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Old Chester, PA: Business

Recreation

 

Picture Business Name Location Owner/Operator Dates of Operation Comments:
  Armory Bowling Alley East 5th St.      

business_sports_birneys.jpg (33863 bytes)
Photo courtesy of Bill Webster, New York, NY

 Birney's Birch Beer & Pool Hall        
  Brownie's Pool Room        
  Ches-Penn Bowling Alley        
  Chester Recreation Center 9th St., across from Pep Boys Mr. Shyne

Other known employees:

Dave Gluck
Paul Crowther

   "I was a pin-setter, as were my two older brothers, in the Chester Recreation Center on ninth street across from Pep Boys. This was also A Greyhound bus depot. This was in the early to mid 50's. A Mr. Shyne was the owner,operator of the place."

Thanks to
Dave Gluck,
D2yo2solo2@cs.com 
  Esquire Billiard Academy 3rd & Thurlow ? Stress   "Converted the West End Bowling Alley at that location into a poolroom during the 60's. It became THE place to hang out in the late 60's to early 70's.

Stress also operated Stress' Hardward Store across the street"

David J. Hentosh, david.j.hentosh@lmco.com
  Fraternal Order of Eagles, (FOE) 7th & Deshong     "On the opposite corner from the Eagle Grille was the FOE, Fraternal Order of Eagles which was a very popular spot that had a pool table, 2 regulation shuffleboards and 2 duck pin bowling alleys.  My dad was very involved there and I spent a lot of time there with him, mom, brother & sis.  My brother and I grew up setting pins there till we moved on to the bigger lanes."

Thanks to L. Doyle, ldoyle@amergenenergy.com
  Great Leopard Skating Rink North side of Penn St. between 5th & 6th Jack Coopersmith
William Coopersmith		    
  Penn Recreation Center 5th & Penn St. ?
?
Bob Vandever		 c. September 1939 -  May 1964? "I used to work at the Penn Recreation Lanes at 5th and penn street. I believe the lanes closed for good in May 1964 because I was home on leave from the service at that time and remember that it was that time that you could remove any equipment that you had stored in the lockers. Penn rec hosted a tourn every year and the best bowlers in the world would show up every year to win the first price of $1000,00. The famous Budweiser team featuring Don Carter, Dick Weber, Tom Hennesey, Ray Bluth and Pat Paterson came every year and mayor Joe Eyre would be on hand for the event. At the same time another tournament was held at the west end bowling center and the first price there was also $1000.00. However ownership did change hands prior to 1964, maybe 1962 when Bob and his partner Benjamin got out of the business. Bob was a great boss to work for and he passed away in 1975."

Thanks to
Chesterkid@aol
  Royal Billiards W 7th St.   ? - 1939 - ? Visible in this picture of the grand opening of the "New" State Theatre, c. September 1939.
  Shorty's Pool Hall In basement near the State movie theatre (7th St.)     From "Pokey" rjr2142@hotmail.com
  West End Bowling Alley 3rd & Thurlow, NW corner     (See Esquire Billiard Academy above.)
  William Penn Bowling Alley 5th & Penn St., NE corner      

 

 

 

If you have any information and or pictures that you would like to contribute about any businesses in Chester, please forward it to john@oldchesterpa.com

© 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 John A. Bullock III.

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This page last updated 12/28/06