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| Sol's Store ad, Bridger yearbook, 1969 The address under the ad is wrong; at the time, Sol's was at 562 Merchant Street, not 526 |
SOLS of
Ambridge is one of the few remaining old, family-owned businesses on Merchant
Street, but not for long. At the end of January, it will close, joining the
many other former Merchant Street stores that have closed or moved. And when
SOLS closes, it will be the demise of what is probably Ambridge's longest operating store.
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| SOLS of Ambridge, June 23, 2013 copyright Nancy Knisley |
Jim Neft, the
current co-owner, says that SOLS got its start almost 100 years ago when his dad,
Harry Neft, and Harry's brothers, Jim's uncles, worked for an area auto parts
store, Sollys. The Neft brothers learned the business and liked it so much they
decided to start auto parts stores of their own. The Neft brothers named their
new businesses "Sol's" after Sollys. Eventually, the Neft family open
Sol's stores around the Pittsburgh area. The Braddock Sol's was operated by Edward
"Pete" Neft and Alvin "Bud" Neft; Wilkinsburg by
Morris Neft and Bernard "Ches" Neft; Homestead by
Joe Neft and Manny Neft; Aliquippa by Saul Neft; and Etna by Hank
Rosenblum, who was married to Jim Neft's Aunt Cecelia Neft. Harry opened the
Ambridge Sol's store in 1929. Jim Neft says, "I believe we were the oldest business in Ambridge. My
father said that Caplan Wholesale Grocery formerly at the corner of 8th and
Merchant was the only business here longer than SOLS. Since Caplan closed, we
are the oldest."
Although the Sol's
stores were run as independent businesses, they joined forces when buying
inventory in order to negotiate lower prices by buying in volume.
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| Sol's ad, Beaver County Times, June 1, 1961 |
The first Sol's
Ambridge store was at 633 Merchant Street and primarily sold hardware and auto
parts, very popular in those days of barebones Model Ts which came without
fancy extras...such as a horn. Later, when more cars were mass produced, the
store's sales of auto accessories such as tires and hubcaps picked up. Sporting
goods weren't yet the focus of the business, although hunting and fishing
equipment sold well. Oddly, pocket watches were probably the most popular item sold
by Sol's during that era.
During World War II, the great scarcity of materials needed to make bicycles and tires made them hard to find, but Sol's had a source and was able to supply bikes and tires to eager buyers. After the war was over, people had more time and money for leisure activities, so Sol's sporting goods business took off and eventually became the focus of the business. Many people who grew up in Ambridge in the '50s and '60 remember buying their sports equipment at "Sol's Sporting Goods."
In 1964, Sol's moved to 562 Merchant Street, now the shoppers' rest area. On June 25,1975, tragedy struck when a suspicious fire started in mid-afternoon in the back of the store. Sol's then moved across the street to the former J. C. Penney store at 601 Merchant Street, which Sol's had been using as a warehouse.
During World War II, the great scarcity of materials needed to make bicycles and tires made them hard to find, but Sol's had a source and was able to supply bikes and tires to eager buyers. After the war was over, people had more time and money for leisure activities, so Sol's sporting goods business took off and eventually became the focus of the business. Many people who grew up in Ambridge in the '50s and '60 remember buying their sports equipment at "Sol's Sporting Goods."
In 1964, Sol's moved to 562 Merchant Street, now the shoppers' rest area. On June 25,1975, tragedy struck when a suspicious fire started in mid-afternoon in the back of the store. Sol's then moved across the street to the former J. C. Penney store at 601 Merchant Street, which Sol's had been using as a warehouse.
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| Beaver County Times photo, June, 26, 1975 |
The text below the photo says:
Spectators gather beneath smoke-darkened skies to watch firemen battle Wednesday afternoon's fire which destroyed Sol's in Ambridge, while Ambridge fire chief Ercole Dinino (insert) looks on worriedly. Many spectators later later collected souvenirs in the form of spent gunshells, which littered the sidewalks after exploding when the fire hit the store's ammunition supply. Other photos on page A-3. (Photo by Rudy Schunk)
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| Beaver County Times photo, June 26, 1975 |
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| Beaver County Times photo, June 26, 1975 |
The text below the photo immediately above says:
Firemen pour water into Sol's of Ambridge, destroyed in a spectacular fire Wednesday afternoon. Five fire departments battled the blaze, which caused damage estimated as high as $300,000. (Photos by Rudy Schunk)Toys weren't a big part of Sol's business until the early '70s according to Neft. "Trains. Everyone had Lionel trains. They were a big business." Later, the store's general toy business took off, but gradually, as big box specialized toy stores like Toys R Us opened, Sol's toy business become increasingly unprofitable, and Sol's got out of the toy business.
Still, Sol's had a variety of departments: small appliances; bicycles, which Neft says the store "sold by the hundreds"; auto parts; hardware; and sporting goods. Then K-Mart started offering stiff competition in sporting goods by buying a few items from manufacturers at a heavy discount and selling them as "loss leaders" to bring customers into their store. More recently, Dick's Sporting Goods arrived, so large and with such a huge inventory of sporting goods, that it pretty much killed local sporting goods stores like SOLS. As a result, rather than selling general sporting goods to the public, SOLS has primarily sold sports equipment and clothing to schools and teams for a number of years.
Jim Neft says
he worked part time at Sol's during his
high school and college years and began working full time in December,1972. His father retired in
1982 when he was nearing 80, and Jim Neft continued the business with his
partner, Myron Watzman. Since then, Jim
Neft has been involved in a variety of tasks in the operation of the business
including administration, accounts receivable and payable, retail and
wholesale sales, and purchasing. Harry Neft died in 1991.
Neft remembers a time when Ambridge stores stayed open Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday until 9 PM. The sidewalks would be crowded with shoppers, and the traffic on Merchant Street was so heavy, that traffic cops were needed to manage it. Now, few shoppers frequent the remaining Merchant Street businesses and even the traffic lights that once controlled many Merchant Street intersections, are no longer needed, and some have been replaced with stop signs.
Neft remembers a time when Ambridge stores stayed open Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday until 9 PM. The sidewalks would be crowded with shoppers, and the traffic on Merchant Street was so heavy, that traffic cops were needed to manage it. Now, few shoppers frequent the remaining Merchant Street businesses and even the traffic lights that once controlled many Merchant Street intersections, are no longer needed, and some have been replaced with stop signs.
Neft says the
reasons for closing the store now are that his business partner, Watzman, is
now 72; competition is "severe," and with online sales growing,
"it's a matter of changing trends of shopping."
In July, SOLS' landlord sold 601 Merchant Street. Recently, BSN Sports, a national team and school
sporting goods company, bought SOLS' business, but will operate out of a
showroom in Robinson Township. SOLS is currently liquidating its existing
inventory and should be done by the end of the month. The future of the old
building? Neft doesn't know.
Looking back, Neft fondly recalls Ambridge's Sidewalk Bargain Days, when it would take him an hour just to put the displays on the sidewalk in front of the store. He says he and his employees would arrive extra-early in the morning and park their cars in the spaces in front of the store, so that merchandise could be put on both the store and street sides of the sidewalk and yet not block access to customers' cars.
Looking back, Neft fondly recalls Ambridge's Sidewalk Bargain Days, when it would take him an hour just to put the displays on the sidewalk in front of the store. He says he and his employees would arrive extra-early in the morning and park their cars in the spaces in front of the store, so that merchandise could be put on both the store and street sides of the sidewalk and yet not block access to customers' cars.
Another fond
memory--the early years of Nationality Days when the churches set up booths
with authentic ethnic food. "Lately, it's more of a flea market. It's all
commercial. There's no evidence of churches. People don't have time or the
desire to put in the volunteer hours anymore."
Neft says, "I have many great memories of my 41 plus years here. I have been fortunate in meeting hundreds of great customers and suppliers during those years. Obviously, I will never forget the fire in 1975 that destroyed our business at 562 Merchant and the ordeal setting up operations at our current location at 601 Merchant Street. I am going to miss coming to work every day and seeing my employees. I am also going to miss talking to the other business owners. I will really miss the wonderful people who have worked at Citizens Bank across the street. They treated me special every morning when I came in."
Even though Neft is closing SOLS, he says he has no intention of retiring. "I am currently looking for a retail sales job in the area."
Neft adds, "Thanks, everyone, for your support of our business."
Update 2/3/14: 1969 SOLS ad:
Neft says, "I have many great memories of my 41 plus years here. I have been fortunate in meeting hundreds of great customers and suppliers during those years. Obviously, I will never forget the fire in 1975 that destroyed our business at 562 Merchant and the ordeal setting up operations at our current location at 601 Merchant Street. I am going to miss coming to work every day and seeing my employees. I am also going to miss talking to the other business owners. I will really miss the wonderful people who have worked at Citizens Bank across the street. They treated me special every morning when I came in."
Even though Neft is closing SOLS, he says he has no intention of retiring. "I am currently looking for a retail sales job in the area."
Neft adds, "Thanks, everyone, for your support of our business."
Update 2/3/14: 1969 SOLS ad:
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| SOL'S Washington's Birthday ad, Beaver County Times, February 19, 1969 |
nice report Nancy
ReplyDeleteNice Report. I actually worked at Sol's twice.
ReplyDeleteThat is my uncle Ercole!
ReplyDeleteAlways got my Chuck Taylor All Stars at Sol's in Braddock, PA.
ReplyDeleteConverse All Stars then up to The Workingman's store for some "Khakis" pants and an apple hat for the St.T's dances.
DeleteHow many locations were there
DeleteAre you asking how many Sol's locations were in different towns?
DeleteThey had 5 locations and were looking to open a 6th store when one of the brothers had health issues. I worked in the Braddock store for almost 6 years and Pete treated me like a son. Al was a character who chewed tobacco constantly and could throw it onto the sidewalk with just enough speed to have it drop over the curb. They were good to customers and one of the few stores that held tabs for those they knew. I will never forget how nice they treated me.
DeleteWow, sad to see they're gone. I remember going there with my dad more than 30 years ago... Not much left in town anymore.
ReplyDeleteI worked at Sol's in Wilkinsburg full time, then part time from 1952 until 1971. I will never forget all the Neft Brothers, their children and Bernie Smith! Wonderful men and great employers. J. McGill
ReplyDeleteknew sols in the 1940s 50s , good place for a poor kid to look, no money to buy, just dream. anyone remember the sears store down towards 7th st, big fruit markets on 6th & 7th merchant, the photographer store on 7th corner other side on merchant close to Ambridge theater, it had 3 levels maybe 4 not sure, so many ways to get to all of them, side front back etc. a grand theater, tarzan movies were at the state theater across the street. good food towards 8th st corner, gas stations on both corners of 8th & merchant, a big wholesale building on corner too. a flower shop too. we lived on 8th & merchant big building next too Ambridge hotel, had a peach tree outside bedroom window, a 3 story brick, gone now. by the way the dead end pool was on 19th just behing nicks gas station & vandenbord bakery & soda shop, friends that lived in Aliquippa. tavern on corner, barbershop across the street & the chevy store on corner 19th & duss, another barbershop towards 20th st nicks ?? oh yes dead end pool was the start of the ambridge dump down to the river, millions of tin cans & lots of rats to shoot w/ur 22. next to am beyers mill across the tracks. worked at hh robertsons 4 yrs & walked from 19th st every morning, later on 3to 11s came in. anthony wayne school , & the POOL just up the road, good old kid days in the late 30s & 40s
ReplyDeleteThe famous "Dead-End Pool" was in Big Sewickley Creek at Bank Street. I wrote about it in "The Dead-End Pool."
Deletehttp://ambridgememories.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-dead-end-pool.html
Tell me more about this other "dead-end pool" you write about that was on 19th street behind Nick's Gas Station. Was it really a pool or just some kind of kid-built swimming hole? Who swam there?