Tucked behind Saints Cyril and Methodius R.C. Church along the narrow, brick-paved run of Bell Alley, a few steps off 613 Laurel Street, a little coal oven turned out hand-twisted soft pretzels at dawn for generations. Neighbors knew the cadence by heart—mix at [...]
ATV’s story begins with Sicilian baker Paolo (Paul) Alberti, who emigrated from Palermo to Reading and opened Alberti’s Bakery in the early 20th century. In those years, Reading supported several small Sicilian bake shops—most notably George Tomasi and Vecchio—that competed for neighborhood customers [...]
P. F. Eisenbrown & Sons traces its roots to the Eagle Marble & Granite Works in Reading’s 300 block of North Sixth Street, founded in 1873 by Penrose Frederick (“P. F.”) Eisenbrown (1831–1898), the grandson of a German immigrant. Trained in wood-carving by [...]
In the 19th century, few retail establishments in Reading, Pennsylvania, captured the public imagination quite like Joseph O’Brien’s Golden Ball. Located on the south side of Penn Square between Fifth and Sixth Streets, the store became one of the city’s most distinctive shopping [...]
At 1428 Amity Street in Reading, Pennsylvania, a sweet chapter in American confectionery history began. It was here, in 1938, that Josh Early IV and his wife Millie opened a small candy shop and factory within their family home. Under the sign that [...]
Gather ‘round, ye seekers of discounted fleece, for the tale of the Redding Pennsylvania outlets—er, Reading Pennsylvania outlets (curse that silent “a”)—is a yarn spun from the looms of history, greed, and polyester blends. Once the crowned jewel of America’s bargain empire, this [...]
Jackson Rope Company was one of Reading, Pennsylvania’s longest-standing manufacturers. Founded in 1829 by English ropemaker Thomas Jackson, the company grew from a small operation along the Schuylkill Canal into a nationally respected rope manufacturer. For 150 years, Jackson Rope adapted to industrial [...]
Hollenbach, Dietrich & Co., a celebrated name in Reading, Pennsylvania’s history, owes its beginnings to the ambition and hard work of Benjamin F. Hollenbach. Born in January 1871 in Slatington, Pennsylvania, Hollenbach grew up with a strong work ethic, likely inspired by his [...]
Sarge's Japanese Ice Cream Parlor opened its doors on June 24, 1916, at 932 Penn Street in Reading, Pennsylvania. Designed with an Oriental-inspired facade, the building reflected the early 20th-century fascination with Japanese aesthetics fueled by cultural phenomena like Puccini's Madame Butterfly and [...]
In 1946, Sebastian Ninfo, born August 17, 1899, in Italy, who immigrated to America in 1916, purchased the property at 401 North 10th Street in Reading, Pennsylvania, and later opened the Stardust Luncheonette. The restaurant quickly became a neighborhood favorite, drawing long lines—especially [...]
