Although I doubt that there will ever be a show at the Historical Society, or brochures at the Visitors Bureau, perhaps nothing encapsulates the history of Allentown more than the corner grocery stores. Allentown proper, is mostly comprised of rowhouses built between 1870 and 1920, long before the era of automobiles and suburban supermarkets. Most of the corner markets were built as stores, and over the years many were converted into apartments. Up until the late 1940's, there may have been well over a hundred operating in Allentown. Some specialized in ethnic food. The bodega at 9th and Liberty was formally an Italian market. Live and fresh killed chickens were sold at 8th and Linden, currently H & R Block Tax Service. A kosher meat market is now a hair salon on 19th Street. The original era for these markets died with the advent of the supermarket. In the early 50's some corner stores attempted to "brand" themselves as a "chain", as shown in the Economy Store sign above. That market is at 4th and Turner, and has been continually operating since the turn of the last century. Ironically, as the social-economic level of center city has decreased, the corner stores have seen a revival. Most of these new merchants, many Hispanic and some Asian, know little of the former history of their stores, but like their predecessors, work long, hard hours.ADDENDUM: The first supermarket's in Allentown were the A&P. In addition to occupying a former corner store near 2nd and Hamilton, they operated the super store on 19th St, home later to the Shanty Restaurant.
ADDENDUM 2: Although there was an attempt to brand the corner stores to appear as a chain, the Economy Stores sign shown, apparently came from an early A&P format in 1912 when they leased small stores. If this particular store was such an A&P, or just dressed later with a reused sign, I have yet to determine.
reprinted from previous years
I lived in Emmaus and we had at least 6 or 7 small walking distances stores even in the 1960's. There were also several bakeries. I was often sent to these stores by my mother to pick up whatever she needed for the day. It seems that we now have WA-WA, Shietz, dollar general etc. filling some of these needs.
ReplyDeleteI saw the decline of the Corner neighborhood stores in the early 1970's....Most of the ones I served were Pa. "Dutch" owned....Later some of them were taken over (as stated) by other ethnic groups...Most (again, as stated) ere converted into apartments.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the trip down memory lane again Micheal !!
"The Old Allentown Curmudgeon" (Now in his 80's HA!)....PJF
Great memories! My rural small town in Ohio had a friendly corner market too.
ReplyDeleteAs an enterprising young kid I started many summer mornings searching the nearby baseball park for empty Coke bottles. Loaded them in my bike basket and took them to the friendly corner grocery.
I got 2 cents for each. A pack of baseball cards cost 5 cents. I got some great cards and a few cavities. Dad paid for the cavities, I still have the cards and the fillings.
Thanks for the memory trip. I still remember the grocer with his bow tie and snappy apron. His name was Charlie Zellers. Thanks again.