Read’s Department Store was located on the northeast corner of 7th and Penn Streets. This imposing 3-story building was under construction just as the Great Depression struck in 1929; consequently, the intended business firm went bankrupt and the store went up for sale [...]
The Model Cities Program was an element of U.S. President Lyndon Johnson's Great Society and War on Poverty. The concept was presented by labor leader Walter Reuther to President Johnson in an off-the-record White House meeting on May 20, 1965. In 1966, new legislation [...]
St. Lawrence Luncheonette was a large and popular eatery that once hosted customers at 535 Penn Street. It was owned and operated by the St. Lawrence Dairy. Its ice cream and soda was understandably the most popular part of this operation. Below: Interior, [...]
As early as 1806 Berks County was noted as a great manufacturing center. The assessors' lists of that year show there were 9 tilt hammers, 1 slitting mill, 8 furnaces and 20 forges in the iron industry. Among the other manufacturing plants were: [...]
The Farmers-Kissinger Market was located on the South side of the 800 block of Penn Street, Reading. It was opened around Memorial Day of 1871. Below: Farmers-Kissinger Market in the late 1960s. The market relocated to new commercial space in the same block [...]
Years back, before suburban malls lured shoppers away from in town, Penn Street was teeming with pedestrians from morning to night. Around the holidays, sidewalks were thronged to the extent the only way to pass people was a side-run out in the street. [...]
Faller’s bakery was established by E. J. Faller (1888-1958) and his cousin George B. O’Neill in 1911. The business itself was started at 1606 Cotton Street. Edward J. and Ella M. Faller began operating their pretzel bakery at 528 & 530 Moss Street [...]
William H. Luden (1859-1949) was the developer of the menthol cough drop and founder of the Luden's company and brand. The son of an immigrant father from the Netherland’s, Luden quit school at the age of 15 and became an apprentice candy maker. [...]
In 1970, M.O. Lee, then-president of VF Corp., introduced the outlet concept. But it was Kitty Solomon who helped spawn the outlet industry. Under the leadership of Kitty Solomon, the Berks County Pennsylvania Dutch Travel Association turned to tourism to increase area earnings. [...]
On Dec. 15, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held for a new A-Plus convenience store at the corner of Fourth and Washington Streets. The 3,500 square-foot store, which sits across the courtyard of the Washington Tower apartment building's lobby, features typical products, such as [...]
