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Zeswitz is a music store that most Berks Countians recognize, but some of you may remember when one of the locations was in downtown Reading on the 800 block of Penn Street. Zeswitz was founded in 1923 by Philadelphia native William “Bill” Zeswitz Sr. According…
100 Block of Penn Street is Demolished Buildings along the north side of the 100 block of Penn Street, next to the Penn Street Bridge, are being demolished. The properties are being razed by Fred E. Erb, Pequea, Lancaster County, under a contract with the…
At about 9:50 p.m. on Tuesday February 20th 1979 a gas leak caused the Wyomissing post office to explode. UGI workers were searching for the leak at the time, and luckily no workers were present in the building when the incident occurred. One witness said…
Jake’s was opened in 1946 and sits at 232 Carsonia Avenue in Mt. Penn. It will be celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. The establishment was opened by Jake Meyers at its original location on Perkiomen Avenue. By the 1960s it was located in its…
16 inches of snow dumps on Berks, closing schools across the county. Lets see a movie…
One hundred years ago today – February 4, 1921, six armed men stormed into the Peoples Trust Company of Wyomissing shortly before noon demanding everyone get on the ground. Three jumped the counter and forced clerks to open the vault by gunpoint. The audacious robbers…
When I wrote my new years editorial a few weeks ago I was hopeful and optimistic. It seemed like the light was visible at the end of the tunnel. I was naively unaware of the darkness that awaited. This is my reality along with millions…
Bowl-O-Rama opened its doors in 1957; a dream of its five shareholders who bought the land and built the alley on Perkiomen Avenue in Exeter Township. It was home to local bowling leagues, social events and gatherings over the years. There was a bar and…
A quarter century ago this week we were hit with the biggest blizzard on record for the area. Snow started falling on January 6th 1996 and stopped on the 8th. Parts of Berks County recorded 34 inches of snow, but the raging winds caused major…
While Christmas is behind us for another year, the snow-covered scene of Penn Square Friday afternoon brought to mind memories of the old Bing Crosby standard. Although shoppers were scarce due to driving conditions, the view they missed was worth a lot.