 In the Lancaster City of yesteryear, there were numerous Mom and Pop shops in every neighborhood. The corner grocer was a familiar, trusted person in the community where parents would send their children to pick up a few items and students could stop by for a piece of candy on their way home from school. Although only a few active businesses remain, it is easy for even a casual observer to find clues that identify where others once stood -- like this one pictured at 326 East Frederick Street (corner of Park Ave). Harry Sobel, Grocer Harry Sobel was born in Russia. He resided in Lancaster City for 55 years -- he left Mount Joy in December 1900 where conducted a jewelry and clothing store. For 25 years he operated a grocery store at his home on the corner of East Frederick Street and Park Ave. When he retired, his son Lester continued with the business. He was a member of Degel Israel Congregation and Independent Order of Odd Fellows IOOF. In the early 1900s, a time when travel was newsworthy, Harry Sobel sent two first-class tickets to his mother and sister in Germany. A few years later, he took his son Lester to New York City in 1908, perhaps to visit his sister and see the Big Apple. I found two interesting advertisements for Harry Sobel's grocery: The first, for the season of Lent on March 7, 1935 the Missionary Federation of Lancaster teamed with El Capitan Coffee to provide coffee for their Annual Day of Prayer luncheon at First Reformed Church. The second, a September 8, 1927 ad announcing the arrival of another 50 car trainload of Worcester Salt destined for Lancaster grocers, including Harry Sobel. The latter will provide a springboard for further research into Lancaster's grocers. Sadly, I learned that on April 1, 1936, at the age of 76, he attempted suicide by slashing his throat with a pocket knife. The five inch gash that severed his jugular vein left him in critical condition, but he recovered and returned home ten days later. I don't know what the next decade looked like for Mr. Sobel. On August 24, 1955, 17 years after his retirement and at the age of 87, he passed away at home after a brief illness. His wife Katie F. Miller Sobel, was born in Russia, but resided in Lancaster for most of her life. She was a member of Degel Israel Synagogue and the Ladies Hebrew Charity Society. She assisted her husband in the operation of the grocery at their home for 25 years. On July 20, 1944, Mrs Sobel was honored at a surprise birthday party that made local news. She passed away October 20, 1955 only a few months after her husband Harry at the age of 78. Over the years, there were numerous postings in the classified section of our local newspaper. I clipped a few to show how much prices have changed: 1929 - 7 room brick house and summer kitchen, all improvements including a white enamel gas range for sale $4,200; 1933 - 7 rooms with a bath, conveniences and near trolley $19 monthly rent; 1965 - 3 bedrooms all conveniences $50 monthly rent; 1979 - could buy you many possibilities with a corner retail location and rental above for sale $27,900. In fact, in March 1935, demand was so high for rentals that the local newspaper touted Sobel's effective want-ad as a reason to encourage more people to place an ad for their rentals.
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