Pottsville Pennsylvania was a travel destination for us in the sixties. That's where my mother and her family lived for a few generations. My grandparents, Grammy and Pappy, aka Alice Dimmerling and Paul Schuettler, raised 4 children in two difference houses located on the same street.
Laurel Street as I remember it, was a "boulevard" in those days, wider than most streets in that town, with exception of center city. The street was on a hill west of the city and within walking distance to schools, churches, taverns and ma and pa grocery stores. One of those stores was owned by my Pappy.
Ownership came to Pappy Schuettler after my great grandfather, August, died in 1952. This is when Pappy moved the family from 509 Laurel St. to 504 Laurel St. The store occupied the front of the 3 story row home, complete with its glass-front store window, embossed with A. Schuettler & Sons, and welcoming wide steps leading to the double-door entrance. The family entrance was an unassuming door on the right.
This grocery store was more of an olden day Quik Shoppe. It had convenience items but no fresh vegetables or meats. And it had penny candy! The candy resided in an oversized oak case with a curved glass front so as not to miss any of the many varieties offered. I can remember my favorites like watermelon slices, coconut slices, root beer barrels and Mary Janes. There was also red and black licorice, straws filled with flavored powder, fireballs, shoestring licorice, candy cigarettes, gumdrops and tootsie rolls. On the high end, and for a bit more than a penny, you could get peppermint patties, pretzel rods, chocolate bars and candy necklaces. A nickel or a dime would get you an eight ounce brown bag full of fun to share with friends.
Since my grandfather worked as a "baker man" for Capital Bakery, delivering to homes in the Pottsville area, the store was tended by my Uncle Frank, youngest of the Schuettler kids but already in his twenties. During our summer visits "up home", my brother and I had the distinct pleasure of helping out in the store. We were in charge of the penny candy case, filling those little bags full of candy for the neighborhood kids (and a few parents) for an afternoon.
My uncle also ordered novelties to sell in the summer, such as kites, pop caps, balloons, yoyos, coloring books to name a few. We had a chance to earn some of these as pay for a "hard days work" at the candy case. We learned many life skills working behind that case.
In the evening before bedtime, Grammy would treat us to a soft drink and pretzel rod or a Dixie cup of ice cream. I can still taste that wooden spoon attached to the ice cream cup lid. My brother and I made that treat last as long as possible. My favorite thing to do was pour soda into the Dixie cup to make a float or dip my pretzel rod into the soda to watch the salt react with the carbonation, then eat the flavored stick.
It's these memories I can recall in a split second as if they happened yesterday...and for that I'm thankful.
Footnote:
Fast-forward 2 years from the writing of this blog entry. I never published this piece when it was written in August of 2021, and now I don't recall why. But, in that lapse of time I found a new (but still old) online gaming hobby...making videos of my gaming experience and posting to my YouTube channel.
I mention this briefly here because I recreated my memory's version of Pappy's store (and the house my grandparent's lived in behind it) while playing a game called House Flipper. I'll let you do the research on the game using this link:House Flipper-Frozen District
You can watch my YouTube video of Pappy's Store here: Pappy's Store
