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As I approach another Chatter Box anniversary (14 years, I believe, next month), I am fortunate to have many folks who help make this column. This week, I had excellent reads from Bob “Hum” Rodgers and Bill Hoover. At first I was going to share both in the same column, but both were so enjoyable I thought I needed to give them equal attention.
So today, you’ll get Hum’s monthly installment of Seems Like Yesterday and next week, I’ll share Bill’s story (I’ll keep that topic a secret, so you come back to read!)
I’m thankful to share this space with contributors and I’m thankful for the readers who share their enjoyment. Thank you, always, for continuing to read.
Hello to all who read these articles and hopefully enjoy them. Just a few shoutouts: M&M, Jay Buchanan (Veterans Day Parade — don’t forget to go), Jim Hollenbaugh, Bob and Maxine Spickler, Donna and Larry Hope, Faye Peters, Stone Creek Hounds, Jim Bair, Dave Brindle, Larry Newton, Mike and Judy Lewis and Carolyn Shope. Thanks again to all readers!
I wish to acknowledge a faithful reader and one of my best friends: Dick Scialabba. He’s been a supporter of Huntingdon in various ways, still serves on various boards, faithful to his church and family and is still a PIAA official for track, football and volleyball. He told me he’ll retire at the end of volleyball season. He’s been my favorite “ref” for all of his 50+ years of service. Why would an 86-year-young ever retire? I will miss you, ref!
I’m attaching a photo of the store as I remember. There is also a good photo of my grandfather’s store from before my birth. Look how young and professionally dressed JC (as any called him) was.
The store was first owned and operated by Edgar Baker and second by Charlie Hess. Mr. Baker lived next door to the right of the gas pumps and Dr. Floyd ran his business upstairs to the right. Nothing really changed whenever Charlie Hess bought the property.
The first thing to notice are the gas pumps, one for regular grade and one for supreme, both Atlantic Richfield. On the porch of the store was a neat storage tank filled with kerosene. Back then, people called kerosene coal oil — try saying that two times in a row! The tank was equipped with a tooth and gear driven pump with a handle. You just turned the handle forward and the pump filled with kerosene, then turn the handle backwards to fill the vessel. Most people had a tin bucket that held one gallon.
The front door of the store also had a screen door with an advertising panel to push open, rather than damaging the screening. Once inside, to the right was a red soda machine. It was unique to me. Upon lifting the lid, you found a great selection of “pop,” namely 7-Up from Saxton Bottling Co. and Wible Bottling from Three Springs Bottling. This pop machine was made cold with circulated ice-cold water — the only one I’ve ever seen. Some of my favorite brands were 7-Up, Nehi flavors, cherry, grape, orange, Root Beer, Nichol Cola, nickel-size Coca-Cola and Sasparella and also Sundrop.
Next was a the counter featuring the cheese section covered by a glass dome. Our favorite was black-skinned extra sharp cheddar. Delicious! Next, I remember a huge cash register with push keys that rang the sale so you could view from both sides. For credit sales, both Edgar and Charlie kept a medium three-ring binder. Each creditor had his own page. Each charge was entered by pencil and tabulated with the old type adding machine: punch the keys and pull the lever. Dad paid his bill every Friday evening and was rewarded with four or five candy bars. Unfortunately, he would start a new charge every Friday evening, as well.
The candy was displayed in a glass case that sat adjacent to the cash register. It was full of penny candy. Licorice bears were my favorite . Does anyone remember Clark Bars, Sky Bars, Bolsters Zagnut and the usual Peppermint Patties, Hershey Bars, etc.?
Just above the candy, on the top shelf, was any item that could not be reached without help. That help was another unique item (at least to me). I don’t know the correct name, but two pinchers (grabbers) were used from a connection near the end of the pole. It was used to grab all the cereals and other tall items, especially Sky Flake Crackers.
On the end of the aisle was my beloved ice cream freezer and other cold items. Pensupreme Ice Cream was the dairy supplier — 39 cents for a half gallon. The way my mother served it to Dad and me was to open the entire carton, exposing the block of ice cream. She then took her butcher knife and cut it into two equal pieces. Dad got his one half in a longer, shallow bowl. For Dad, it was then smothered in Hershey’s chocolate syrup and allowed to sit until soft. The other half was split again and was given to me and my mom — not as exciting as Dad, but the ice cream was just as good.
Near the middle of the store ran a couple of long benches. It was there that a young boy could hear the latest news, arguments, weather, hunting and fishing stories galore and gossip. Some of the “old guys” were Charlie Hoover (owned the mill, see the third photo), Charlie Bigelow, Sammy Kyler, Jim Felton and always someone getting gasoline or dropping in from getting their mail across the road at the post office. I’ll mention my grandfather Jesse, who was there on the bench every day. Pap and Sammy Kyler were always planning their walk to the “run.” They would sit on opposite sides of the water, using bamboo fishing poles to see who caught the most and biggest fish.
Behind the bench was dry goods, boots (called arctics and rubbers to cover your shoes), barrels of salt fish or sauerkraut (seasonal) and special orders that had been shipped on the Huntingdon & Broad Top Railroad or trucked. I do remember Fred B. Bayer Co. delivered often.
Here is a great story, as told by Jim Schrom, my cousin who visited quite often. His family lived in York and visited Jim’s grandmother and grandfather, who lived next to the store, on a somewhat regular basis. I’ll quote Jim: “When I was about 12, I noticed someone had spilled gas while filling their car and there was a gas puddle about the size of a dollar bill adjacent to the gas pump. Fearing that someone would set the puddle on fire, I intentionally set it ablaze so I could control whatever small fire there may be. That plan quickly ‘went up in smoke’ when the fire quickly spread to the actual gas pump. Luckily a passing trucker stopped and used his fire extinguisher to douse the flames.
Not surprisingly, the store’s owner was enraged and banned me from the store ‘forever.’ Actually, the ban probably lasted a day or so after my parents learned of the near disaster and escorted me back to the store to apologize and promise never to do such a stupid thing again.” Thanks, Jim. I’m still laughing.
Some things about my playmates: sled riding down the hill, walking up the hill and seeking warmth in the store. One prank from a friend was telling me to put my wet lips on the metal front of my sled. This produced me walking into the store carrying my sled and stuck lips to stand in front of my peers and wait to get unstuck. Sometimes we “kids” would play basketball along the railroad, sometimes it would be baseball behind the post office where the infamous incident occurred whenever Duke Brindle called me “fatso.” I addressed that insult with a 36-inch Louisville slugger across the bridge of his nose. He lived!
Sometimes we boys played tackle football on the yard between the store and my pap’s house. I remember Gary and Jerry Snare, Eddie and Lenny Hammers, Larry Brindle, Jim and John Brindle, Fred Bunn, Sam McBride, Duke Brindle and one time Ronnie Dean showed up to play. He’s now deceased. We gave him the ball nearly every play and by the game’s end, he looked as if he were dead and promised us he’d never play again. We all got our pop and headed home from the store.
For all of us who had bicycles, during game breaks we would ride the five mile drive to Schell’s Bridge (fourth photo) to skinny dip or skivy dip. Many would jump off the bridge into the deepest part of the river. For your’s truly, it was a hang and drop procedure. The trek to the store to get a cold pop was our motivation. Once refreshed, we resumed our games. I only mention guys because we only had one girl in Aitch, Jean Lynn.
As you can see, the store was the center of our lives — gas, food, supplies, the bench, the pop. We loved everything about it, and now it’s gone forever.
In closing, I must mention the loss of a great friend and classmate, Jim Kalos. At the funeral home, I met all of his family. They were wonderful to me, knowing that Jim and I had been friends for 60 plus years. He was friends with everyone; I think that because he knew God had blessed him in full measure. I’ll miss him.
Our October story will continue on down the street beyond the railroad tracks.
We’ll be starting our podcast at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22. Go to The Huntingdon Channel on Facebook and look for Hum Rodgers and Friends.
P.S: Shout out to Donnie Heffner, another reader. Thank you!
P.S.S.: Here is something from God’s word to help those during these troubled times. Psalm 90 says, “the days of our years are three score years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years.” Verse 12 tells us to number our days. PS 92 verse 14 tells us that we are to bring forth fruit in our old age.
Dear readers, do not sit and fret that you are 70 or 80 years old or beyond that age. We are told to produce fruit even at an advanced age to please God. Keep active, help others (many have great needs), be kind, volunteer. You won’t think about age when you’re serving others and the master.
God loves you and so do I.
Do you have something to chatter about? Email Becky at bweikert@huntingdondailynews.com, call her at 643-4040, ext. 159, or find her on Facebook.
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A shower is possible early. Partly cloudy skies early will become overcast later during the night. Low 53F. Winds light and variable.
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