Professor Hamilton's Diary: Feb.1, 1935

The family has a busy Friday; Pomeroy's dominated downtown Reading

Professor Hamilton wrote that he was “very tired” by the time he got home after eight o’clock tonight, and no wonder. He had taught classes at Albright College all day, taken the family grocery shopping downtown in the afternoon, picked up Gwennie’s repaired glasses at the doctor’s office, and then taught an extension class that night.

The professor said the family completed some other errands while downtown. I wonder if they went into Pomeroy’s Department Store, or at least looked in the showy display windows of the store, which dominated Penn Square. You can see the beige brick building, with its name spelled out in white letters on its roof, in this vintage postcard.

Pomeroy’s ads filled multiple pages in the Reading Times today, offering everything from clothing and furniture to groceries and eyeglasses. Paid subscribers can read on about the rise and fall of Reading’s leading department store.