. Sycamore trees along the Trail
3. More details on antique store
Continue reading →

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