Tillie's Bakery, on the narrow 900 block of Liberty Street, was actually a family factory outlet store. Behind the house, whose living room served as the store, facing an alley called Fountain Street, was Long's Bakery. Long's produced small plastic wrapped shoefly pies and breakfast cakes, which were distributed in local grocery stores throughout Allentown. Tillie Long would open the bakery store several hours each day, and the small selection of wrapped bake goods would quickly be snatched up by knowledgeable neighbors. Peter and Tillie operated the factory and bakery front for the better part of a century. Afterwards, the business was operated by their son, William. The bakery building on Fountain Street is now apartments.
reprinted from May of 2013
ADDENDUM:I'm drawn to write about places which I knew and experienced, such as Tillie's Bakery. Sometimes, I even have the pleasure of using my own photography from back in the day.
Nice story about Tillie’s. The loss of neighborhood bakeries, butchers and other establishments taken something away from the quality of life in the city.
ReplyDeleteIronically, as discussed here in other posts, the mayor and city planners seem to be attempting to make Allentown a “15-minute city”. One has to wonder if the city had that in the past but over-regulation by City Hall helped make them extinct.
The main difference between what was here and what is being proposed is that these establishments flourished because they provided things that people WANTED, whereas the push by City Hall today is centered on bureaucrats providing what they think we NEED.
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While we’re on the subject of over-regulation, I’m hearing that City Council is looking at raising fines for parking violations.
Just last year, we were led to believe that City Council was going to reign in an out-of-control Parking Authority because of over-enforcement, yet now they’re looking at increased fines.
I guess the Parking Authority needs a certain amount of dollars to be siphoned from City residents, and what they can’t get by writing more tickets must be had by increasing the fines.
Maybe instead of raising fees on parking violations, Council should think twice about some of the buildings and zoning changes that they are approving that don’t provide sufficient parking and adding to the problem.
Far from being on the side of residents in regards to the Parking Authority, we have to realize that City Hall is actively working against us. Until they terminate the Parking Authority, nothing they say should be taken seriously.
Today's version of Tillies Bakery in Allentown consists of the corner bodega plastered with obnoxious signs and strewn with litter/garbage or the ubiquitous smoke shops with their entire facade covered in unauthorized signage and flashing neon lights.
ReplyDeleteIronically, we actually DID have a 15 minute city, or darn close to it. What, with a corner store on at least every other block, one didn't have to venture far to get what you needed. My Great Aunt and Uncle, Verna and Dick, had a store at 8th and Washington for 23 years and Dick had great meats he butchered himself. My Grandmother ran a country store in Jacksonville till 1955, and if she didn't have it, she'd get it. How times have changed.
ReplyDeleteSince the APA has been mentioned... if the city is bleeding money... BY THEIR OWN HAND AND DECISIONS... why not get the police busy fining speeders, stop light/stop sign runners, loud exhaust and rolling speaker cars??? Then get them busy on loitering, littering and other nuisance crimes??? I'll bet the city would be rolling in the green, but they don't want to "hurt" anyone's "feelings"... but it's OK that we can't sleep or enjoy our yards courtesy of all the racket....
Think of the number of double parking citations an officer could issue on a bike in central Allentown all day long. Plus many of these citations could result in other violations and outstanding warrants etc...
DeleteBINGO!!! You win the booby prize!!!
DeleteMy favorite is the jerk(s) that double park next to spaces long enough for an 18 wheeler... too hard to twist the wheel, I suppose... and THEN to witness several cruisers "cruise" by... in too much of a hurry to punch out??? No quotas in this town!!!
Michael, once again Allentown City Council is debating on whether The Allentown Parking Authority should be allowed to increase their fine structure. The Allentown Parking Authority seems to have bitten off more than it can chew as far as purchasing and handling the maintenance on the decks and surface lots.
ReplyDeleteSoooo, the strategy of the APA is to fine everyone who wants to venture into the downtown. Just imagine taking the kids downtown, to the brand new Da Vinci Science Center, spending some fun time there and coming out to find a $35.00 parting gift… for your visit downtown. That would make me want to come back!!!
(SARCASM)
The APA single handed helped in the demise of Downtown Allentown. APA would station an officer around the City Hall area on City Council meeting nights to ticket cars that hadn’t moved from the parking spots. “Was told by a APA officer that I couldn’t put money in the meter and the owner of the car had overstayed their time of being parked at that space.” Downtown is the DEAD ZONE!!!