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The area has always been home to a variety of businesses ...
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PALMERTON
Most of the area businesses are located in Palmerton. The early businesses in Palmerton established themselves along Delaware Avenue. The street boasted hotels that offered rooms for rent, meals, and a place for zinc company workers to end their day with "liquid" refreshments and relaxed companionship. Within the first block, the Waldorf, the Bassler, the Snyder, and the Palmerton Hotels were doing a thriving business. Today, the Waldorf Hotel is the home of Dynamite Woodworking, the Bassler Hotel is home to a medical group, the Snyder Hotel has been replaced by Spillains Variety Store, and the Palmerton Hotel is still in operation.
Another business in town, Beers Variety Store, lived up to its name because they sold a great variety of items from embroidery floss, sewing supplies, and hundreds of household items to candy and ice cream. The Beers Variety Store no longer exists. However, today, the saying goes … "If Shea's Hardware, at 266 Delaware Avenue, doesn't have what you want, it isn't to be had."
Among today's businesses, you'll find that Hager's Furniture Store at 242-48 Delaware has been serving the area since 1957. Farther down the street, The Palmerton Frame and Gallery, at 468 Delaware, offers art work for sale and custom framing. Each month the works of a popular artist are featured. Restaurants, apparel shops, jewelry shops, flower shops, pet grooming, grocery stores, and a spa, are just a few shopping opportunities that make down-town Palmerton a viable and attractive place to shop.
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BOWMANSTOWN
Historically, many of the businesses in Bowmanstown offered employment and services connected with the need for workers in the paint industry. In 1879, Henry Bowman started the paint manufacturing business which grew into the Prince Manufacturing Company. The company continued the manufacture of paint until recently when it went out of business.
Other businesses included small grocery stores that dealt in general merchandise rather than in specialty items. However, with the advent of shopping malls in the area, these small stores are no longer in existence.
Today, Bowmanstown's "claim to fame" located on the former site of a thriving blacksmith shop, is the famous Bowmanstown Diner, which is one of the remaining few "genuine" diners still in operation.
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TOWAMENSING AND LOWER TOWAMENSING TOWNSHIPS
Historically, Towamensing and Lower Towamensing Townships were primarily rural in nature. Therefore, a few scattered stores throughout the countryside carried goods that might not be readily available on the farm.
The stores, which grew up in the villages, also served as the post offices, and sometimes included hotel facilities where the farmers could meet and shop for goods. In more recent years, as the farms gave way to single family homes, the demand for larger and more conveniently located shopping facilities increased.
One of the out-standing stores located in Towamensing Township, is The Country Junction which advertises as "The World's Largest General Store." On October 3, 2006, the store caught on fire and suffered $15 million in losses. Despite this tragedy, the store never closed. Operating out of a tent, the store was open to the public every day. Recently, ground has been broken for the building of a new facility. The location will be in the village of Forest Inn along Route 209.
The major industry in Lower Towamensing Township is the Blue Mountain Ski Area.
Although the business scene has changed in many respects, the friendly and attractive shopping atmosphere of the area still exists.
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For additional information about the sites on the Photo Tour, return to the main page and click the various links, or call 610-824-6954, or Email: contactus@palmertonhistorical.org.
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