Ask Joan: Can it be spring soon?
Today’s Ask Joan comes with a weather plea: Please, can it be spring for good now? That’s the only question Joan is asking. But we’ve got some reader questions and follow-ups to share that are, thankfully, not weather-dependent.
What’s inside
1. Remembering Orpheus Page’s dress shop
2. Following up on 2+9 bar
3. Memories of Old Homestead Inn
4. Seeking info on Myers Pharmacy
1.
I am trying to find information about Orpheus Page, the business he and his wife had on East Market Street in the 1920s/30s, and their daughter, Jean. The business was The Pearl E. Page Dress Shop, and it was located at 250 E. Market St., coincidentally the current location of the York Heritage Trust. It actually occupied the small building to the east, which was annexed by the York Heritage Trust. Orpheus was born in Dauphin County but spent his adult life in York. Pearl died in April 1935 and Orpheus was remarried in 1939 to Cordelia Taylor, of New York, who then became associated with the dress shop. I would love to find photos of the shop and photos or any information about Orpheus and Pearl. I would also like to find out what happened to Jean. The last she appears on the census is when she would have been about 18. I wonder if she married or perhaps moved somewhere with her father and stepmother. I don’t know what year the dress shop closed.
– Dolores J. (Page) Roland
I would love to find out more about the Page dress shop for Dolores. I know we’ve mentioned it in the past, but for some reason I can’t find any solid mention in the Only in York County archives, so this is a topic that well deserves a deeper look! Please do share your comments so we can start telling this shop’s story.
2.
Following up on an older question about a bar called the 2+9 in Delco Plaza, I heard from Palmer Bortner, who wrote, “As a member of the country-rock/southern-rock band Tumbleweed, we played there in the early ’80s and recall one evening that we played there during the York Fair. The band playing there was a relatively new band called Alabama who was a stand-in for Boxcar Willie who became ill and could not make it. We knew this band would become much more popular than BW as we performed as a cover band and already did many of Alabama’s songs. I think the year might have been 1980 or ’81. Details sometimes elude me as this was many years ago but I do know for sure that we had nobody at 2+9 for the first two sets but when Alabama finished their evening it seemed like the place filled up in about 5 minutes. The rest of the evening was a great rowdy night.”
Palmer, thanks for adding to our memories of that establishment!
3.
Early last year, I’d shared a question from Sarann Boring, who wondered, among other things, if anyone remembered The Old Homestead Inn in West York.
I did hear about that from Harvey Loucks, president of the West Manchester Township Historical Society. He wrote, “Here’s some info about The Old Homestead Inn which was located at 2305 W. Market St., (next to Cunningham’s blacksmith shop). On July 27, 1946, John and Minnie Becker opened the restaurant. It was known for its fine food and a special workingman’s lunch. The Beckers sold the restaurant in 1960 to Stewart Wagner, who, after a year, sold it to Marguerette Smith. Ms. Smith was a former waitress at the restaurant, but she owned it for only a year. Subsequent owners of the property included York Auto Parts, a pet store, West York Cutting Room (salon), and recently Divas West (beauty salon/spa). This info came from the West Manchester Township 200th Anniversary book, published in 1999.”
Harvey, thank you so much for that info! I’m glad to start filling in the blanks on that location!
4.
My name is Bryan Myers. My grandfather William B. Myers Sr. and my father William B. Myers Jr. and my uncle Frank Myers (who are all deceased) were all pharmacists who graduated from The Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. My grandfather started and opened up Myers Pharmacy at 403 to 405 W. Market St. in York sometime in the 1930s or 1940s. My father and uncle took over the pharmacy and operated it until around 1978. They sold it and it became Blair Saylor Concessions. It is presently now a barber shop. My daughter Morgan Myers graduated from University of the Sciences (formerly Philadelphia College of Pharmacy) in 2014 and presently works at Hershey Medical Center as a clinical pharmacist. Morgan would love to have any pictures or information about Myers Pharmacy. Unfortunately we don’t have or can’t find any old photos of the pharmacy when it was in operation. If you could or your readers could find any photos or information about the pharmacy would be very much appreciated!
-Bryan Myers
I would love to see any photos of Myers Pharmacy so that we could share them with the Myers family. And, I’m always excited when I hear stories of families who’ve worked in the same business for generations. To Morgan, congratulations on continuing this tradition!
Have questions or memories to share? Email me at joan@joanconcilio.com or write to Ask Joan, York Daily Record/Sunday News, 1891 Loucks Road, York PA 17408. We cannot accept any phone calls with questions or information.
