From the late 1800s through much of the 20th century, P. Wiest's Sons Department Store was a fixture on West Market Street, not far from Continental Square. The store began in Dover in 1843, but soon relocated to the 200 block of West Market Street to reach a larger customer base. In the early days, Peter Wiest sold everything from rakes to butter to whisky. He traded molasses and nails with farmers and extended credit to many Yorkers.
In 1884, the Codorus flooded its banks, and Wiest's relocated. The founder died a few years later, and three of his sons reorganized the business as P. Wiest's Sons. In 1889 a "large and commodious store building" was erected near the Square. It was renovated and expanded several times, and a 1940s profile of the department store notes, "Remodeled and refixtured again in 1942, Wiest's is now a modern department store of the newest type, and has buying connections that enable it to bring to York the best of the world's up-to-date merchandise to meet the needs of the whole family."
By this time the store was known for its millinery, ready-to-wear clothing, and shoes, among other items. The store continued to prosper, but by the early 1970s the downtown retail district was a shadow of its former self, and Wiest's was forced to close. Their building still stands and is today known as the Wolf Building, named for The Wolf Organization that occupies much of the former department store. The Wolf Organization includes Wolf Distributing Company, The Lumber Yard, and Baublitz Advertising. The York County Community Foundation and Cultural Alliance of York County are also located on the ground floor of the building.
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