MORE STORES: Our saga on Bradford stores continues:

Kristie Bentley of Virginia Beach, Va., writes: “Being
notoriously hard on rings, I was worried. My class ring had a
corner of the stone knocked off in the first two weeks I had it. So
understandably I was concerned that I would scratch my new star
sapphire ring that my grandparents gave me for graduation.”

“So one afternoon I sauntered in to see Buzz Cohen. As always,
his smiling face and cheery wave greeted me before I had even
opened the door. His melodious whistling was the third thing to
greet me. I told him of my concern for my new gift and as he held
out his hand he told me, ‘I’ve had this ring for 35 years and just
look at this stone.’

“He was wearing one of the largest star sapphires I have ever
seen. And nary a scratch on it. ‘Star sapphires are the next
hardest stone below diamonds,’ Buzz told me. My fears were laid to
rest.

“And yes, I remember his upstairs shop that was on the other
side of the street. I remember being quite young when I helped my
father pick out an anniversary gift for my mother.”

Also today we hear from Rhoda Silverberg of Bradford: “Since the
subject of former businesses has expanded beyond Main Street, I
would be remiss if I did not mention Silverberg Meats. My late
husband, Moe Silverberg, and I owned and operated the business for
16 years.”

“In the early ’50s, we opened a slaughterhouse and old-fashioned
meat market (sawdust on the floor) in Harrisburg Run. Later moved
to the corner of Pleasant and Summer Street to open a larger
grocery store and meat market. I am sure many of the people who
were students at School Street, Third Ward and Fourth Ward schools
remember stopping every day for ‘penny candy.’ After closing in
1970, I worked at The Era for 14 years.”

We also have an Era-related remark to make concerning our long
list of local stores. The newsroom has a clock that says “Budd
Jewelers for Diamonds” and still keeps perfect time. Needless to
say, it’s been here a very long time.