Thursday, August 23, 2012

Peanut Store at 10th and State 1948 Erie, PA

-ad in Erie Dispatch, May 6, 1948.
The smell of hot, roasted nuts has wafted from the corner of Tenth and State Street in Erie, PA for over 60 years. Several generations of kids have seen the Planters Peanut mascot, Mr. Peanut, complete with a monocle, a top hat and a cane, pacing in front of the Baldwin Bldg (now the Renaissance Centre), advertising the store.

The Peanut Store moved to its new location in the spring of 1948. At that time peanuts in the shell sold for 42¢ a pound, or 2 pounds for 75¢.

At some point, the Peanut Store changed owners and became the Peanut Shop.

The Peanut Shop currently occupies the northwest corner of the first floor of the Renaissance Centre at 1001 State St. Annie Linebach has owned the Peanut Shop for more than thirty years. Her store is decorated with a number of old-time peanut items.

1 comment:

  1. In the late "40's, "Mr. Peanut" didn't just stroll. He passed out sample spoonfulls of peanuts. When we were about 10, my friends and I would make several passes.

    We also had a buttermilk-drinking contest at one of the 5-and10s -- maybe Murphys or Kresges (I think it was the predecessor of K-Mart). They had a "special" -- all you can drink for 10 cents (cone-shaped soda-fountain paper cups). I made it through 10, and lost. We then went to the YMCA lobby and just sat for a while.

    One of the 5-and-10s periodically had fast-talking promoters of new products. One that I remember was the "amazing pens that could write under water" -- the introduction of ballpoints.

    They also had a sheet music area, with a pianist to play your selection.

    ReplyDelete