Category: Towns

  • On this Day April 3rd

    Above the fold in the April 3rd 1987 Reading Eagle Trying to revitalize downtown The Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre opens 30 years ago today. In the Movie Theatres

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  • Boscov’s West Fire

    In 1962, the company began its expansion program with the opening of an exciting, contemporary “Boscov’s West” in November, located at 3564 Penn Avenue in Sinking Spring/West Lawn.  Boscov’s West caught on fire on November 20th, 1967 only 5 years after it had opened, and ironically the same exact day Boscov’s East, the newest venture was…

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  • Reading’s Comfort Stations at 5th & Penn

    The Comfort Stations at 5th & Penn were essentially public restrooms that included toilets, showers, weight scales, 14 wash bowls with liquid soap, and pay compartments all of which seemed quite luxurious for when it was introduced in February of 1922. The showers and pay compartments cost 25 and 10 cents. Comfort stations became extremely…

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  • The Shillington Diner

    The Shillington Diner can trace its roots back to the farmers market located at Museum Road and Lancaster Ave that opened in 1935. The Shillington Diner (later Restaurant) was built onto the market at 100 W Lancaster Ave and opened in 1948. In the beginning it just sold simple lunch foods for hungry customers visiting…

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  • The Reading Station Outlets

    The Reading Station Outlets were opened in 1992, to try solidify Reading’s status as “Outlet Capitol of the World”. Unfortunately due to the decline of the city most shoppers preferred to go to the Vanity Fair Outlet stores that were located further outside of the city in Wyomissing/West Reading. By 1995 the owners of the…

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  • On this Day March 29th

    Above the fold in the 1973 Reading Eagle   

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  • Croll & Keck

    Croll & Keck, a store specializing in men’s and boy’s apparel, was located on the south side of the 600 block of Penn Street, at 622 Penn Street; situated next door to Pomeroy’s Department Store.  It opened in 1898, with founders being John W. Gilbert, William M. Croll and D. A. Heffner. The first location of the…

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  • On this Day March 27th…

    Above the fold in the March 27th, 1985 Reading Eagle

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  • The Vanity Fair Outlets

    The Vanity Fair Outlets were established first as Reading Glove and Mitten Manufacturing Company in Pennsylvania in October 1899. The H.D. Lee Company (now Lee) was acquired by the company in 1969 and the corporate name was changed to VF Corporation, a fictitious name that is not even legally registered, to reflect the more diverse…

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  • FarrsBootShop-5thandpenn

    Farr’s Shoe Store / Boot Shop

    Farr’s was founded in Allentown in 1862 by Jacob L. Farr Sr. in a small shop at 8th & Hamilton. He custom made men’s, women’s and children’s shoes by hand. Reading’s first branch opened in 1913 under management of three of Farr’s sons. They reincorporated as Farr Bros Co. in 1920. The location that most…

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