TOO FUNNY: During this week’s bout of water problems in
Bradford, we’ve been drinking bottled water. When we check out the
label, it identified the source: Erie County Municipal Water
Supply, Buffalo, N.Y. Oh, the irony.

MORE STORES: Brian Caswell of Bradford writes to tell us about a
“very special family business,” Nusbaum’s Grocers.

“The store was first on the corner of Mechanic and Washington
street. At that time, the customers could always count on their
groceries being delivered by horse and buggy. They later moved to
East Washington Street where the business continued for many years,
being operated by owner Al Nusbaum, a small, very friendly man.

“I remember, as a small boy, going into Nusbaum’s store. He’d
always give me penny candy and a Coke. He always had time for me.
He was a special man then, and still is today.

“Mr. Al Nusbaum is one of Bradford’s true historians. And his
business and Al will always hold a special spot in my heart.
Remembering the special people and places is a true memory
walk.”

A reader who has lived in the area for 84 years has a few
special places: “Whelan Drug store has not been mentioned, but a
few days ago, a reader wrote that CVS was on the corner of Main and
Pine – that is not right.”

“Whelan Drug store was on that corner, and before that, when I
was a young child, it was Thompson & Wood drug store.

“Whelan’s was very popular in the early ’40s (World War II
days). They had a busy lunch counter and soda fountain. A popular
gal at that counter was the late Virginia (“Gee Gee”) Zimbardi
Foltz. Her sundaes were the best, especially the Tubber.

“Marc Blair managed the store before he owned his own store.
John Paul was the pharmacist. Marie Bouchard Tominez (Francie
Long’s mom) managed the cosmetics counter. Sam Auerhiem had the
tobacco counter. Cigarettes sold for 16 cents a package, ,1.51 a
carton. They employed quite a few people plus those I’ve
mentioned.

“The back of the store opened to an alleyway. One end went out
onto Pine Street. The other end went to the store’s storeroom. That
storeroom is now the back dining room of the Downbeat Restaurant.
On the other side of the street on the corner was Park Cut Rate
Drug Store.”