Only in York County

All of my physical mail sent to me for this column goes to the Daily Record’s offices in West Manchester Township for safekeeping and I pick it up when I can – not always easy since I work in Hershey during the week! Last week I met up with some YDR friends and picked up a bunch that had been stockpiled.

One of my favorite things to do when looking through my mail is check out the various kinds of notepaper – everything from personalized stationery to the backs of scrap paper to, my favorite, MANY that match my own family’s collection of paper pads received in the mail from various charities. “Oh, we have that St. Jude’s paper too!” or “That was the Cancer Society, right?” That’s what I’m saying as I’m reading. As someone who likes to see things used and not wasted, it makes me happy. So please keep your letters – on all forms of paper – coming!

What’s inside

1. Remembering Beck’s Dairy, Fishel’s Bakery
2. More about L&H five-and-10 stores

1. Remembering Beck’s Dairy, Fishel’s Bakery

A reader who signed his note, “A fan, Carson Mummert,” wrote to me recently in response to a letter from a reader named Rich, who was asking about Beck’s Dairy and Fishel’s Bakery. When Carson read it, he said, “my ears perked up!”

He writes, “My mother worked for Beck’s Dairy at the soda fountain. In 1958 I was in seventh grade going to the old West York High School. That was at 1700 W. Philadelphia St., and Bill Goodling was the principal. Anyhow, the dairy was at the corner of Stanton and Adams streets – the addresss was 151 N. Adams, and the building is now occupied by Automotive of York.”

Carson continued, “The J.B. Fishel and Sons Bakery was at 1501 W. King St. in West York, but it is now occupied by York Mail Service.”

“Beck’s delivered to our house,” he wrote. “I remember the glass bottles. We bought Fishel’s bread at the stores… as a humorous side-note, I have a 1950 York Telephone Directory and both Beck’s and Fishel’s are listed in it. The phone numbers were 7681 (Beck’s) and 5882 (Fishel’s). If they’d be around today we’d have to dial 11 numbers instead of four! Ah, those were the days!”

Carson, that’s so fun, and I greatly appreciate you sharing that extra information with us!

I also received a Beck’s letter from Donald Eyster of the Spring Grove area, who wrote, “I produced milk for Beck’s when I had my cows. THe dairy was on the corner of Philadelphia and Adams streets. NAPA is there now. Beck’s Ice Cream is still being produced with the same recipe and being sold at restaurants (Shoe House).”

Donald, thank you so much – and now I’m hungry for ice cream!

Finally on this topic for now, I had a letter from reader Thelma, who wrote, “I was glad to see something I know about! West York! Born and raised!”

She writes, “Beck’s Dairy was on the corner of Adams and Stanton streets. On the other end at the York Fairgrounds was Green’s Dairy and I lived halfway between them on Stanton. Fishel’s Bakery was located on West King Street across Market Street and the railroad tracks from the rear of Fishel’s. Our family was large and we made many trips across tracks to get day-old loaves of bread, five for $1 (1930s). My oldest brother decorated cakes and other things for Fishel’s. Those were the days!”

Thelma, thank you so much for sharing that!

2. More about L&H five-and-10 stores

Last year, we talked at length about L&H five-and-10 stores in honor of the 100th birthday of owner Philip Lookingbill in November. I received another letter about that topic from Alice Bortner of the Spring Grove area.

She wrote, “I have news about L&H store in Spring Grove. Some names that might be familiar to Philip Lookingbill: In the 1930s, Harvey G. Bollinger owned this L&H. Found treasurer reports in my St. Paul archives. Dorothy Grove Summers was manager until she moved to Red Lion. Esther Becker then became the manager. Later on – Betty Utz was manager when the store moved to the property of M.W. Lau grocery store. The store moved again to Hanover Road.”

Alice continued, “My brothers and I bought Mother 12 pink dessert dishes, 10 cents, with a matching bowl, 25 cents. I occasionally use the dessert dishes but the glass bowl was broken. I have lots of memories from that L&H store.”

Alice, I appreciate you sharing those memories with us today!

I did also get a related letter from Rosie Kreidler of Dallastown. She was writing about the L&H 5-and-10 in Dallastown.

Rosie wrote that she started working at that store in 1950. “John Henry Deller was my boss. He was the manager. It was located on the square in Dallastown. In 1952 a new five-and-10 was built above the movie theater. Mr. Deller left Dallastown and bought a five-and-10 in New Holland, Lancaster County.”

She continued, “Mr. Philip Lookingbill, one of the owners, started running the store in Dallastown. He and his wife were very nice people… I’m sure he doesn’t remember me but I certainly do remember him and his wife. A very lovely couple.” Rosie had actually written before Mr. Lookingbill’s birthday and included some birthday wishes, so Mr. Lookingbill, if you are reading this, please accept the belated wishes and know the lateness is my fault, not Rosie’s!

And to conclude today’s column, I have a letter from Petronia A. “Toni” Knaper Flinchbaugh, who wrote, “I’m writing in regards to the L&H Store in Dallastown. I worked at that store as a teen. My first job and I loved it. John Henry Deller was the manager at the Dallastown store. He was a great guy and boss. Of course Mr. Lookingbill was our wonderful owner and he checked in on us and kept us on the ball. Rita Deller was John’s sister and Rosie Reyer was another coworker. We were a good team.”

She continued, “It was a wonderful job and good training as I made my life as a salesgirl. I worked part time at the Sears downtown in York. When they moved to the York County Shopping Center I was offered full time in sales. I danced into the management and store staff. Thanks to Phil Lookingbill for my start in sales and management… a wonderful life.”

Toni, thank you so much for sharing that!