The Lincoln Highway Garage, seen here in a 1950 photo provided by the York County History Center, is certainly one of the most notable former businesses along East Market Street in York.
Remembering some East Market Street businesses of the past
Today, I’d like to share some information from an unsigned letter I received a little while ago listing a number of businesses of the past along East Market Street. I don’t have a specific date for when these memories came about, but based on some of the businesses I’m ballparking somewhere between the mid-1950s and the early to mid-1960s; I’m open to any further information that might pin that down, too!
At any rate, my letter listed the stores by side of the street, as follows:
North side of East Market Street
- 441 E. Market St. – New York Wire
- 532 – Dean’s Newsstand – “I believe the railroad car went off the track and hit the newsstand, Dean’s,” the writer added
- Note from Joan: We’ve talked a lot about newsstands in the past, but other than maybe a passing mention of this one in a comment on a column mostly about Mort’s Newsstand, I’ve heard very little about Dean’s, and would love to know more!
- York Theater (Holiday) – “The skating rink in back of York Theater destroyed by fire – what a mess,” the writer noted
- Note from Joan: Now, this we’ve talked about a lot in the past – both what was first the York Theater and later the Holiday, and of course the fire that destroyed the Playland roller rink. Interestingly, one reader who remembered the fire, longtime friend and commenter Jim Fahringer, also recalled what I believe was the same train derailment on East Market Street mentioned above.
- 621 – Cathy Beauty Shop
- State store
- 615 – 615 Club (bank)
- 701 – Spring Garden Restaurant
- Vito’s (pizza)
- Bank
- 729 – John Grove Sporting Goods
- Note from Joan: I had a column in 2017 where readers spent a lot of time recalling both the 615 Club mentioned earlier as well as Grove’s Sporting Goods. I’ve heard a lot more about other sporting goods stores – Wolfgang’s, Scott Stevens, Cohen Brothers and Webb and Wolf, for instance – so I’d love to get more memories compiled of Grove’s!
- Lincoln Highway News
- 5-and-10 store
- 743 – Degan’s Bar
- Jug’s bar
- 753 – Shultz Drug Store
- Note from Joan: One topic we’ve talked about in the past is whether Shultz Drug Store used to be Quickel’s Drug Store at the same location. I don’t recall that we ever resolved that question!
- Intersection with Sherman Street
- Church
- Fire company
- 807 – Tre-Mar Restaurant
- 849 – Working Funeral Home
- 917 – Jim and Nena’s Pizza
- 931 – People’s Laundry and Dry Cleaning
South side of East Market Street
- 468 – Lincoln Hotel
- 498 – Kelley’s Sunoco
- Hershey Amoco
- Note from Joan: We’ve talked about many, many service stations around York in the past, including several Sunocos and Amocos, but I have heard very little about these two. Again… here’s an open invitation, please fill me in!
- Railroad station
- Intersection with Fulton Street
- Miller’s Hardware – “There was a big fire on the corner of Fulton and Market at Miller’s Hardware,” the writer noted
- Shoe repair
- Intersection with Sherman Street
- 800 – York Bank – “state police was here first,” is noted
- 830 – Monroe Brandt Vending Machines
- 1242 – Lincoln Highway Garage – “gas 24 cents a gallon,” the writer notes
- Note from Joan: A decade ago (!) I did a series online and in print in which readers voted for the most iconic York County “thing” for each letter of the alphabet, and the Lincoln Highway Garage was chosen the best “L”. I’m wondering if there would be interest in revisiting that now, a decade later! It was a lot of fun for me and it’s neat to see how much has changed since then. Also, this gas price was one thing I was trying to use to pin down a time frame for these memories!
The letter-writer concluded, “There are not many stores on East Princess Street… Bluebird Lunch Room at 680 E. Princess, and Alice’s Grocery Store at 738 E. Princess.” I’m not too familiar with either of those places either – so thank you, anonymous writer, for giving me so many new options to invite the rest of York County to share memories of!
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.
