Ask Joan: Very lucky edition
I mentioned in my last Ask Joan that I was replacing the transmission on our car. The following week, our washer went on the fritz and flooded the finished basement pretty well (enough that we had to call a remediation team), and then, of course, came Hurricane Sandy.
But I’m calling this the very lucky edition of Ask Joan because that’s how I feel. We’re hanging in there – and it could have been a LOT worse. We’re back to normal, but many areas will not be for quite a while, and I’m keeping those folks in my thoughts.
What’s inside
1. Seeking info on plumber Blum
2. Following up on Gruver’s Pharmacy
1. My family came from York and York County and we are trying to trace some things. My grandfather came to Manheim in about 1919 or 1920. He had a business in York and we are looking for information on that business. He was a plumber – J. Nevin Blum and possibly was in business with a Mr. Eysler. Hopefully some of your readers could help. He moved to Manheim to work on a cigar factory. Any help would be appreciated!
– Christine Weaver, Manheim
Does anyone have a lead for Christine about her grandfather’s plumbing business? I’d love to be able to help!
2. In an early-October Ask Joan, Pat Seager asked if anyone knew the location of Gruver’s Pharmacy in the 1950s. I did receive several replies to that and wanted to share those today.
This question probably had the MOST different possible answers of any I’ve fielded so far! It sounds like there were multiple Gruvers in the pharmacy trade at the time, and the question becomes which Pat was looking for – and if the various Gruvers (people and businesses) were related!
I had a letter from Ruth Ann Bailets, who said “Harry Gruver was my uncle, and my brother and I are pretty sure Gruver’s Pharmacy was at the corner of S. George St. and the street that takes you out to Wm. Penn H.S. After he sold his business he went to Red Lion and worked as a pharmacist for Loyer’s Pharmacy.”
Roy Flinchbaugh remembered the same; “I seem to remember a Gruver’s Pharmacy at the northwest corner of S. George St & E. College Ave. (now part of St Patrick’s Church parking lot),” he wrote.
ANOTHER location that might be a possibility came from Diane Miller, who writes that Gruver’s Drugstore was “on E. Market St. next to the Lincoln Highway Garage. It has been a paperback book store for years. The gentleman who owned it just recently passed away, Carl Gruver.”
Jeff Lobach also remembered that East Market Street location, and Keith Stouch wrote, “Gruver’s Pharmacy was located on East Market Street in one of the storefronts just to the west of the Old Lincoln Highway Garage. Carl Gruver just passed away last month. For years he ran this as a one man operation. Great neighborhood place. He was a kind and gentle soul. It I understand correctly, those storefronts were constructed and owned by Harry Haines, who owned the Lincoln Highway Garage.”
Judy Gruver writes, “Gruver’s Pharmacy was located at 1208 E. Market St. very close to the Lincoln Highway Garage. My father-in-law, Carl E. Gruver, was the owner/pharmacist for 38 years. He was a friend to all of his customers. One of his favorite stories was when Mamie Eisenhower came in for medicine because it wasn’t available from the pharmacy she used in Gettysburg.”
Jonathan Barr says, “I remember a Gruver’s Pharmacy in the single story brick building that sits between York Little Theatre and the former Sunoco at Market St and Belmont Ave.” (Now, this is in further than I’d think of as “just west of the Lincoln Highway Garage,” but I guess MAYBE it could be the same one Judy, Diane, Jeff and Keith talked about?)
Then came Bob Rudisill with ANOTHER possibility. “I remember a Gruver’s Pharmacy being on West Princess Street in York, it was about the 600 block, in the 40’s or 50’s,” he said. And THAT location was also remembered by Marlene Snyder, who said, “In the ’50s/’60s my family were frequent customers at Gruver’s Pharmacy that was located on the NW corner of W. Princess St. & S. West St. Mr. Gruver and his staff were very friendly and went out of their way to assist you.”
Got any questions? Ask Joan using the form at right. I’ll attempt to answer 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!
