Meet Under the Clock at the Boston Store

Old Time Erie photo of the Boston Store by John E. Baker, used with permission.

I'll meet you under the clock at noon. If you grew up in Erie, PA, you know the exact location of "The Clock." The clock was on the main floor of the Boston Store at 718 State Street. The ultimate retail shopping experience. A place where you could go with your mom or grandma. A place where you could meet your friends for a quick bite to eat. You could take the escalator to the mezzanine and watch all the people scurrying about on the main floor. 

The incredible photo shown above was taken by former Boston Store employee John E. Baker around 1961, looking east toward State Street. The Boston Store had multiple entrances, and when it was raining or snowing people often cut through the store to get to the opposite street. The main floor had a high ceiling with incandescent lighting, which is captured in the picture of the store. The pillars were identified by letter, starting with "A" near the State Street entrance. Each department had a sales person and a cash register.

The Boston Store is on the National Register of Historic Places.

What do you remember about the Boston Store? If you would like to leave a comment, click on the title of the post above. You can then type your comment into the white box near the end of the article. Can't wait to read your memories!

Here's an old Boston Store shopping bag: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2013/02/shopping-my-closet-boston-store-bag.html

Reminisce about Downtown Erie at: oldtimeerie.blogspot.com

6th and French St Savelli's Tavern Erie PA

East 6th and French St., Erie, PA. Photo by Chester Wasielewski, ©Debbi Lyon 2012.

Philip A. Becker constructed this building on the northwest corner of Sixth and French Street in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1872, a year before he served as the president of the Erie City Select Council. Erie Insurance occupies this corner today. The old building had a unique Mansard roof with porthole windows.

Savelli's Tavern was located on the first floor of the Becker building in the sixties. The Crazy Horse Saloon was located there in the late seventies/early eighties. The building was demolished in 1982. None of the buildings shown in this photo still stand today. Erie Insurance preserved four of the cast iron columns from the Becker building. They stand outside the French Street entrance to the company.

Perry Square is located on the left side of this picture, just out of view. This is a site you would have seen when you left the Erie Public Library on South Park Row.

Philip A. Becker served as Mayor of Erie from 1883 to 1884. He was born in Germany in 1835 and was the son of Jacob and Mary Bierle Becker. Philip operated a grocery store in the building shown above, with his sons Emil and Otto Becker.

Here's a picture of the Becker building with the top stories missing:
http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/10/crazy-horse-saloon-6th-and-french-erie.html

And a different shot of the southern end of this block:
http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/09/french-street-from-5th-to-6th-before.html