Local memories: August 2009 Archives

WOW! I can't believe how many responses my post about Hess's last week drew.

I'd love to compile a thorough archive of "stores that used to be but aren't any more" in York County. I have posted about a few; if you're a newer reader to the blog, please check these out and let me know what you remember about these locations.

And for everyone - please comment and let me know what other stores you miss. I'll try to round up some info on them and post about them in the coming weeks!

Ghost stores:
- Hess's
- The North Mall (not a "store," exactly, but still.)
- J.M. Fields (at the North Mall, my sister and brother-in-law say)
- The York Mall (commenter Joe reminded me of that one) - I do remember that; wasn't there a free-standing Sears there?
- Best
- Hills
- ... and its neighbor Pathmark
- Gee Bee's
- Zaire's (which was at the same location as Hills, if I remember right??)
- I hear we had Mailman's, too, though I need some more guidance on where and when that might have been!
- Same with Two Guys - where was that?
- People's Drug (commenters Mark and Melanie mentioned all three of these last ones; do you guys have any locations?)
- From the Remember When topic on the Exchange, I learned about Bear's Department Store, which is what the picture above is of, and Stillman's Department store, as well as a place called Jack's store in York.

Ghost restaurants:
- Rax
- Rutter's (former employer of commenter friend Mark!)
- Ponderosa
- Spurg's Drive-In
- Gino's
- Bury's Hamburgers

Let's keep the list growing!

Fall in York County, to me, means marching band. You might prefer that sport that uses our band field during some of the same events... you know, the one with quarterbacks and stuff? Yeah, whatever! Hahaha.

I headed out to my high school's marching band preview night last Friday. (Click the link to read about my trip to the same event in 2007.) Took my daughter, my best friend and her daughter. And I loved it!

This year's Dover show is a tribute to Queen, so that made it all the better, because I really enjoy their music. But I also enjoyed that I, quite by accident, sat right in front of a whole group of friends from my church, two rows below of the band director's family and two rows above my best friend's brother-in-law (who was in the band at the same time we were), who had brought his son. I love that about York County!

So here's a scene from the show:

Does anyone know yet what the other local bands' show themes are for this year? We usually run a roundup in the paper, but I'm impatient.

Here's a blast from the past: Does anyone remember Hess's, the department store that used to be at one end of the (then-new) West Manchester Mall? I believe it was at the end that they expanded out and built the Wal-Mart at, but I could be wrong - I was pretty little.

Anyway, I was looking that up today and didn't realize until now that the Hess's chain, when it went out of business, was bought out by several other retailers, and among them was The Bon-Ton. Our location wasn't included in that, of course; it just closed, but still. While I had been sitting around today thinking it's a shame that Hess's is gone, I'm now sort of happy to know that it lives on through another York County retailer.

Anyone else remember Hess's? I think if SOMEONE IN MY FAMILY is reading this blog, they might have some memories to share, say of working there for a good bit of my childhood??

Subtle, aren't I?