Category: Rt. 724
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Berks County Almshouse
Read more: Berks County AlmshouseThe Berks County Almshouse was located just outside of Shillington along route 724 or Philadelphia Avenue. The land on which the Almshouse was built in 1824 was owned by Governor Thomas Mifflin. His actual residence, the location of which has been long debated amongst local historians, was rumored to be one of the buildings on…
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Kmart – 45 Years in Berks
Read more: Kmart – 45 Years in BerksKmart has been a staple nationwide big box store since the 60s. The company, originally called S. S. Kresge Corporation, dates back to 1899. It wasn’t until 1974 when it broke into the Berks County market, opening a store at the 94,500-square-foot Cumru Township location in Shillington Plaza. According to the Reading Eagle, it featured…
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Two Guys Department Store
Read more: Two Guys Department StoreTwo Guys was a discount store founded in 1946 by New Jersey brothers Sidney and Herbert Hubschman. This location in Shillington was constructed during the summer of 1962. The entire company went defunct by 1982, so I am guessing this store location shuttered sometime shortly before then. These photos below were sent in by Ron…
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Blankenbiller’s Diner
Read more: Blankenbiller’s DinerBlankenbiller’s Diner sat on the corner of Lancaster Ave and Museum Road in Shillington, across from the Shillington Diner. Currently, a Wallgreen’s and Wine Spirits store strip mall sit in it’s place. For many years, this space was occupied by a Blockbuster Video store, CVS and Your Place restaurant and bar. I do not know…
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Dempsey’s American Kitchen
Read more: Dempsey’s American KitchenThere was not a lot of information to be found on Dempsey’s American Kitchen online. Only this Morning Call article from 2005 about the restaurant location in Bethlehem being closed. Dempsey’s headquartered in Reading, but there were 14 locations eventually opened (and subsequently closed) around the region in the 60 years the company was in operation. The Lancaster…