Michael Lisicky turns his
attention to the history of
Pomeroy's and the results
are very fine indeed
Pomeroy's landmark store on Penn Street was built in stages from 1892 to 1957
600 Penn Street
Reading, Pennsylvania
FRanklin 5-6111
READING STORE DIRECTORY (324,000 sq. ft.)
Basement
Pomeroy's Bargain Basement
Main Floor
Fine Jewelry 245 • Costume Jewelry 240 • Watches 245 • Watch Repair 245 • Handbags 250 • Accessories 229 • Gloves 230 • Neckwear 224 • Umbrellas 360 • Hoisiery 250 • Cosmetics 300 • Little Hat Shop 201 • Main Floor Shoes 210 • Dr. Scholl's • Main Floor Sportswear 146 • Main Floor Blouses 156 • Main Floor Lingerie • Notions 310 • Stationery 320 • Candy 800 • Bake Shop • Men's Furnishings 410 • Men's Sportswear 430 • Teen Man Shop 442 • Boys' Wear 445 • Boys' Furnishings 440 • Pomeroy's Tea Room
Mezzanine
Men's Clothing 400 • Men's Slacks 431 • Men's Shoes 460 • White Sewing Machine Center • Credit Office • Cash Office • Gift Wrapping
Second Floor
Fabrics 500 • Needlework • Domestics 540 • Pillows 560 • Bedspreads 570 • Linens 550 • China & Glass 650 • Gifts 650 • The Bar Shop 660 • Gourmet Gift Shop • Housewares 670 • Casual Furniture 675 • Small Electrics 671 • Major Appliances 710, 740, 730 • Hoover 720 • TV 775 • Radios 770 • Cleaning Aids • Health Aids 310 • Luggage 815 • Books 340 • Notions 305 • Photo Studio • Cameras 328
Third Floor
Sportswear 140 • Bouses 155 • Dresses 137 • Nite Life Shop • Lifestyle Shop • Pacesetter Shop • Dress Salon 190 • Shoe Salon 211 • Daytime Dresses 190 • Uniforms • Inexpensive Dresses 134 • Women's World 139 • Coats 110 • Suits 160 • Fur Salon • Bridal Salon • Millinery 200 • Wig Salon • Lingerie & Sleepwear 270 • Foundations 280 • Beauty Salon
Young World Infants' Wear 185 • Children's Wear 180 • Girls' Wear 170 • Pre-Teens' Wear 171 • Children's Shoes
Jr. World Junior Dresses 165 • Junior Sportswear 145 • Junior Coats 160
Fourth Floor
Rugs 620 • Floor Coverings 623 • Lamps 640 • Curtains 631 • Draperies 632 • Slipcovers 630 • Bedding 619
Fifth Floor
Fashion Furniture Living and Dining Room Furniture 605 • Bed Room Furniture 608 • Chairs 612 • Summer Furniture 615 • Photo Studio
Sixth Floor
Trim-a-Home 835 • Toyland 830 • Auditorium
First Floor Annex
Cameras 328 • Hobby Supplies 830 • Records 329 • Paint and Hardware 690 • Garden Shop 673 • Sporting Goods 820
BRANCH STORES
Market Street at Third
201,000 sq. ft.
2 Public Square
135,000 sq. ft.
Center Street
79,000 sq. ft.
Shop-a-Rama
241,000 sq. ft.
The Bucks County Room
Camp Hill Shopping Center (1958)
Camp Hill, PA
145,000 sq. ft.
Colonial Park Mall (1960)
Harrisburg, PA
137,000 sq. ft.
47,000 sq. ft.
Easton, PA (August 1, 1964)
Downtown
Willingboro Plaza (1965)
Willingboro, NJ
175,000 sq. ft.
Concord Mall (1971)
Wilmington, DE
181,000 sq. ft.
Wyoming Valley Mall (1971)
Wilkes-Barre
159,000 sq. ft.
Note:
See the Lit Brothers exhibit for the Berkshire and Neshaminy Mall stores that Pomeroy's assumed in the 1970s
Oh Pomeroys! It is the time of the year I dream about the toyland on the 6th floor of Pomeroy's. I need to dig out my santa pics from there. Miss those times.....
ReplyDeleteWonderful page on Pomeroy's!! I grew up shopping at the one in Willingboro when I was a kid. You did leave out the Pomeroys at Neshaminy Mall in Pa. although i think it was only a Pomeroys for a little while.
ReplyDeleteThe reason why it was left out is because it is listed over at the Lit Brothers exibit
ReplyDeleteThey also had a store in the Midway Shopping Center in Wyoming, PA. In the 1970s, it had a separate toy department with it's own store entrance.
ReplyDeleteSorry for posting out of place, but I don't see a general posting area. In Pennsylvania, Boston Store is listed under Erie. There was also a Fowler Dick & Walker Boston Store founded in Wilkes-Barre in the 1870s. The store was bought by Lebanon, PA department store heir Albert Boscov in 1978, and reopened as a Boscov's location, with additional FD&W Boston Stores in Hazleton, PA and Binghamton, NY the following year.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. In the history of department stores, many different firms took the name "Boston Store." Examples of these stores were in Phoenix, AZ (later Diamond's), Chicago, Milwaukee, Erie, and Los Angeles, where the J.W. Robinson Co. was once known as "The Boston Store."
ReplyDeleteBAK
I could write a book...I was the person who tried to save Pomeroys Landmark store in Reading PA via a 9 month legal process....we tried to prevent Meridian Bancoro from demolishing it as they originally promised to make it multi use building..I had mayor and development officials on witness stand. All they cared about was the 40 million involved....they lied to get store then despite promise to rehab they demolished it....but it never became bank HDQTS as it got sold to Hamilton...and now it's Wells Fargo .in a new four story bldg...Pomeroys original grand home still stands near Galen Hall Berks County...he was generous man but the one store did 40% of all retail..I took donkey ride on 6th floor as kid at Xmas...it was heartbreaking ..it took over 3 months to destroy the bldg during the summer...huge crowds gathered ..it had two sub basements...out under sidewalks ..concrete steel reinforced floors ...terra cotta facade ..we had to give up when a 20 million bond demanded to continue court case..but doing legal work I learned money was only issue not the historic merit or landmark status....very demoralizing experience!
DeletePlease write that book to document your great efforts, and how our "government(S)" work for $ and $ alone, no compromises. I value the dedicated work you did. Here in Detroit, others tried to save our monumental Hudson's building, and the site sat vacant for about 20 years. They are building an abomination on the site now which pays absolutely no homage to the institution that occupied the site for about 100 years. I am currently writing about Hudson's; find a sympathetic publisher and tell us your story in detail. Make sure everyone knows!
Delete- Bruce
Woodward & Lothrop of Washington, DC was also originally named The Boston Store.
ReplyDeleteExcellent site:
ReplyDeleteThe store in the Midway Shopping Center, Wyoming Pa. and the Wyoming Valley Mall Wilkes Barre Pa., both became THE BON-TON.
James
I have a purple ysl neck tie that I pick up in a local thrift store that has a Pomeroy's tag on the smaller part of the tie.
ReplyDeleteThe downtown Pottsville location closed & relocated when they built the nearby Frackville Mall.... Probably in the late 70's???
ReplyDeleteThere was one Pottsville store that I know of. It was still in existence in 1983. I know because my father , J Edward Murray , was the president of of the eastern division of Pomeroys.
DeleteI WORKED AT POMEROYS IN HARRISBURG IN THE TEAROOM IN 1951 AND LOVED THE CINN0MON STICKS THE GHEF MADE FOR BREAKFAST. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND THE RECIPE TO MAKE THEM.CAN ANYONE HELP ME
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me when the original Bon Ton Store opened in Lebanon, PA on Cumberland Street?
ReplyDeleteDebbieSK
I know it's been almost 10 years, but I felt the need to answer because I'm writing an article about the Bon Ton for www.LebTown.com -- the answer is 1896, if you haven't figured it out yet :)! It became Pomeroy's in 1963.
DeleteThe Lebanon Daily News states that The Bon Ton of Lebanon was founded in June, 1896. That's about all I could find about its date of origin.
ReplyDeleteMarch 25, 1896! :)
DeleteHi BAK,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your tour! I was born in Harrisburg and knew the Pomeroys well. I've written "The Bakery Girls" a story of another business that ran in those years: Stitt Bakery. I included scenes from Pomeroy's basement and Tea Room.
Florence Ditlow
I remember shopping at the Pomeroy's in downtown Harrisburg when I was a little girl with my mother and sister and grandmother. We always had to visit the toy department!!
ReplyDeletePomeroy's bought out Easton's longtime Laubach's Department Store in 1964 and later moved to the Palmer Park Mall in nearby Palmer Twp in the late 70s/early 80s. That Pomeroy's later became part of The Bon Ton conglomerate, which originated in York, PA.
ReplyDeleteThe Laubach's/Pomeroy's building in Easton then began a long decline as yet another vacant building in downtown Easton, PA for the next 30 years. It has recently been rehabbed and has apartments for sale.
ReplyDeleteI have a medallion on a keychain that says "If found please returnto POMEROY's Inc. Harrisburg, PA. On the back is a 6 digit number. What is this??
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Back in the early eighties I lived in South Jersey near the shore. On a Saturday afternoon poking around old antique shops and junk stores I found a couple of old Nancy Drew books from the early 1930's. Both of them have a Pomeroy's sticker inside the back cover marked 50 cents, along with some other numbers. I guess there's no way of knowing which Pomeroy's they came from unless someone could decipher the coding system. I've been wondering for years where Pomeroy's was and never knew until I found this page tonight. One of lifes mysteries almost solved. I loved those old department stores. I especially miss those old vacuum tubes. Just magical. My great Aunt Marie used to take me to Kaufman's in Pittsburgh when I was a kid back in the 'fifties. She also worked forty plus years at Royer's Department Store in Greensburg, Pa. Ah, the good old days.
ReplyDeleteI have a great picture of a an accident scene where a Pomeroy truck that had crashed into an Esso station just outside Harrisburg in the 50's. It's a pretty high-res scan at 16.5 MB that I got from the Cumberland County museum in Carlisle. It's got a lot of cool elements to it: the chief of police of the area is lighting the cigarette of a detective, everyone is in trenchcoats, a little girl and boy are looking at the rubble that was the storefront. Email me if you'd like a copy.
ReplyDeleteMy dad was the furniture buyer for Pomeroy's for 30+ years, before that worked in major appliances and televisions after WWII. Lots of cool stories and memories. When they sold a tv they would take it out to the purchaser's home and broadcast from the truck so that the customer could see what the reception would be like once more television stations started broadcasting. Lots of great stories in the furniture department too. Just ran into a former Pomeroy's employee yesterday who knew my dad and many others. Would love to know if there are any employee lists from Harrisburg Pomeroy's for a trip down memory lane.
ReplyDeletePomeroys in Camp Hill, Pa was a super classy, traditional dept store. I loved shopping there. It closed in the late 1980's and I was so upset. Nothing else compared. They used the old fashioned mannequin displays on elevated platforms and enclosed some in plexiglass displays like they did in the 60's. Xmas decor was out of this world. It had a really warm, homey feel. And their mdse was top notch too. What a loss! The dept stores today have none of the feel. Cold, spare and sterile looking. Hate to say it but wish we could bring back the good old days!
ReplyDeleteI remember Christmas shopping at the downtown Harrisburg store. We would make a day of it and always would eat lunch at the restaurant upstairs. (I had my first Reuben sandwich there! DELICIOUS!) sitting there listening to Christmas music, looking down at all the beautiful decorations, watching all the shoppers. It's a "Mommy and me" memory I will never forget! Thank you Pomeroys !
ReplyDeleteI am doing my family's genealogy & discovered that one of my ancestor's was an Oren that owned Oren's Dry Good's or Dept. store...
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know about this store & who owed it?
I have Phillip Oren, but was wondering about Max?
Please email me with any info you have.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Wendy
ga_rosebud@bellsouth.net
I have a hat box top that reads IT CAME FROM Pomeroy's established 1876 I sell vintage hats and this was in some of the hats I purchased love to look up stores to find out how old my vintage hats are great web site thanks
ReplyDeleteYou should look into Mary Sachs in Harrisburg and Lancaster, PA. Unbelievably unique store!! Much better than Pomeroys or Hess. Pomeroys had great Christmas windows, and Hess had the restaurant with models. Mary Sachs in Harrisburg was better than Lancaster. Mary Sachs was by far the greatest shopping experience of my lifetime. The PA State Historic Museum did an entire exhibit about Mary Sachs. There has been a book written about Ms. Sachs and the stores. Thank you for the trip back Memory Lane.
ReplyDeleteI worked evenings and weekends at the Pomeroys in Neshaminy Mall while I was in college. I handled the switchboard and gift wrap counter. My favorite part was making the announcements. The operations manager let me help manage the inventory my senior year as part of a project for my operations management class at Holy Family College. I met a lot of great people there and have fond memories. I still shop in the building, it is now a Boscovs.
ReplyDeleteNot sure when you worked at the store, you might remember my last name :) Best wishes, P Edward Murray patrickm55@verizon.net
DeleteI worked evenings and weekends at the Pomeroys in Neshaminy Mall while I was in college. I handled the switchboard and gift wrap counter. My favorite part was making the announcements. The operations manager let me help manage the inventory my senior year as part of a project for my operations management class at Holy Family College. I met a lot of great people there and have fond memories. I still shop in the building;it is now a Boscovs.
ReplyDeleteThe Pomeroy's at 101 South Centre Street in Pottsville is now a Ramada hotel.
ReplyDeleteI have a brick from the torn down Reading store. My grandfather was George Pomeroy, Jr.
ReplyDeleteMy father, J Edward Murray, was the president of the eastern division of Pomeroys from 1978 until his death in Jan of 1983. Pleasure to meet you. Best wishes!
DeleteWasnt there a pomeroys at the Coventry mall in Pottstown?
ReplyDeleteAhh...the Tearoom on the mezzanine Market St., Harrisburg. CINNAMON STICKS grilled in butter (I later came to learn their proper name STICKIES at ye olde college diner in state college)... no not waxing nostalgic: I need a sugar fix! Of course the clacking of old escalators wouldn't hurt, and who was the one who had to empty all the basements filled with moving stairs?
ReplyDeleteDowntown Lebanon was a lovely place to shop when I was a young girl. A special highlight was going to Pomeroy's with my mother on a Friday night. In my memory, I can still explore each of the floors. Dreaming in front of the Madame Alexander dolls displayed in the toy department was one of my favorite activities, and thinking of it now makes me as happy as it did then.
ReplyDeleteIn Greensburg, we had a great store (also owned by Allied Stores) called Trooutman's. It had about 6 or 7 branch stores in western Pennsylvania. Eventually Pomeroys took over 2 or 4 of the stores for a few years before they sold out to The Bon Ton. I recall that Pomeroys was classier and more refined.
ReplyDeleteThe Pomeroys on Public Square in Wilkes Barre had awesome mechanical Easter displays on the outside canopy on the front of the store in the 1960's.. A huge egg opened up over main entrance of store to reveal bunnies, other bunnies on swingsets surrounded by flowers.. It was breathtaking!!!! Imagine the displays were lost in the 1972 flood that devastated center city WB??
ReplyDeleteThere were two divisions of Pomeroys, the eastern part and western part.
ReplyDeleteMoving from Cincinnati, my Father, J Edward Murray was President of the Eastern division until his death in 1983.
The Eastern division was headquartered in Levittown.
Interestingly enough JFK came and spoke in front of the store while he was running for President in 1960 and there was even a plaque commemorating the event.
The store was torn down, in fact the entire shopping complex and to this date I have no idea what became of the plaque.
Late in their history there was in fact a Pomeroy's at Coventry mall. it was quite small but very nice. when the Pomeroy's name ceased to be used, that locat ion was closed. Boscov's built their strange crescent shaped store on that property.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone remember the one-armed man who ran the elevator at Pomeroy's in Reading? I assume he was a WWII vet. Oh the excitement add he opened those elevator gates to Toyland on the 6th floor!
ReplyDeleteI went to pomeroys very often with my 4 sisters and ,4 brothers we are not sure what his name was but my oldest sister said his name was Bob there was a store security woman who would follow us around the store and I don't remember her name either I do remember that there was a restaurant in the basement that had great ice cream and Apple pie!!!
DeleteI also have a brick from the reading store, and my grandfather was also George S Pomeroy, Jr. You must be my cousin!
ReplyDeletePomeroy's made it as far west as Greensburg PA, taking over the Westmorland Mall branch of Greensburg-based Troutmann's. Troutmann's had stores in downtown Butler, Clearview Mall/Butler, downtown Connelsville, and perhaps Laurel Mall in Uniontown.
ReplyDeleteI am aware that Pomeroy's took over the Westmorland Mall branch but not the downtown Greensburg store.
i have entire bedroom suite circ. ? 1930' s. . really nice group of furn. made in Reading PA. from Pomeroy's,
ReplyDeleteTroutman's operated a large flagship store in downtown Greensburg PA. Troutman's operated only two mall stores--Westmoreland Mall nearby along Roue 30 and Washington Crown Centre (formerly Franklin Mall) in Washington PA. They also operated a number of small downtown stores in surrounding communities--Latrobe, Indiana, Butler, Connellsville, New Castle. When Allied Stores decided to close the Troutman's chain in the late 1980s, the two mall stores at Westmoreland (Greensburg) and Franklin (Washington) were converted to Pomeroy's. Later in the mid 1990s thanks to corporate raider Robert Campau, Allied Stores was broken up and The Bon Ton bought out the Pomeroy's change and soon merged them into their nameplate.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting side note: The Tripplett family, which was involved in management of Troutman's, worked out a deal with Allied to purchase and operate the profitable Latrobe, New Castle and Butler stores. The family made a valiant effort to run the three stores under the Troutman's nameplate, and tried to maintain a decent assortment of merchandise. Sadly it was impossible to merchandise three far flung downtown department stores and the stores shut down a few years later.
The Laurel Mall in Connellsville held the only branch store of longtime downtown Uniontown PA anchor store Metzlers. Metzlers had a four floor and basement flagship in Uniontown and was always considered a better store; at one time Metzlers operated a multi-level furniture store diagonally across Main Street from their department store. Metzlers maintained a full service department store downtown until the late 1980s; even in the final years the store was stocked with better quality brands, although it was too small to offer designer lines. The Laurel Mall store dropped its home goods department and relocated offices to that area. Laurel Mall lasted a few years following the closure of the downtown store and the decline of the mall itself.
Thank you for the history - when I can gather enough information, I'd like to add these stores as exhibits since they are pretty significant.
ReplyDelete-Bruce
When I was a child, the early 60's, we shopped the Reading Pomeroy's, sat on Santa's lap and purchased Buster Brown shoes at the store. They moved to Berkshire Mall, Wyomissing, PA, which then become BonTon. Not sure what it is now, guessing Boscov's? Downtown Reading was fun, vibrant at that time.
ReplyDeleteDowntown Wilkes-Barre was a great place to shop through the 1960's... Not only was it home to Pomeroy's But also Issac Long (a division of John Wanamaker) Lazarus (Mercantile Stores) Bergman's (they moved to the Narrows Shopping center in early 1960 and the largest of all Follow, Dick & Walker The Boston store... 5 floors plus a 4 level parking deck. Boscov's took that over in 1980 and it is still in operation today
ReplyDeleteI have a good luck charm from pomeroy's,with a 1929 penny in the middle,around the front side it say,keep me and never go broke,on the back side it says,pomeroy's,reading pa,53 anniversary,1876-1929.
ReplyDeleteThank you Bruce for your amazing site detailing the Pomeroy department stores ! This is just one of The Pomeroy families many historic stories, and certainly shows the pride shared by all the Pom's.
ReplyDeleteI was born and raised in Wilkes-Barre and loved the Pomeroy's display window. We never actually went inside because my mother said "We couldn't afford anything in there." As a child, I used to imagine what it might look like and what treasures they might have. Do you remember "Percy Brown's foods of distinction" grocery store in W-B? Another classy place. All ruined by the flood of 1972.
ReplyDeletei have one of the elevator dial indicators from pomeroy's downtown Harrisburg pa, worked for the company the removed the building and wend we were cleaning up wood and metal as the floors were removed cam across it .still think of how the store was back as i was growing up
ReplyDeletedid the wilkes-barre pomeroys have pony rides on the second floor?
ReplyDeleteI worked in the downtown Reading store in the early 1980's when I was in college. I loved that big old building. I made many friends working there, and we had so much fun. There was part of an old hotel in that building. The store was built around it. You could access the hotel from one of the second floor stock rooms. I have pics of that old hotel. Great memories!
ReplyDeletehello, I was digging through my parents thinks and came across a old coin from Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart’s. no date just says 35 anniversary. do you know anything about them?
ReplyDeleteDives, Pomeroy & Stewart's was the original name for Pomeroy's
ReplyDeleteI recall many happy memories of the Reading Pomeroy's store. They had a children's art contest every year (early 1960's), and I always participated in it. I still have my ribbon awards from when I was a little girl. It was an exciting time of the year for me when they held the contest... I always looked forward to both entering it and seeing the artwork done by the other children.
ReplyDeleteI love your site on Pomeroys, having come across it today. I no longer live in PA, and was unaware that they took down the Pomeroys store in Reading. Please would you tell me when that happened?
Natalie in Largo, FL
The old https://www.flickr.com/
ReplyDeletephotos/heydavemyers/21764371698/in/photostream/ store in downtown Reading, was demolished in 1995. Wells Fargo sits there now.
One of my very first jobs was as a cashier in the kitchen wares department of Pomeroy's around 1971 or '72 in Harrisburg.
ReplyDeleteI'm the great grandaughter of erma brogh.. I was given a watch from my mom. . Years ago.. I stumbled upon an engravment on the back. Pomeroy's quarter century club 1979.talked to mom.. and found out great grandma email worked there most of her life.. harrisburg location. . I live in Boston ma.. I cherish this watch.. I miss her every day. .
ReplyDeleteThe sprawling Pomeroy's store in Levittown, Pennsylvania, is where I saw Presidential candidate John F. Kennedy make a political speech in the fall of 1960. I was in attendance with my parents and grandparents and I was just four and one-half years old. I do not recall the substance of John F. Kennedy's speech on that day. I can recall his dark blue suit, tanned face and reddish/auburn hair. When John F. Kennedy left that day he was whisked down Rt. 13 in an open-air Lincoln Continental. These memories of mine are likely flawed being the memories of a four year-old after all.
ReplyDeletePomeroy's of Levittown had a very highly regarded restaurant called The Bucks County Room. As fine dining went in that era The Bucks County Room was it for the immediate area. I had lunch and dinner there many times as I was so privileged in being the first grandchild and nephew and was often in-tow when my mother, grandmother and aunt would meet up for a day's shopping. Morning kindergarten barely put a crimp in this practice but the situation got 'real' when I started attending the first grade; all day. So many good memories from shopping and eating at Pomeroy's of Levittown.
Once Pomeroy's had opened their Neshaminy Mall location, while I did shop there with my wife when I'd gotten older and then married, it seemed as though the mystique of Pomeroy's which was generated (and which had hung around for a good many years) when Levittown, Pennsylvania, was a suburban phenomenon had dissipated when the first Oil Shock/ Embargo of 1973 landed on us like Dorothy's house. So, sadly in my way of viewing the situation, from its inception, the Neshaminy Mall Pomeroy's was under a cloud
I have a pomery,s of reading ,ps card represented by A.J BONK.WHO SOLD A WHITE SEWING MACHINE IN 1952.TO A FRIEND.STILL GOT SEWING MACHINE.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Harrisburg and remember pomeroys as a child. I HAVE A COOK BOOK ENTITLED, THE POMEROY COOK BOOK, By Grace E. Denison. Inside cover says, Pomeroys Inc. Harrisburg Pa. It's in great shape and has 537 pages, dated 1932. I would like to sell it to someone, haven't posted it yet. Anyway if your a Pomeroys person email me for info or pics. It will end up on Craigslist. gda372@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteDo you still have the Pomoroys cookbook ?
DeleteI have 2 high back channel chairs from Pomeroys Reading PA for sale! emails for pics michelle_romano@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteAs stated previously, the Wyoming PA and Wilkes-Barre PA Pomeroy's were purchased by Bon-Ton. This month, Bon-Ton stores announced that they are closing. Another one bites the dust.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen any comments regarding the short-lived Pomeroys located in the Park City Mall, Lancaster, PA. Am I the only one who remembers?
ReplyDeletePomeroys was never in the Palmer Mall. The store that was to become Bon Ton was always a Hess's store. I worked there in the mid to late 1970's and early '80's
ReplyDeletei was a junior exec at pomeroys in reading, than sales promotion manager at pottsville and wilkes barre. i was the first store manager of pomeroys in the wyoming shopping center. that would be 1967 or 68, not quite sure now. would like to hear from any of my employees who are still alive and remember me. i left there to start my own business in 1972 after agnes drowned both the store and my home.
ReplyDeleteI lived in Willingboro, N.J. for about 7 years as a child,we moved when I was a senior in high school in 1971. I remember shopping at the Pomeroys in the Wilingboro Plaza, my mother bought a dinnig room set there and still has it today
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember in the mid to late 1960's , the Wilkes Barre downtown Pomeroy's had a snack bar on the 2nd or 3rd floor that was run by a blind woman at the cash register. Does anyone else recall that??
ReplyDeleteI believe my Dad was the very first store manager at the Neshaminy Mall location.
ReplyDeleteHi there..just saw this cool site. I was hired as a men's department manager in Pomeroy's newest store at that time in the Concord Mall Wilmington Delaware. I lived in that area. I believe the mall opened in 1971..I actually worked in HS at Almart discount department store which was the other anchor of the mall. After college I started at Pomeroy's in 1975. I had 35 employees to manage with no experience as a 21 year old, wild ride for sure. The Concord mall store was the best performing in the 7 store chain..one reason the mall was a couple miles south of the Pa line..Delaware had no (still does not I believe) sales tax so all the folks came over the state line to shop there. I was promoted to Levittown HQ Pomeroys when the management and buyers were and was a men's buyer for 3 years..I was responsible for suits sportcoats slacks and yes.. leisure suits which were a huge business..one of my large vendors was Haggar Company and my old time salesman Pete Salema who was in his 70's and drove a big red Cadillac said to me day over lunch.."how would you to make 50K a year as a Haggar salesman?"..I never thought I'd make that much a year in my life as I was making about 20K (1979)..I left and never looked back...ended up in New York City in the fashion industry! Loved my Pomeroy days though..after work a lot of us used to go to the Holiday Inn down the road on Rt 13 for Happy Hour. I made a lot of cool friends and also enjoyed the buyer visits we used to make to the other stores in our group including the Wilkes-Barre area stores! Kevin K
ReplyDeleteThank you Kevin - that's a lot of good insight that readers here will enjoy, I am sure!
ReplyDelete-Bruce
My grandmother worked at the candy counter at the Reading Pomeroy's when my dad was little (the 1940s). I came along in the early sixties and still have the pictures of me sitting on Santa's lap. I loved Christmas at Pomeroy's. Wish I had pictures of the "scenes" set up to look at while you stood in line for Santa. I remember the little mechanical dolls/figures...I was so fascinated by them. I remember one where a tree was being decorated, and a big one that was a pond and had those figures skating around on it. I absolutely loved the toy department and many of my school clothes came from there. As I got older and grew out of toys, I then fell in love with the record department. I still have many 45s and albums I bought there. When I was ten, I became a member of the Sparkies drum and baton corp. It was an honor to march down Penn Street in the parades and bring Santa to Pomeroy's! The fire truck would stop outside and Santa would then climb the ladder and enter through the window.
ReplyDeleteThat store was a big part of life for most of us in Reading. Thank you so much for the memories!
Does anybody have pictures of Pomeroy's Tea Room in Reading Pennsylvania? Used to love it there.
ReplyDeleteI recently found an item about the size of a dog tag with the words Pomeroys Inc across the front. At the top a small hole and the bottom has 5 digits. Looks like it might have been an employee ID tag. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteMy mother would always take me to Pomeroy's in Harrisburg to do her Christmas shopping. I spent most of my time looking at all the great stuff. I once got lost in the among all the Holiday Shoppers but there seemed to be guard/cop? close by. He helped me to reunite with my mom. Maybe that's the last time she took me there. This was the early 50s. What a great store!
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Reading. My mother used to work at Pomeroy's at 6th & Penn
ReplyDeleteduring the end-of-year holidays when she wasn't helping my father with his beer business. It was such a treat to visit her at the store during those days.