Category: Downtown
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Berks County Christmas – Day 1 – Center Square
Read more: Berks County Christmas – Day 1 – Center SquareHappy December 1st! Over the course of the next 25 days, we are going to take a trip back in time to old Penn Street Christmas scenes. Check back every day now through Christmas to see a new picture. Fifth and Penn, the town Christmas tree lit up the center circle in town circa 1950s.
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Moore’s Diner & Queen City
Read more: Moore’s Diner & Queen CityIn the 1930’s and ’40s, Walter J. “Bill” Moore operated Moore’s Restaurant chain in Reading. He opened the first location in 1937 at the present site of Reading’s post office. The post office was constructed only two years later in 1939, in which he moved to 421 Penn Street. In addition to the 421 Penn…
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On this Day: October 20th, 1973
Read more: On this Day: October 20th, 1973Reading’s 7th Street isn’t really a street, it’s railroad tracks. And these railroad tracks will cut through the purposed Penn Mall. Edward Sulzberger, the proposed mall developer, has said he would prefer the tracks not be there but can live with them. Meanwhile, other redevelopment officials feel the tracks may become an asset in the…
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Ritz Theatre
Read more: Ritz TheatreThe Ritz Theatre was located at 819 Penn Street, across from the Kissinger-Farmer’s Market. It was originally called the Crescent Theatre when it opened: The Crescent Theatre was opened in 1910. In 1913 it was renamed Princess Theatre. It was re-named Arcadia Theatre in 1928, taking the name of the Arcadia Theatre which had burnt…
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Farmers-Kissinger Market
Read more: Farmers-Kissinger MarketThe Farmers-Kissinger Market sat on the 800 block of Penn Street, taking up the entire block to Cherry St in Reading. It was opened around Memorial day of 1871. In 1930, they opened a law suit against the city of Reading, due to a dispute about the market building a driveway across the sidewalk of…
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Court Street 1940s
Read more: Court Street 1940sThis view from the 1940s, looking east up Court Street in Reading. Pictured to the left is the Courthouse, notice the lights were lit atop the building. In fall 2012, the lights were discontinued due to the rising cost of operations and other factors. There are currently efforts to get the lights relit to their former glory.…
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Chubby’s on Penn St 1969
Read more: Chubby’s on Penn St 1969At the far left is the well-known Jimmie Kramer’s “Peanut Bar”, at 332 Penn St, besides which is Chubby’s Italian Sandwiches, a business also once operated on Lancaster Pike, beyond Shillington. This view dates from April 1st, 1969. pictures courtesy of the Passing Scene Today:
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Fifth and Penn Reading
Read more: Fifth and Penn ReadingBelow are various images of the southeast corner of Fifth and Penn Streets in downtown Reading. The southeast corner of Fifth and Penn, previously the site of Reading’s well-known Mansion House, as it appeared in the 1940s. On April 3rd, 1977 the building housed a McDonalds when a fire broke out around 10:30pm. Famous Maid…
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Linette Candies
Read more: Linette CandiesLinette Candies is a local chocolate candy company especially known for their “Betcha Life” candy bars. They used to be located at the building shown below at 105 Washington Street in Reading. At some point they moved to a larger location in Womelsdorf. According to yellowpages.com; Linette Quality Chocolates was founded in 1927 as a…
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Then & Now, The Abraham Lincoln Hotel
Read more: Then & Now, The Abraham Lincoln HotelThe Abraham Lincoln hotel was unveiled to the public with a weekend of activities that began on Friday, May 23, 1930 – echoing the glamour of the Roaring 20s yet on the brink of the Great Depression. This new hotel boasted 16 stories, making it one of the tallest buildings in the city. Guests could stay at the…
