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| Rebman's old sign still remains on S. Queen. |
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| Rebman's store on South Queen St. in Lancaster, PA. |
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| The "Moon Room" in black and white .... |
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| ... and in color. |
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| The first store at King and Water Streets in Lancaster. |
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| How the property looks today as a pawn shop. |
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| The store as it looked on S. Queen St. when it was first built. |
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| The fleet of Rebman's carnival trucks in front of the store. |
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| The store on Columbia Ave is now a strip mall. |
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| Interesting BINGO card I found featuring Rebman's advertisement on the bottom of it. |
Rebman's small store behind state liquor store @ Wheatland shop ctr. Open.
ReplyDeleteI'm writing from Atlanta, Georgia and have never been to your area, but love this wonderful blog post! You see, I'm researching my ancestor, Simon Rebman, and his family and suspect that this immigrant grandfather of mine, who I also suspect (but haven't proven) was fleeing the unrest of the Napoleonic Wars in 1806...possibly attempting to prevent his sons from being conscripted into Napolean's army, was quite likely the patriarch of the guys who started these stores, which impacted so many people here in the United States. I'm looking now for the ties, but meanwhile thought I would say hello. I'm a writer also, and posts such as this one, you should know, keep your town and your time alive for always! Thanks for this! Laura Armstrong.
ReplyDeleteLaura, Thank you so much for your comment. I have been writing my blog for 9 years now. That's quite a few stories! But, I have more to tell. I'll see if I can dig up anything else on the Rebman family. Bobbie was perhaps one of my best friends in college. He married after college, his wife divorced him, and shortly he died ... of a broken heart! It really does happen!!
DeleteI am Bobby’s great niece. In the center of the store on queen street there were offices. He would mark our height whenever we went in to see them He was such a happy man!
DeleteThat's a great blog. I was looking for more info about Rebmans and here you go... tha I you
ReplyDeleteAs a kid are family would go to Redmans on QueenSt every Christmas for the moon room part of life growing up. All I have now is good memories of the place
ReplyDeleteI remember the moon room. I really miss those times.
ReplyDeleteI am a stepdaughter to one of Earl Sr.’s sons, Donald. Don owned the store on Columbia Ave in Lancaster, Pa as it was past down to him in the, I believe, the late 1980’s. I worked there for a time as well with 2 of my stepbrother’s. Fond but demanding memories of making pre-made Easter Baskets for sale, stringing 100 lights per foot on Christmas Trees for the Moon Room and excepting/giving $2.00 bills at the cash register.
ReplyDeleteWith failing health, my Step-father past “the torch” to his youngest brother Earl in which the Rebman Store did not flourish as it could not compete with the digital age. I am saddened that this article left out some important key details/ players as my Stepfather was very proud to be a Rebman. He was proud of the Store. He truly loved bringing Joy to others. It was not only the Store but also his involvement with local Carnivals. Providing Dime Toss games and number wheels, just to name a few. This meant that regular folks that didn’t have a lot of money to spend, could still enjoy and take their children to a Carnival. Donald Rebman was the kindest most generous person I have ever met , other than my own Mother, of course.
The 1775 Columbia Ave. Store belonged to Donald and Earl Jr. Nothing was "handed down"- the brothers had to purchase the business from their late father's second wife Esther.Donald ran the Columbia Ave Store, Earl Jr. ran the South Queen St Store. Bobby did not die of a broken heart,he had a heart attack. The div orce was mutual.
ReplyDeleteNo "torch was passed" to Earl,Jr. He was the last surviving son of the founder of the company,his father,Earl,Sr.
ReplyDeleteUnless you have immediate family knowledge and history, you do not have all the facts, and these untruths need to be corrected for the record.
Nothing was ever "given" or "passed down" to ANY of Earl,Sr's. sons. It all went to the 2nd Mrs.Earl Rebman,Sr..
Earl, Jr. was also very proud of the business he spent his entire working life growing until it's closing. Rebman's Store could not compete with big box store pricing, and thus, after almost 100 years, the doors closed and it was the end of an era.