Only in York County

My post about the former Jay’s becoming a Royal Farms drew lots of comments. So, I thought it was time for an updated post, since progress is being made with that store, with a look back at some of those comments on that area along Route 74 in Dover Township. (Edit: I see that I started writing this post BEFORE the Royal Farms was finished. Obviously, it’s done and opened now; in fact, we got gas there a week or more ago!)

Commenter “Boonester” really liked that post. He wrote: “As for Jay’s, wow!!! Yes, I have very fond memories of eating at Jay’s restaurant. Remember when you could pick out the steak you wanted the chef to cook for you?? And, there was always a really good chance you’d see somebody you knew at the restaurant too – sense of family/community that you just don’t find anymore..Miss that place!!! I have no idea at all what was there before Jay’s had the bldg.” (Anyone? I sure don’t know.)

Brett started us off with a memory and then a fun challenge, pop-quiz style. He wrote: “I used to go there all of the time with my parents. It had a very 70s feel to it. The restaurant was on the left side of the store if you were standing on 74 and looking at it.It was one of three Jay’s Supermarkets and was locally owned. I swam in the owner’s pool – the kid across the street was his grandson. One was off of Roosevelt Avenue, near Pennsylvania and later became a health center of sorts. The final Jay’s and the last to remain open was on Haines Road. That location is now home to Ollies, and the restaurant was located on the right as you walked in the store. My fondest memory of the Rt. 74 location was playing football inside the store after they had removed all of the supermarket equipment. Here is a question for true Doverites – what did the McDonalds replace? In addition, what did the Walgreens bulldoze? Finally, can anyone name the succession of ownership of CVS?”

Phil, a friend of Brett’s and mine from high school, says: “I have faint memories of eating at the restaurant inside of Jays. But you know how some of those childhood memories are. Very hazy. I also know we would stop to get doughnuts sometimes for our Sunday school class. (My church was just a block away.)” Phil, one of the smartest people I know, has no right to say his memories are hazy, but did not rise to the challenge of Brett’s pop quiz.

Brother-in-law Mike, however, did. “I remember the McDonald’s being the Dover Township Fire Station. I also remember the Walgreens being Nellie’s restaurant with a little motel or something on the Davidsburg Road side. I kind of remember a hardware store in the CVS building (maybe Spanglers hardware).”

At first I thought he was right because there was a Spangler’s, the grocery store, and because it’s now Spangler’s Ace Hardware a little further up the road. Then I thought differently – wasn’t it Leaner’s? I remember because my dad used to take me there all the time. What was next to it was also a drug store – Brooks. Do you guys remember that? (And Brett, do I win the pop quiz?)