Dayhoff Westminster

Dayhoff Westminster
www.kevindayhoff.city Address: PO Box 124, Westminster MD 21158 410-259-6403 kevindayhoff@gmail.com

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Sweet memories still remain from Shaffer & Co. Variety Store



It was 50 years ago when the Shaffer & Co. Variety Store, a Westminster institution close to the hearts of many children in town, closed.

After our recent columns in The Eagle regarding the Westminster Post Office building at the corner of Main Street and Longwell Avenue, a number of readers have been in touch with questions.

Several asked about the two buildings that once stood to the east of the post office in what is now a parking lot.

Shaffer & Co. Variety Store

Eagle Archives By Kevin Dayhoff,
September 25, 2011

It was fifty years ago when the Shaffer & Co. Variety Store, a Westminster institution close to the hearts of many children in town, closed.

After the recent two-part series ran in the Eagle Archives on the Westminster Post Office building, at the corner of Main Street and Longwell Avenue, a number of readers were in touch with many questions.

Several asked about the two building that once stood to the east of the post office in what is now a parking lot.

A January 13, 1966 newspaper clipping provided by local historian George Welty, tells part of the story. “… the Stonesifer building (was) being demolished last week to make way for Post Office enlargement...”

A second picture was identified: “These two buildings located on East Main Street next to the Post Office were completely demolished last week… The store … located in the corner building will long be remembered as Schaffer’s store. Jessie Myers having done business there for many years.”



Post Office took shape through rain, sleet, bankruptcy, deaths
Eagle Archives

Kevin Dayhoff, September 3, 2011 | 6:44 p.m.

Last week we discussed the incarnations of the Westminster Post Office — but there are more stories to tell. In 1934, folks began to wonder if the "new" post office at the corner of Longwell Avenue and East Main Street would ever be finished.

Of course, the present post office is on Woodward Road, but here's the story of that classic 1934 office (now home to Kohn Publishing) in the downtown area:

"The old story that 'good things come to those who wait' is true, for travel where you will, a finer and more beautiful post office building will not be found…," according to an old newspaper clipping from Aug. 24, 1934.

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The two buildings in this photograph, the Stonesifer building and the Shaffer & Co. Variety Store, were torn down in the first week of January 1966 to make way for the expansion of the parking lot for the 1934 post office building at the corner of East Main Street and Longwell Avenue. Harry W. and Arline Myers Shaffer founded the business in 1911 as a general merchandise store. Arline’s brother Jesse later joined the business after WWI. When Mr. Shaffer died in 1941, his widow Arline and their daughter continued in the business along with Jesse Myers – who was later helped by his son, Howard Myers. The store closed in January 1961. Original photo by Kevin E. Dayhoff published by the Democratic Advocate Jan. 13, 1966.

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