Gene's Coffee Shoppe & Dining Room, Thanksgiving Menu, 1929

Gene's Coffee Shoppe & Dining Room
Thanksgiving Menu
ad
Daily Citizen
November 27, 1929

Gene's Coffee Shoppe & Dining Room was in the long-gone Ambridge Hotel, located from 1905 to 1964 on the northwest corner of 8th and Merchant Sts. The restaurant's address was not printed in the ad. I guess everyone in the area knew where it was.

That $1.25 is equivalent to about $19.40 today. Still an attractive price for a complete Thanksgiving meal, but when the average steelworker was making less than $0.68 an hour, and taking home even less, perhaps beyond the budget of the average steelworker's family,

And no pumpkin pie!

Easter 1958, below Crestview Village hill

This photo, taken on Easter 1958, belongs to my mom, Agatha Bohinsky. It was taken in the backyard of 1522 Beaver Rd.

Nancy, Kathy, and Paula Bohinsky
Easter
April 6, 1958
courtesy Agatha Bohinsky

I remember hunting for the eggs we'd decorated the day before on Easter morning, and later eating a breakfast with the food Father Rostas had blessed the day before at Divine Redeemer Church. The blessed food would have included homemade sweet bread and nutroll, kolbasi, decorated eggs, horseradish, salt, and butter. My mom would press the butter into a fancy little glass bowl, then use a knife to decorate the top; the center was always a cross.

And, of course, we always went to mass.

When we were old enough to take communion at church, because of Catholic rules about fasting before communion, breakfast would have to wait until after we got home from mass.

Then finally, we'd bite the ears off the chocolate bunnies which filled our Easter baskets, along with foil covered chocolate eggs, molded popcorn bunnies or eggs, plus a few Easter-related toys.


What's that building on the hill?

The building on top of the hill behind our house in the photo above is one of the Crestview Village buildings. The hill looks pretty much how I remember the hill below Crestview when I was growing up: eroded, rutted, hard brown dirt; a few huge boulders; a few scattered blackberry and jagger bushes; and some grassy sort of plants.

People who lived below the hill would often burn their trash in a large horizontal depression just beyond the alley that ran behind our yards; I set some of the dried grass on fire a few times while performing my chore of "watching" our trash fire burn.

I am amazed at how nature has taken back that hill, slowly over many years. This is what it now looks like before leaves block the view of the hill from the alley behind Beaver Rd.

Crestview Village building
looking East from 1522 Beaver Rd.
April 15, 2016
credit: Nancy Knisley

Ambridge's doughboy statue dedication, Memorial Day 1930

Ambridge's doughboy statue currently stands in P. J. Caul Park, 11th and Merchant Sts., but it once stood further west on 11th St., at the entrance to the Ambridge-Aliquippa Bridge, south corner. The doughboy was placed at the bridge about two-and-a-half years after the bridge was opened in December 1927.

Doughboy statue
11th St. at Ambridge-Aliquippa Bridge
circa 1930s
courtesy Beaver County Genealogy & History Center

The statue was the result of a joint project of the Ambridge and Aliquippa American Legion posts.

Ambridge's Canady-Hull Post No. 341 and Aliquippa's Post No. 225 had two doughboy statues made, one for each side of the bridge. These World War I memorials were dedicated on Memorial Day 1930.

A platform was erected in the center of the bridge for the ceremony which included speakers from both boroughs, Beaver County commissioners, and representatives of district and local American Legion organizations. "Amplifiers" were placed at each end of the bridge so that even those not standing near the platform could hear the proceedings. The Ambridge High School and Aliquippa High School bands played at the ceremony.

The dedication ceremony followed parades by war veterans and "patriotic organizations" in Ambridge and Aliquippa.

The above information came from the Daily Times, April 19 and May 28, 1930.

I don't know when the doughboys were moved from their first locations near the bridge. But I do know that the original large bronze plate with the preamble of the American Legion Constitution that was on the base of each statue, was replaced on the Ambridge doughboy's base in 1950. You can see a photo of the Ambridge Memorial Day 1950 ceremony, plus read the inscription on the newer plate, in the May 25, 2014, blog post "A Memorial Day past." You will see that I originally thought that the ceremony shown in the 1950 photo might have been the dedication of the statue itself, but obviously, it was not. Maybe it was a ceremony dedicating the new bronze plate?

The Aliquippa doughboy statue is now at the borough's war memorial on Main St.

Some facts and figures:

• The statues and bronze plates were made by the Matthews Company of Pittsburgh.
• The original granite bases, four feet square and three feet high, were made by the New England Granite Company in Rhode Island. The price was $1,300.
• Joseph F. Bontempo, Aliquippa, was the architect who designed the "canopies" behind each statue.
• The cost for the complete construction of the memorials was approximately $10,000.
• The photo shown above the caption "Statue of an American Soldier at Ambridge-Aliquippa Bridge" is watermarked "E. Simantiras, Photo-Studio, Pittsburgh, PA."

Here's a photo from today's Memorial Day ceremony at P. J. Caul Park. It's nice to see that some traditions continue.

Doughboy salute
Memorial Day ceremony
P. J. Caul Park
May 30, 2016
photo credit: Alan Freed Photography / Ambridge Connection

Decoration Day 1948 ad, Gray's Auto Store

Memorial Day was once called Decoration Day, since traditionally, that was the day the graves of military veterans were decorated in honor of their service.

So I had mixed feelings about posting this Gray's Auto Store ad, celebrating what should be a solemn day of remembrance with a sale of auto parts. But, I decided that the ad documents what the holiday has become for many Americans, a day to shop for bargains.

I'll post a more fitting photo on Memorial Day, but in the meantime, take a look back in time at auto supplies--and prices--in May 1948.

Decoration Day ad
Gray's Auto Store
453 Merchant St.
Beaver Valley Times
May 27, 1948

Gas and Electric Shop ad, 1933

My doing research on Ambridge history sometimes feels to me like opening my plaid, metal lunchbox when I was a student at Divine Redeemer School, expecting to find the usual jumbo on white bread. And while the sandwich is there, I discover that my mom unexpectedly threw in a chocolate chip cookie! Such a nice surprise.

That's how I felt when I came across this ad from the May 12, 1933, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for the Gas and Electric Shop, a store I hadn't previously known once had been in Ambridge. It's hard to read the locations at the bottom of the ad, but it lists an Ambridge store at 654 Merchant St.

What mom wouldn't want a Mothers Day gift of a new radio that will allow her to listen to police calls?!

Gas and Electric Shops ad
654 Merchant St.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
May 12, 1933

You can read the ad's small print better if you go to the newspaper by clicking on the link I've included in the text, and then enlarge the ad. Interesting reading.

Ambridge Christmas toy ads, 1960

Where in Ambridge did you see the toys that you put on your Christmas wish list? And which ones did Santa bring you?

And remember when aluminum Christmas trees were trendy? So modern!

Here are some of the Ambridge stores that sold toys during the Christmas season.

Toyland ad
Ambridge American Hardware
536 Merchant St.
Beaver County Times
December 20, 190

Christmas gifts ad
Big Bargain Barn
1025 Merchant St.
Beaver County Times
November 24, 1960

Christmas gifts ad
Central Drug Store
607 Merchant St.
Beaver County Times
December 8, 1960

Christmas gifts ad
G.C. Murphy
561 Merchant St.
Beaver County Times
November 24, 1960

Toy sale ad
Peoples Drug Store
Beaver County Times
December 8, 1960

Christmas toy ad
Sears
653-655 Merchant St.
Beaver County Times
December 1, 1960

Toyland ad
Sun Drug Store
625 Merchant St.
Beaver County Times
November 26, 1960

Toy City ad
Tile City
801 Merchant St.
Beaver County Times
December 14, 1960

Northern Lights, Christmas shopping season 1960

Northern Lights in Baden was packed with shoppers during 1960's Christmas shopping season. Even though the parking lot was huge, trying to find an open parking space could be hard.

A small part of the parking lot
Northern Lights Shoppers City
Beaver County Times
December 8, 1960.

Times caption:

BUSY PLACE AT CHRISTMAS -- Cars jam the big parking area at Northern Lights Shoppers City these days as Beaver County folks prepare for the Christmas season.

In December 1960, Northern Lights, which had opened its first stores just in time for Christmas shopping in 1956, had over 50 stores, many new to the area, including some that were part of popular chains. Stores, modern and bright, were open late every night. Parking was free, no meters to feed, and no parallel parking was required. Plus Santa arrived by helicopter! It's no surprise that Ambridge businesses were feeling the pressure.

Christmas shopping ad
Northern Lights Shoppers City
Beaver County Times
November 24, 1960

Now, the Northern Lights parking lot is mostly empty spaces and potholes. Many of the stores are vacant. The big Penney's building that was once its centerpiece is gone, and a road to a Walmart runs through where it used to be.

Ambridge memorabilia: Ambridge Savings & Trust Christmas card

Christmas card
Ambridge Savings & Trust Co.
1915

The Ambridge Savings & Trust Co. called itself "The Oldest Bank in Ambridge."  It was chartered in 1902 and started doing business in 1903, two years before Ambridge incorporated, on the northeast corner of 5th and Merchant Sts. in a three-story brick building said to be "the first building erected in Ambridge." In 1911, it built and moved into an elegant two-story limestone building next door.

Ambridge Savings & Trust Co. ad with 1911 building
Daily Times
August 28, 1916

According to notes left by the late Ambridge historian William (Bill) Bowan, Ambridge Savings & Trust later remodeled both the brick and limestone buildings into a single Ambridge Savings & Trust headquarters building.

At one time, Ambridge Savings & Trust reportedly had the largest deposits of any bank in Beaver County. Like many banks, it ran into financial trouble during the depression and reorganized in 1933. According to Bowan, it became The Economy Bank of Ambridge.

The beautiful stone building at the corner of 5th and Merchant Sts. that was home to Ambridge Savings & Trust and Economy Bank was razed in 1984; its location is now the drive-through of Wesbanco bank.

The above card is the same size as a typical postcard of that era, 3 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches. But it has a blank back. There's no stamp box, and no space designated for the mailing address, so I doubt if these cards were mailed as postcards.

I believe the double arcs in each corner may be marks from some kind of album mounting corners.

_____

In Feb. 2018, I was able to write more about the history of the Ambridge Savings and Trust Co. and its building, and provide some photos. Click here to read that Ambridge Memories Blog post. 

Christmas lights, Merchant St. 1960

This is the 500 block of Merchant Street at night in December, 1960, looking north towards 6th St.: a canopy of big, colorful Christmas lights, lighted wreaths with bells, brightly lit stores open for evening shopping, and parking spaces crowded with shoppers' cars.

Christmas lights
500 block of Merchant St.
Beaver County Times
December 8, 1960

Times caption:

AMBRIDGE AT NIGHT -- The Christmas spirit prevades (sic) downtown Ambridge this holiday season with the colorful lights spreading a warm glow over the community's business section.

On the left hand side of the photo, you can see the lighted sign for Fashion Hosiery, 551 Merchant. Beyond that, the store with the huge lighted window was G. C. Murphy, 561-565 Merchant. Further north, there's the S & S Shoes sign, 599 Merchant.

On the right, the sign with "JE" was Krauss Jewelers, 546 Merchant.

Ambridge memorabilia: Christmas music

I seem to recall that The Daily Citizen passed out these softcover books of Christmas music every year when I was growing up in the 1950s, and, for some reason, I really loved them. Same traditional Christmas carols every year, but I think they came with different colored covers. Did the Citizen change the color every year, or did they give out several different colors every year?

Christmas Music
The Daily Citizen
owned by Bob Mikush

Spang-Chalfant Veterans Memorial

Today is Veterans Day, so it seemed like an apt day to post this:

Spang-Chalfant Veterans Memorial
Beaver Valley Times
July 15, 1954

Original caption:

SPANG-CHALFANT MEMORIAL -- John Delai, left, and Lawrence McCandless, right, read the inscription on the new memorial bronze plaque erected in honor of employes of Spang-Chalfant Division of National Supply Company, Ambridge, who served in the U. S. Armed Forces.

According to the article that appeared with this photo, this memorial was a replacement for one that had been erected during WWII, but had deteriorated due to weather.

The new memorial, designed by two employees of Spang's industrial relations department, Lee Crane and William Cramer, was designed to withstand weather and be a "perpetual memorial." The bronze plaque was mounted on a wall 10 feet high and 8 feet wide built with 1,500 bricks, topped with a limestone slab, and resting on a concrete base.

The memorial plaque, minus its wall, is now in Ambridge's P.J. Caul Park on 11th and Merchant Sts.

Spang-Chalfant Veterans Memorial
P. J. Caul Park
March 22, 2014
credit: Nancy Knisley

The plaque's inscription reads:

SPANG

    This tablet is dedicated
    in sincere tribute to our employees
    both living and dead, who anwered
    the call of duty to serve in the armed forces
    of the United States.
    * * * * * * * * *
    Let us cherish the sacred memory of
    their struggle to preserve our American heritage, that government
    of the people, by the people,
    for the people shall not
    perish from the earth.

    Spang-Chalfant
    Division of the
    National Supply Company

Update November 12, 2015:

The wall that the plaque was on still stands on the property of the Ambridge Regional Distribution & Manufacturing Center. The photo below was provided by Debi Leopardi, Managing Director.

Spang-Chalfant Veterans Memorial Wall
Ambridge Regional Distribution and Manufacturing Center
November 12, 2015

Wrapping Christmas gifts at Sears, Northern Lights

Finding a Christmas season job wasn't easy during my college years at the end of the 1960s, not because jobs were scarce, but because I wasn't able to come home to Ambridge until shortly before Christmas Day. Most businesses that hired for the season tended to want employees who could work from before Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve.

So, when Sears at Northern Lights called in December while I was still at school and asked my mom to check with me to see if I'd be interested in working between the day I got home from school through Christmas Eve as a gift-wrapper, I said, "Sure!" Sounded like something I might even enjoy doing. And if I didn't, at least I'd be making a little money.

Wrapping Christmas gifts at Sears, which I did two Decembers in a row, turned out to be one of my favorite jobs ever.

At the time, Northern Lights, which had opened in 1956, was a busy, thriving place, crowded with shoppers, and despite its huge parking lot, finding an empty space often wasn't easy. Sears, a newly built addition to the center at its far northwest corner, where Giant Eagle is now, was only a few years old, having opened in October 1963.

Sears, Northern Lights,
Beaver County Times,
October 22, 1963

This Sears was much bigger and, not surprisingly, more modern than the old Ambridge store at 653-655 Merchant Street which had closed the week before the Northern Lights store opened.

The Ambridge store had carried appliances, sporting goods, tires and car accessories, paints and building materials, and tools--oh, and toys in Toy Town at Christmastime. Everything else had to be ordered from the Sears catalog, then picked up at the store when delivered. But the Northern Lights store was a complete department store, carrying everything the Ambridge store had, plus clothing including furs*, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics and perfume, candy, white goods (linens, towels, drapes), housewares, and furniture. And there was a snack bar.

Christmas ad, kids' winter outerwear
Sears Northern Lights
Beaver County Times
December 16, 1969

During my wrapping stints, the Northern Lights Sears still had a new store feel, all bright and shiny, but even more so decorated for the holiday season. Lights twinkled, ornaments sparkled, tinsel glittered. The store was bustling with shoppers eager to buy and staffed with employees eager to help them do that.

Christmas ad: electric organs, record players, and radios
Sears, Northern Lights
Beaver County Times
December 2, 1969

The small gift wrapping counter was set off from the shopping areas, near the customer service and credit departments if I'm remembering correctly. Even so, the store's cheery Christmas spirit flowed into our little out-of-the-way nook.

Depending on how busy the store was expected to be, I usually worked with one or two affable and energetic young women. We got along great and laughed a lot together. At one point, a manager came to the wrapping counter to try to recruit one of us to demonstrate a new waist-slimming product--a platform that rotated back and forth as you did the twist on it. The not-perfect gift for someone you loved, but maybe a buyer would think ahead to her New Years resolution to get in shape. One of my colleagues was delighted to be asked to perform for customers for a bit, and quickly volunteered.

Christmas ad, TVs
Sears Northern Lights
Beaver County Times
December 9, 1969

Sears offered customers free gift boxes and wrapping. The wrapping wasn't anything fancy. Customers got a box lined with tissue paper, a choice of papers, some ribbon, and a bow. Even with my minimal gift wrapping experience I could handle that without training, which hadn't been offered anyway. Really, the hardest part often was nicely folding the clothes and Christmas towels and cloth napkins before arranging them in the box. Or removing stubborn price tags.

We wrapped bracelets, blankets, blenders, babies' toys, and bubble bath. We wrapped record players, eight-track players, hair dyers, and electric shavers. Luckily, the bulkier items already came in a box, and no one asked us to wrap a car battery or a bike.

Christmas ad, automotive center
Sears Northern Lights
Beaver County Times
December 9, 1969

The customers were uniformly pleasant, chatting about their Christmas plans and the people the gifts were for, while patiently waiting for us to finish the wrapping. Who knew that gift wrapping could be such a social activity?

Most shoppers just wanted boxes, said thanks, and hurried on their way. But some, mostly men, were grateful to avail themselves of the wrapping, especially as Christmas got nearer. I believe many men would have happily paid to have their gifts wrapped. Free wrapping made them even jollier. And their apparently having stopped at a bar on their way to the store made them jollier still.

Christmas ad, women's clothing
Sears Northern Lights
Beaver County Times
December 2, 1969

Often the men would ask our opinion about what they'd bought. Was the robe appropriate for a woman in her 60s? Was the scarf trendy enough to satisfy a teen? Their sister was about our size, did we think a "medium" sweater would fit? Did we like the smell of Yardley's English Lavender?

Christmas ad: women's robes and hose
Sears Northern Lights
Beaver County Times
December 16, 1969

Some of the men would look mildly embarassed, others unabashedly naughty, when we opened their bags to find sheer black negligees and lacy lingerie. Others, I think, just wanted to see how we'd react, if we'd say anything about the sexy gifts. But we were gift wrapping professionals, and we didn't bat an eye.

Our late Christmas Eve customers were mostly men, relieved to have found something acceptable to give their kids, wife, parent, or girlfriend. And, yes, even the remaining wrapping paper we had would be fine.

Christmas ad, last minute gifts

Sears Northern Lights

Beaver County Times

December 22, 1969

On Christmas Eve, I was wistful as I stamped my time-card and turned it in for the last time, then stepped out into the cold, crisp night air to walk to the car where my mother was waiting to pick me up. I was looking forward to joining my family for their traditional Wiligia dinner, followed by Midnight Mass at Divine Redeemer Church. But I'd miss the joyful holiday bustle and the happy people who let us wrap their gifts.
_____

* Sears trivia: When the Northern Lights store opened in October 1963, the manager said that Sears sold more minks than any other store in the world.

Santa comes to Ambridge! 1959

"Santa Claus is coming to Ambridge"
ad
Beaver Valley Times
November 24, 1959

You could sometimes visit "Santas" who, let's be frank, were really "Santa's helpers" in Ambridge stores like J.C. Penney, Sears, or G.C. Murphy, but the real Santa always came to Ambridge and set up his headquarters right on Merchant Street. He'd arrive in Ambridge right after Thanksgiving, sometimes during a parade with a number of marching units, sometimes with a more modest escort as he did in 1959 when he was accompanied by the Ambridge High School band.

The Ambridge Chamber of Commerce would get very excited about Santa's stay in Ambridge. Although I have no idea why the Chamber's 1959 ad had quotation marks around "Santa" when they knew he was the real Santa.

"'Santa' Is Planning to Visit Ambridge"
Ambridge Chamber of Commerce ad
Beaver Valley Times
November 16, 1959

Some years Santa rode in on a firetruck due to "lack of snow" preventing him from riding in on his sleigh. If there had been snow...I guess the reason for the firetruck might have been "we had to clear the snow on Merchant Street for the marchers, so no sleigh." In some other years, Santa would ride on a parade float.

In 1959, Santa rode in on the truck pulling his official Santa Headquarters, a trailer donated by Twin Trailer Sales, at that time on the corner of Eighth Street and Latimer Avenue (later renamed Kennedy Drive.) In the photo of his arrival below, Santa is in front of Penn Sweet Shoppe, 501 Merchant Street. I believe the store to its right was Mark's Shoe Store at 503 Merchant.

"Santa's Here"
Beaver Valley Times
November 28, 1959

Original caption of above photo:

SANTA'S HERE - Old St. Nick came to Ambridge Friday afternoon, greeting the populace from atop a trailer which he used instead of his sleigh in the absence of snow. The jolly old fellow will talk to kiddies today from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. in his trailer parked in front of the Timney Store on Merchant Street. He also will be there throughout the holiday season.

"'santa' makes his headquarters in AMBRIDGE!"
ad
Beaver Valley Times
November 26, 1959

Look at all the Ambridge businesses sponsoring Santa's stay that are listed in the ad, just some of the many stores that lined Merchant Street in 1959. For the addresses of these stores, check out the Ambridge List of Lists page.

Here's some of the text in the ad (quirky capitalization included):

DON'T MISS SANTA'S ARRIVAL! Santa Claus will arrive in his sparkling trailer on Friday, November 27th in Ambridge, escorted by the Ambridge High School band! Santa will make his headquarters in his trailer on Merchant St. in Ambridge for the Christmas Shopping Season--Don't Miss him!

Even though Northern Lights Shopping Center had opened in November, 1956, Ambridge stores were still very busy in 1959, so busy that finding a parking space on Merchant and adjacent streets was difficult and sidewalks were crowded with shoppers.

A Memorial Day past

Memorial Day 1950
P.J. Caul Park
photo courtesy of Bob Mikush, used with permission

The above photo is from the Memorial Day 1950 ceremony at the dedication of the doughboy statue in Ambridge's P.J. Caul Park, located on the corner of Merchant and 11th Streets. While the back of the photo says "Memorial Day 1950," so far, I have found nothing that might support that identification except the inscription on the plate under the statue.

[Update May 30, 2016: Although at the time I wrote this post, I thought the ceremony might be the dedication of the doughboy statue, I was wrong. The doughboy statue was not new in 1950; it was dedicated on Memorial Day 1930 at its original location near the Ambridge-Aliquippa Bridge. You can see a photo of it at its first location and read about the 1930 dedication ceremony in the May 30, 2016, blog post "Ambridge's doughboy statue dedication, Memorial Day 1930." The original base also had a plate. Perhaps the ceremony shown in the photo above was for the dedication of the new bronze plate on the statue's base? Or was the ceremony perhaps related to the statue's move to the park?]

Bronze plate under the statue in P.J. Caul Park,
March 22, 2014

The complete inscription says:

For God and county, we associate yourselves together for the following purposes: to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a one hundred per cent Americanism; to preserve the memories and incidents of our association in the Great War; to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation; to combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses; to make right the master of might; to promote peace and good will on earth; to safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy; to consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.

Dedicated in memory of the departed ones by Canady Hull Post No. 341, the American Legion of Ambridge, Penna.

May 30, 1950

The white building in the upper left of the black and white photo is the A&P that was located between 11th and Sherman Streets. Behind it, you can see the top of the H.J. Heinz building on Sherman Street. The old National Electric factory that once ran from 11th to 14th Streets can be seen on the right hand side.

The photo below shows the statue in March, 2014.

Doughboy statue,
P.J. Caul Park,
March 22, 2014

You can still see the side of the old A&P building, now the Trinity School for Ministry, in the photo, to the right of the statue.

Merchant Street: 500 block, late 1960s?

500 block of Merchant Street, Ambridge
late 1960s?
photo courtesy of Betty Lazorisak, used with permission

The photo above shows the 500 block of Merchant Street looking north. The exact year of the photo is unknown, but the Mustang parked in front of Paul's Bakery puts it no earlier than the mid-1960s. The Christmas decorations on the light poles means the photo was taken before or just after Christmas.

The parking spaces are mostly filled, but there are only a few pedestrians in the photo, which seems odd for Ambridge at that time.

I couldn't see all of the businesses' signs in the photo, so I haven't been able to identify them all, but I see:

On the left, which is the west, odd numbered side of Merchant:

Paul's Bakery, 511 Merchant Street
Ambridge Army & Navy Store, 517 Merchant Street
Altmeyer's, 519-523 Merchant Street
Anderson's Candy, 529 Merchant Street
Georgann's Tots N' Teens, 537 Merchant Street
Fashion Hosiery, 551 Merchant Street
G.C. Murphy, 561-565 Merchant Streets

On the right, which is the east, even numbered side of Merchant:

Ambridge Savings and Loan, 506 Merchant Street
Davidson's, 510 Merchant Street
Town and Country Bar, 540 Merchant Street

For my ever-growing list of pre-1970 Ambridge businesses check my List of Lists.

The Anderson's Candy store

I have been a chocoholic for as long as I can remember, and for that, at least in part, I blame the Anderson's Candy store.

Anderson Candy ad,
The Daily Citizen Trade Area Directory,
1956

As a child growing up in Ambridge, I always thought the Easter-time windows at the Anderson Candy store at 529 Merchant Street had the most wondrous displays.

The windows were filled from front to back with homemade chocolate Easter candy: bunnies from small to enormous, eggs filled with a variety of goodness, chicks, and ducks. And for those who were more religiously-minded, but yet didn't think eating a chocolate cross was disrespectful, Anderson's had those too. Milk chocolate, white chocolate, and I seem to recall "pink chocolate"--not sure what that was. Was there usually a huge popcorn bunny too? I think there was.

Anderson's Homemade Candies ad,
Beaver Valley Times,
March 11, 1954

I always looked forward to finding some Anderson's candy in my Easter basket. Well, in truth, I looked forward to some Anderson's candy anywhere at anytime. Still do.

Eating Anderson's Easter candy was how I learned what fine chocolate tasted like, and it wasn't like that less-expensive, waxy, chocolate-flavored Easter candy from other stores. 

According to the Anderson's Candy website, the Ambridge store dates back to 1915 when Harry and Mary Anderson and their children worked not only making and selling candy, but also serving ice cream and fountain drinks. 

When Harry died in 1962, one of his sons, Harold, took over the business. Harold's widow, Goldie, has continued operating the business with her daughters and grandchildren. 

At one time, you could stop in and watch the candy-making at the Merchant Street store.

And back in 1953, Anderson's offered to mail candy "any place in the world." While you can still mail-order candy, the Anderson's shipping area now seems to be limited to the continental U.S.  Sorry, Alaska and Hawaii, my sympathies. And, look, currently, orders of $100 or more ships free! I know I wouldn't have any problem putting together a $100 order.

"The Home of Sweets"
Anderson's Candy ad,
Beaver Valley Times, October 3, 1953

The ad above also gives store locations on Franklin Avenue in Aliquippa and in Sewickley. I don't know when the Aliquippa and Sewickley stores closed, but in January, 1969*, Anderson's announced the opening of its second location--Anderson's Candyland--in Baden at 1010 State Street, not far from the Northern Lights Shopping Center. The Baden store became Anderson's main retail store. And, at the same time, most of the candymaking operations were moved to Baden.

"Now with 2 convenient locations"
Anderson's Candyland ad
Beaver County Times, January 31, 1969

Many of us who grew up in the area remember selling Anderson's chocolate bars as fundraisers for school groups, sports teams, and other organizations we belonged to. Selling Anderson's candy was easier than selling almost any other product.

Anderson's Home Made Candy store,
Merchant Street, Ambridge
March 30, 2014

I was delighted to see the Anderson's Candy store was still on Merchant Street when I visited Ambridge. Right now, the store is "closed for vacation." Since no formal announcement of the store's closing has been made, I am hoping that the closure is truly temporary and that the store will be reopened before my next visit. Anderson's Candy was one of the few long-time businesses left on Merchant Street, and if it closes permanently, I'll miss it. Going to the Baden store doesn't evoke the same memories that the Ambridge store does.
_____

* The Anderson's website says the Baden store was opened in 1964. I don't know why.

WMBA big bunny ad

WMBA ad,
Win a Big 6' Easter Bunny,
Beaver County Times,
March 31, 1965

In 1965, WMBA radio--1460 on your dial--held a contest for a "Big 6'" Easter Bunny. Could a six foot bunny not be "big"?

Ambridge Easter Egg Hunt

Ambridge Annual Easter Egg Hunt ad,
Daily Citizen, March 24, 1959

Ambridge once held annual Easter egg hunts at Ambridge Borough Park. I remember going once with my dad when I was quite young. I found only one cracked egg--real colored hard-boiled eggs were used. I was so very disappointed I almost cried, and I threw the cracked egg back where I'd found it. We never went again.

Northern Lights: Fintex Clothes

"This is Northern Lights Shoppers City, opening tomorrow for business,"
Beaver Valley Times, October 31, 1956

This post takes care of some unfinished business from last year.

On November 1, 2013, I posted a list of the first stores to open in the new, not-yet-completed "Northern Lights Shoppers City" on November 1, 1956. Later, a reader who had lived above, and worked at, Northern Lights, said she'd never heard of two stores on that list: The Farm & Garden Patch and Fintex Clothes.

I posted a blog article about The Farm & Garden Patch on December 21 and said I'd post about Fintex "later." This is that "later," although it's being written much "later" than I originally thought "later" would be.

While "Fintex" may sound more like a brand of non-stick surfaces for frying pans, it was a chain of men's clothing stores.* The photo of Northern Lights above shows Fintex--its the store with the dark sign. It appears to me to be in the center strip of the shopping center and to the left of Penney's.

Here's another, later, photo of Fintex that gives a closer view of the store:

Fintex Men's Clothing store,
Northern Lights Shoppers City,
Beaver Valley Times, June 12, 1957

Apparently, Fintex's display windows were a big deal. The text under the photo says:

Customers actually can browse at Fintex Clothing Store in Northern Lights Shoppers City with a feeling they are inside the store. The display windows have been designed in a U-shape, giving the store plenty of room to display its popular line of men's clothing.

Here's the Fintex ad announcing the opening of "the 5th Great Fintex Store in the Pittsburgh Area" in Northern Lights:

Fintex Clothes ad,
announcing opening of Northern Lights store,
Beaver Valley Times, October 31, 1956

A coat sale ad from December 1956:

Fintex Clothes coat sale ad,
Beaver Valley Times, December 14, 1956

An ad from June 1957, when more stores opened, and Northern Lights held its big Grand Opening celebration. An article in the Northern Lights Grand Opening advertising section of the Beaver Valley Times, "Suits, Topcoats Best at Fintex," focused on how busy the store was, drawing customers from a wide area.

Fintex ad,
Beaver Valley Times, June 12, 1957

A Fintex Christmas sale ad, December 1957:

Fintex Christmas gifts ad,
Beaver Valley Times, December 13, 1957

I haven't yet found out when the Northern Lights Fintex closed, but it was still open in November 1960:

Fintex "2-pant suits" ad,
Beaver County Times, November 3, 1960

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* Fintex of London is a very old company selling fine cloth for men's suiting that eventually expanded across the globe. Fintex stood for "fine texture."  I don't know for certain, but given the unusual name, the Northern Lights Fintex may have been affiliated with Fintex of London.