It’s Easter Saturday, 1955, and Peter Cottontail is hopping mad trying to find Easter candy, flowers, and Easter bonnets.
In 1955 there was no Wal-Mart or Target. The Loyal Plaza hadn’t been constructed, and The Lycoming Mall wasn’t even a dream. {Ha, Ha, build stores in a cornfield 15 miles from town — what a silly dream.}
With his shopping list in paw, Peter will hop over to the place people from across Central Pennsylvania shop. Downtown Williamsport.
Before plazas, malls, and big-box stores, Downtown Williamsport was a shopping Mecca.
Downtown was a busy place with sidewalks filled with shoppers and storefronts filled with national and local stores with bargains everywhere.
Searching for spiced jellybeans and marshmallow chicks for Easter baskets? Those Easter favorites could be found at any of several drug stores downtown.
Woolworth’s popular candy counter was the place to go for a variety of sweets at low prices.
Over at Gardener’s Candy, chocolate rabbits made from milk or dark chocolate were on display with chocolate-covered eggs in such flavors as fruit and nut, peanut butter, and coconut cream.
When you walked into Gardener’s during Easter, the aroma was heavenly. Pastel-colored nonpareils, pectin jellybeans, and mallow cream bunnies filled huge jars, while the candy counter featured a wide variety of chocolates and creamy fudge.
Troisi’s was the spot for Dad to get a new suit for Easter church service. Young Land was the place for girls’ frilly dresses, colorful straw hats, and new Mary Jane shoes for the dapper-dressed toddler.
Coconut Cream pies and hot cross buns were the hot items at the tiny bakery near Court and Willow, while Easter cards, decorations, and gifts could be found a block away at Lucasi Display on the corner of Pine and West Fourth.
More Easter decorations could be found on Pine Street at S.S. Kresge, a place known for inexpensive items.
Fighting the crowds, trying to find a parking spot, and carrying purchases was tiring and lunchtime was a good way to recharge before hitting more stores.
Downtown Williamsport was home to many fine restaurants, bars, and grills and a few “greasy spoons” like Kelchner’s by The Capital Theater and Community Lunch on Market Street.
At one time, Downtown Williamsport was home to three movie theaters (Capital, Rialto, and State), two variety stores, and four department stores (Carroll House, JCPenney, L.L. Sterns, and Sears.) There were also several jewelry stores, beauty and barber shops, a florist to buy an orchid corsage for your mom, several banks, and gift shops.
Shoppers would also find Glick Shoes, Wilson’s, Harder Sporting Goods, The Big Red Note, The Pampered Pet, and every kid’s favorite place, Krim’s Toys. For the woman in need of a new Easter hat and dress, a few of the better stores included Worth’s, Brozman’s, and L.L. Sterns, where Mom could get everything from an elegant Easter dress, hat, gloves, and even a white fur coat.
Even the fixings for Easter dinner could be picked up at Don Waltman’s on Court Street or the beloved Market-House near the Bridge. No matter what your family needed for the Easter holiday, in the 1950s and 1960s, downtown was a “hopping” place to shop.
