I recently received a letter from Yvonne Leiphart of West Manchester Township in response to my “Do you remember?” column in the York Sunday News.
Yvonne made me smile; she started her letter by saying she didn’t expect me to read it all; she just hoped that writing down her memories of downtown York from the 1940s onward into the 1960s would help her stop laying awake at night, trying to remember even more!
She writes, “There wasn’t anything you couldn’t buy downtown in the ’40s and ’50s except maybe an automobile. But I even think there might have been an automobile dealership on East Market St. (Does anyone remember it?)”
Yvonne wrote, “The stores (listed here) are not in the order that they were located, but were somewhere on the block. Going east from the railroad on Market Street: Cigar store, Mike’s Nut Shop, Sears/Roebuck’s, Julius’ Music House, Haines the Shoe Wizard, American Legion Post, Disc Mart, White’s Record Shop, Rialto Theater, People’s Drug Store, Jack’s, A.S. Beck Shoes, Deb Shop, Darling Shop, Fluhrer’s Jewelry, Griffith-Smith Men’s, Thom McCann Shoes, Kinney’s Shoes, Worth’s, Sullivan’s Jewelers, Gehley’s Carpet Store, Bear’s Dept. Store, Reed’s Millinery, Lovett’s Dress Shop, White Rose Restaurant, Whelan’s Pharmacy, Webb & Wolfe Sporting Goods, Fanny Farmer Candy, Mehl and Rittenhouse Jewelers, Thompson’s Ladieswear, Herbert’s, Stillman’s Department Store, Crider’s Card Shop/Stationary and Pollack Jewelers.”
She continues, “Across the street going west from the square: Newswanger Shoe Store (above which were the offices of Dr. Frank Tamarkin, optometrist, and Dr. Gustav Rubinstein, dentist), Futer Bros. Jewelry, People’s Drug Store, Western Union, Ormond’s, Eugene Jacobs Men’s, McCrory’s 5 & 10, Woolworth’s, W.T Grant 5 & 10, Adler’s, F.W. Grand 5 & 10, Joe Weinbrom Jewelers, The Bon-Ton, J.C. Penney, a fabric shop and Schaeffer’s Florist.”
“On North George Street there was Lehmeyer’s Men’s Store, Gregory’s Menswear, Smutz Leather Goods, Terminal Luggage, Golden Glow Cafeteria, Town Tavern, Monkey Bar (at which location I think earlier was Don Sternbergh’s York Diner, which later moved to East Market Street), Ramona Restaurant and at the Valencia was the Rainbow Grill.”
“On South George Street there was the Colonial Hotel, the Brooks Hotel, Kay Jewelers, Rothert’s Furniture, Ritz Theater, Crane’s Men’s Store, Hanover Shoe, Murray’s Menswear, Sunny Surplus, The Hub, Sol Kessler’s Music, Famous Restaurant, Terry’s Menswear, Reineberg’s Shoes.”
Finally, she lists the Lullaby Shoppe and Reese’s Variety Store on North Beaver Street and these on South Beaver: “Herman’s Shoes, The Corset Shop (above which was the radio station WORK) and The Village Peddler.”
Thank you, Yvonne, for sending those to me! I’m hoping that the fact I typed them serves as proof that I did read them all.
My name is Joan and I'm a lifelong Yorker. Throughout high school and college, I swore I was getting out of here as soon as possible. Now, a few years later, I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be. I love my town. And, as a local editor, I hear every day how much you love your towns, too. So please, connect with me and let's share what makes life in York County great. I'm here to help you enjoy this place as much as I do!
A J.W. Richley auto dealership was located on East Market Street until the late 1950′s. The 1921 showroom is now part of the York Country Heritage Trust’s Historical Society Museum.
I am in awe of some folks’ memory capacity!
In the 40′s there was a Pontiac dealership on the north side of the 300 block of West Market St. in York.
That Pontiac dealership on w. market street was there into the 60s. Also, Carl Beasley Ford was located on the south side of W Market near where Carlisle ave begins. I wonder if anyone but me remembers Rheimyers (sic?) store on the southwest cornoer of W market and Belvedier ave? While I am at it, there was radio/TV store on the south side of W Market street. My parents bought 3 tvs there in the 50s (a 1950 Admiral 12 inch…a 21 inch RCA black and white in 1954 and in 1959 a 21 inch RCA COLOR set). a remeber a guy from taht store comming to our house from time to time to fix those tvs. I can’t remember the name of the store.
My Dad (Don Sternbergh) bought me my first (Motorola 6-Transistor) portable Radio at that appliance store on W Market Street in 1958.
The store was a few doors East of the Highway Theater.
The York Diner was located from 1939 through 1949 on an empty lot just south of the Penn Hotel, on the East side of N George St, directly across from the Strand & Capitol Theatres. Later the York Diner was physically moved to E Market St across from the Brown mansion and Haines Rd.
When Memory Lane was aligned to meet Haines Rd, it passed too close to the Diner, so it was moved again, further East next to The Barn Garden Store. After just a year all the nearby businesses on the N side of E Market St were demolished to make way for McCrory’s Warehouse.
The York Diner was by then too frail to be moved again, so Dad remodeled my grandfathers home (at 2810 E Market St) to become The York Dutch Restaurant.
Some years later, the York Dutch Restaurant passed into other hands and went downhill. And Don Sternbergh became a roving reporter for The Daily Record, with a daily on-the-spot interview column which ran for many years.