The manufacture of cigars began in Reading about 1800. A box of cigars always stood on the counter of every tavern and its contents were free to all guests. Cigar-makers generally made from 800 to 1,500 cigars a day. Several made 2,000. The [...]
Milton Snavely Hershey (September 13, 1857 – October 13, 1945) was an American chocolatier, businessman, and philanthropist. At the age of 14, Hershey, who'd dropped out of school the year before, expressed an interest in candy making and began apprenticing with a master [...]
Outlets first appeared in the Eastern United States in the 1930s. Factory stores started to offer damaged or excess goods to employees at a low price. After some time, the audience expanded to include non-employees. In 1936, Anderson-Little (a men's clothing brand) opened [...]
Green Spot soft drink was first created in Claremont, California in 1934. The first product was the unique tasty Orangeade, which caught on very quickly. Following the success of Orangeade, additional flavors like Grape, Fruit Punch and Lemonade were soon introduced. The brand [...]
The 10th and Windsor Market House was erected in 1894 according to plans and specifications prepared by Architect Alexander F. Smith of Reading. Alexander F. Smith, over the course of a very successful career, designed the Pomeroy's building, the Baer Building, Berkshire Country [...]
One of the more interesting facets of the Yuengling company's colorful history was its innovative response to the "Prohibition" of alcohol legislated by Congress in 1919. Considered one of the greatest shakedowns in American brewing history, the restrictive period of Prohibition forced many [...]
B. & J. Saylor food store, formerly located at 401 Penn Street, once drew customers from near and far for its offerings of fancy fruits, baked goods, and specialty foods. Saylor's blended its own high-grade coffees, which had many devotees. Another attraction was [...]
George Lauer immigrated to America in 1823. Upon landing at Baltimore, Md., he was poor, having just had enough money to pay the passage across the ocean for him and family. The journey was made in a sailing vessel and required three months. [...]
The Penn Hardware was founded in Reading, PA in 1877 by Charles Raymond Heizmann, who became the president of Penn Hardware, and his brother Albert Aloyeuis Heizmann, who became treasurer. Penn Hardware made some of the finest brass and steel hardware produced in [...]
