Ask Joan: Follow-ups from the mail edition
This week, I’d like to follow up on some previous Ask Joan questions, specifically digging into the great letters I’ve gotten in the mail on these past topics.
What’s inside
1. What was Queensgate restaurant’s name?
2. Memories of Sutcliffe’s dairy bar
3. Recalling Coastal Tank, West York
1. In July 2014, reader Chris Johnson asked if anyone remembered the name of a restaurant in the Queensgate shopping center in the ’70s and ’80s.
Almost immediately thereafter, I heard from many people identifying Squire’s Pub as the most likely answer to Chris’ question, and I considered the topic closed, but then I received a letter from Lewis J. Hauck of Dover Township, who had another suggestion.
Lewis writes, “You ask if anyone knows of a restaurant at Queensgate with a particular name. I think back in the ’70s and ’80s there was an Ebby’s and a Bob’s Big Boy! Bob’s Big Boy had 3 locations in York then: Queensgate, Memory Lane, and Route 30 where Chick-Fil-A is now.”
We’d talked about the Route 30 location – as well as a LOT of other former Route 30 restaurants – in this 2011 post, but I didn’t know of the other Bob’s Big Boys!
Lewis continued with a couple of other restaurants for our York County stores and restaurants of the past directory: “There are other ones I didn’t hear anyone speak of yet, and they are Little Beaver on the corner of Phila. and Beaver Street where the White Rose is now, and on Beaver Street between Phila. and Market Street was the Arrow Snack Bar. I worked at both of these places back then!”
2. Way back in June 2013, reader Wilda Bosserman asked if anyone recalled a business named Sutclifee on Richland Avenue.
I did receive a letter about that from Shirley Brenneman of West Manchester Township, who noted that she knew Wilda from her school days! Shirley wrote, “Sutcliffe’s was a dairy bar on S. Richland Ave., across from St. Rose of Lima church/school. They made great sundaes. My friends and I would stop there each Monday evening after Girl Scouts. We then left to head home in different directions!”
And, from Patricia (Martin) Spangler of West Manchester Township, I heard the following: “I attended school at St. Rose of Lima, which is across from the (Sutcliffe’s) dairy. It had an ice cream parlor with tables to sit and eat. I don’t recall if sandwiches or other food were offered there, as I was only interested in the ice cream. That was about 1946-1952 that I attended school at St. Rose. We lived on Richland Ave. right beside the old bridge. The houses have been long gone with construction of the new bridge. We moved to the east end of York to Dallas St. where I attended St. Joseph school – 8th grade.” She added, “Sutcliffe’s is now Pace Resources Inc., which includes Buchart & Horn on their sign.”
Patricia also was able to shed some light on another question Wilda had asked at the same time, about a furrier named Hammschmitt. Patricia writes, “I went to York Catholic High on W. King St. and was a classmate with Frances Julia Hammschmitt (now Trimmer); her grandfather owned the fur store. Frannie, as I called her, lived at 523 S. Pershing Ave. I don’t recall if the place of business was there or not. Frances had passed away, so I can’t get in touch to ask.”
3. Finally today, I’d like to follow up on some more memories from the same area on the west side of York.
Since mid-2012, we’ve been talking about former businesses on Grantley Road, including Coastal Tank Lines.
After talking about that company, I heard from John Smith of Dover, who wrote, “Your column about Coastal Tank Lines stirred memories of West York. I was born in Koonsville, Pa., this is a metropolis northwest of Shickshinny. Moved to York during the depression of the ’30s. We arrived in York and lived ever since. Your article about CTL stirred memories! Our father worked construction work and this is how we came to work and live here in the 1930s. From the 1940s up, our father worked as master mechanic on construction equipment, and I followed in his footsteps as Jack of all trades and became master of welding, mechanical, automotive, designing, engineering, etc., cable splicing! During these times lots of construction took place and opportunities opened up,” including, he said, at Coastal Tank Lines.
John also noted that the first Franklin Discount opened in the old Black Hosiery building; “I and my wife shopped there,” he wrote. We’d talked about Black Hosiery and shared some photos of it in this 2011 post, and we’ve often spoken about Franklin Discount as well.
Have questions or memories to share? Ask (or Tell) Joan using the form at right. I’ll attempt to answer or share them in a future “Ask Joan” column on this blog. I get a large volume, but I will feature three each week and answer as many as possible!
