Newberry's, 1966


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History of Freeland, Pa.
General stores, variety stores, department stores

What's on this page:
  • 20th-century general stores, variety stores, department stores, from memory and ads
  • General stores, variety stores, department stores listed in directories, 1900-1940
On related pages:


The photo of Newberry's at top left comes from Ed Merrick who took it in 1966.


Shown below is the very short and incomplete list that has been posted on this site for awhile. More to come - please send additions and corrections.

[Thanks to Pat Ferko Miller, Ed Merrick for additions and corrections.]

Flash Variety Shop Flash Variety Shop - Centre St., between Main and South Streets (see also The Treasure Shop, below)

Harry Zimmerman's new business, 1932 notice Freeland Dry Goods Store - Centre St., Nassan building - Having retired the previous year from his own variety store, Harry Zimmerman went back to work, taking over the Freeland Dry Goods Store in the Nassan building on Centre St. (1932 notice at left from Charlie Stumpf)

Fritz's store - (From Charlie Rudewick: Fritz's store was taken over by the Anthony family and at one time was a pet store then hobbies, and all kinds of other products.)

Gyp's, 1998 ad Klingel Variety Store ad, 1925 Gyp's - 1015 Dewey St. (1998 ad from Ed Merrick)

Klingel's - 632 Centre St. (previous site of Freeland Hall and Neuberger's; later site of Fairchild's and then Woodie's) - General store, "5c to $1.00 Store" - their 1925 ad included blankets, thread, talcum power, babies' rubber pants, scarves, cups and saucers, toilet tissue, candy (from Ed Merrick, 1925 ad)



Newberry's closing, 1985 J. J. Newberry's - 532 Centre St., later the site of Videomania (Mr. Murphey, manager in 1925; Irma Haraschak was the last store manager; Helen Popick also worked here for many years) - Clothing, toys, cosmetics, candy, household goods - Quality, Service, Courtesy (1924 ad, 1925 newspaper notice) - Ladies' rayon slips, white or pink, huge selection of styles, weekend sale special (1953 ad) - Ladies & misses wool gloves on sale, and free movie tickets to the first 200 customers to make a purchase of 50 cents or more (1958 ad) - Charlie Stumpf had made this note: "1913 J. J. Newberry Co. opened "five and dime" store on Centre Street. (store closed Dec. 31, 1985) after 72 yrs. Of service to community. Décor never changed much. Plain wooden floor. My favorite spot in store the candy counter. Sold by the pound, also pretzels and potato chips. Saved pennies for the post-Easter sale of jelly beans which went for five cents a pound."

Nocchi's Variety Store Nocchi's Variety Store - Centre & South Streets (Nicky Nocchi, proprietor; candy, sundries, and later a pharmacy) (From Barbara Nocchi Adomshick: His first business venture began in 1939 as Nicky Nocchi's hot dog store in a building which was owned at the time by Marchetti's on the east side of Centre Street between Luzerne and South Streets. It was here that five cent hot dogs, penny cigarettes, ice cream and onc-cent candy were the main fare. His second move was in the building formerly known as Nassan's. Because of his expanding business and his desire to have a larger store, he purchased his final location in 1951 at the corner of Centre and South Streets. A soda fountain, jewelry, cosmetics, children's clothing and cards were added as a few more offerings of the store. A Lucky Bucks Club was born in the mid-1950s. For each purchase, one was able to play a lucky bucks number and had a chance to win money. Everyone in the family at one point or another had the opportunity to work in the store.) (Please also see a special page on Nocchi's Variety Store.)

The Treasure Shop - Centre St., between Main and South Streets (From Mike Bobby: The former W.T. Grant store briefly became a junk/antique store known as "The Treasure Shop" sometime in the mid-1970s. I rarely remember this store being open and it was replaced a few years later by the Flash Variety store which thrived for at least 15 years.)

Will's Novelties, 1956 ad Will's Novelties - 348 Centre St. (1956 ad from Ed Merrick)

Koons Building, 623-625 Centre St. Charles Wolfe's 5 & 10 Store Wolfe's 5c and 10c Store - 625 Centre St., in the Koons building (Charles H. Wolfe, proprietor) For a while he and Walter Fairchild were in business together, and you see their names together on the store front here. Wolfe was a news dealer, sold postcards and candy, and I'm not sure what else. This photo at right is from John Zubach and shows Charles Wolfe's
5 & 10c Store in the Koons Building, which later contained Charlie
Coxe's Men's and Boys' Clothing Store. I have seen a copy labeled Harry Zimmerman's Store, but that's incorrect -- compare the detailing of the building under and alongside the window, and the fact that Harry's store was a 3 and 9 cents store, not a 5 and 10.  For a while Wolfe and Fairchild were in business together at this location, and you see their names on the awning on this postcard. See below in the directory lists for one of Wolfe's ad cards.

Zadra's, 1936 ad Zadra's - 413 Centre, later 401 Centre - Frank Zadra, Dry Goods at 413 Center in the 1921-1922 directory; Olive Zadra, Dry Goods at 401 Centre in the 1928-1929 directory, and in 1940 she is listed as selling Notions there rather than Dry Goods. Elizabeth Zadra was listed at 401 Centre as a music teacher in 1940. (1936 ad from Ed Merrick)

500 block of Centre St., 1920s Harry Zimmerman's 3 and 9 Cent Store, ad card Harry Zimmerman's 3 and 9 Cent Store - 513 and 515 Centre St. (Harry Zimmerman, proprietor) The 1920s photo at left from Charlie Gallagher shows the east side of the 500 block of Centre St., including a bit of Zimmerman's store an the left side of the photo. At right is an ad card that includes his photo and a summary of the kinds of goods he sold; it gives the old address number of 72 Centre St.

Zimmerman's Variety Store ad, 1924 Harry also sold ladies' clothing at his variety store (1924 ad at left). Charlie Stumpf had 3 Zimmerman items in his files. One was a copy of a 1931 Thank You ad announcing Mr. and Mrs. Harry Zimmerman's retirement and closing of their store after 25 years of being in business. Charlie also had a copy of Harry's father Adolph Zimmerman's burial announcement, which said that Adolph had died at his business place at the corner of Main and Washington streets (his grocery store at 700 Main St. is listed in the 1928-1929 directory). The third item was a 1932 announcement (at right) of a new business for Harry! Having retired the previous year, he must have missed the work, because he took over the Freeland Dry Goods Store in the Nassan building on Centre St. - Charlie Stumpf had made this note: "Harry Zimmerman went into business circa 1906. Zimmerman's Variety Store went out of business fall (Oct) 1931)."



General stores, variety stores, department stores listed in directories, 1900-1940

Amandus Oswald's Dry Goods and Groceries, 1901 ad Campbell's General Store, 1901 ad 1900-1901 city directory
In business listings:
Berner, J. C., groceries and dry goods, Centre
Campbell, T., dry goods and groceries, Centre
Curry, E. J., dry goods and groceries, 91 Centre
Gill, Daniel, dry goods and notions, Centre
Gross, D., clothing and general merchandise, Centre
Koons, H. C., general merchandise, Centre
Moses, Norris, dry goods, 131 Centre
Neuburger, Joseph, Estate of, dry goods, clothing, furniture and shoes, Centre
Oswald, A., general merchandise, Centre
Riebold, Henry, carpet weaving, dry goods, carpets, window shades, &c., Centre
Rudewick, Anthony, general merchandise, Birkbeck
Shigo, John, dry goods and steamship agent
Thomas, F., dry goods, 141 Centre
Thompson, Mrs. R., dressmaker and dry goods
Wenner, S. & Sons, groceries and dry goods, 125 Centre

Two ads at right above from the 1901 Freeland Tribune. Campbell's was at the SW corner of Centre and Main, also known as the Campbell building for years, until it became Dan Gallagher's lunch restraurant and was known as the Gallagher building; I knew it in the 1950s-1960s as Bertha's. Today it's Adam's antique store. Amandus Oswald's dry goods and grocery store was at the NW corner of Front and Centre; more images on the 19th-century General stores page.

1912 telephone directory
In general listings:
Edwards & Co, E J, Genl Store – Main, Drifton
Freeland Supply Co – 41 Centre
Hayne Frank, General Store – 169 S Centre
Oberrender W E, Genl Store – S Centre
Reese E C, General Store – Eckley
Shigo John, Dry Goods – Centre

Wolfe's 5c and 10c Store, in the old Koons building 1917 telephone directory
In general listings:
Barezofsky, Ben, dry goods, 312 Centre
Boyle, Con. J., Gen. Mdse., Walnut
Edwards, E. J. & Co., Gen. Store, Drifton
Fairchilds, W. H., Art & Variety, 627 N. Centre
Hayne, Frank, Gen. Store, Washington & Carbon
Newberry, J. J. & Co., 460 Centre
Oberrender, W. E., Gen. Store, 532 S. Centre
Reese, E. C., Gen. Store, Eckley
Shigo, John, dry goods, 322 Centre
Thomas, F., Gen Mdse, 329 Centre
Wolfe, Charles H., 5 & 10c Store, 623 Centre

The advertising card for Wolfe's 5c and 10c Store comes from Joe Moore and says "Anything and everything -- Nothing over 10 cents".

James J. Brobst Dry Goods Store James J. Brobst Dry Goods Store 1921-22 city directory
In business listings:
Barezofsky, Benjamin, Dry Goods, 312 Centre
Bereznack, John, Dry Goods, 246 Centre
Brobst, James J., Dry Goods, 445 Centre
Brueningsen Bros., General Store, 800 Birkbeck
Chazen, Harry, Dry Goods, 507 Centre
Gallagher, James M., General Store, 359 Centre
Gauz, Abraham, Dry Goods, 441 Centre
Hudack, George B., Dry Goods, 329 Centre
Johnson, James M., General Store, 1131 Birkbeck
Moss, Dora, Dry Goods, 627 Centre
Newberry, J. J. & Co., Five and Ten Cent Store, 532 Centre
Norris, James H., General Store, 701 Walnut
Oswald, A. & Son, General Store, 702 Centre
Sasso Department Store, 27-29 N. Wyoming, Hazleton
Shigo’s Department Store, also Dry Goods, 324 Centre
Wolf Supply Store, General Store, 801 Birkbeck
Wolfe, Charles H., Five and Ten Cent Store, 632 Centre
Zadra, Frank, Dry Goods, 413 Centre
Zimmerman, Harry, Variety Store, 513-515 Centre

These photos of James J. Brobst's Dry Goods Store came from John Zubach.

1928-29 city directory
In business listings:
Bereznak, John, General Stores, 246 Center
Bon Ton Department Store, 130-136 W. Broad, Hazleton
Boyle, Con. J., General Stores, 727 Walnut
Deisroth's, P., Sons, Department Store, 48 W. Broad, Hazleton
Gallagher, James M., General Merchandise, 359 Center
Goldberger, Rudolph J., Department Store, 627 Center
Hudack, George B., Dry Goods, 329 Center
Johnson, James M., General Stores, 1129 Birkbeck
Leader, The, Department Store, 41-43 W. Broad, Hazleton
Newberry, J. J., Co., Department Store, 532 Center
Newberry, J. J., Co., Five and Ten Cent Store, 532 Center
Norris, J. H. Estate, General Merchandise, 701 Walnut
Oleyar, Michael, Department Store, 427 Center
Oleyar, Michael, Dry Goods, 427 Center
Oswald, Amandus, General Merchandise, 702 Center
Swingles 5c to $1.00 Stores, Inc., Department Store, 632 Center

1940 city directory
In business listings:
Deisenroth's P. Sons, department store, 102 W. Broad, Hazleton, Pa.
Grant, W. T. Co., department store, 520 Centre
Newberry, J. J. Co., department store, 532 Centre
Oleyar, Michael Estate, department store, also dry goods, 427 Centre
Racusin, Myer H., department store, 521 Centre
Sears-Roebuck & Co., department store, 138 W. Broad, Hazleton, Pa.




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Site contructed by C. Tancin.
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frld-general-stores.html