Recalling Hershey’s Bakery and Hershey’s 5&10
Some time ago, we’d talked about both the J.S. Hershey Baking Company and the A.S. Hershey 5-and-10 Store, both formerly of York.
I have a few more memories on those two establishments to share today, which I hope you’ll enjoy!
Reader Bob Hess wrote about Hershey Baking Company, “When my parents purchased the Slab General Store on Slab Road in Lower Chanceford Township in 1946, Hershey bread was delivered to the store by Freddie Bosserman, a delivery route driver for Hershey. I think he was still making deliveries when they closed the store in 1974. He was a very pleasant man and enjoyed joking with his customers. It was a privately owned ‘Community Pure Food Store,’ and merchandise was purchased from P.A.&S. Small of York.”
Meanwhile, Nancy Markey Swonger wrote, “Hershey’s Bakery was located on Jefferson Ave. in York. They baked bread, rolls, cakes and cupcakes. They sold products wholesale to stores but they also had retail outlets at two York markets – Central Market and York City Market. They also had a counter in Murphy’s 5 & 10 store on the square in York. There is a picture of the stand in Central Market in the archives of the market at the historical society. My grandmother was a clerk at the market stands. This would have been in the 1940s and 1950s.”
Then, regarding the 5-and-10-cent store, reader Nancy Anthony writes, “When I was growing up, my grandparents, Paul and Mary Hershey, owned the 5&10, which was known as A.S. Hershey Co. 5&10. It was located at 367 W. Market St. The York Rescue Mission is now in that location. According to my grandfather’s obituary, he and Abram were co-founders of the business. Abram was my grandfather’s uncle.”
Finally, a commenter who used the name Divephil noted that he had a picture of what he thought was the A.S. Hershey 5-and-10, but which he noted was from the early 1900s at the southeast corner of Market Street and Belvidere Avenue. You can see that photo here, but this is about three blocks farther west than the A.S. Hershey location.
Does anyone know if a different 5-and-10 store may have been at this Market and Belvidere intersection? I’d be interested to find out the provenance of this location as well!
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.
