The "Vic The Pretzel Man" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reviewing all the comments I had solicited on the FaceBook page "The Lancastrian."  My story today is about a guy who sold pretzels way back when in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  

Vic holding his signature soft-pretzel.

Many folks in cities and towns all over the world have memories of as well as stories to tell about vendors who walked the streets or had a small stand along a street in their city or town.  My fellow had a name of Vic who stood along the street in the center of the city selling soft pretzels from an old braided market basket that stood on a collapsible stand.  My dad would often walk with me from his business at the corner of North Mulberry and West King Street to the square to buy a bag or two of soft pretzels.  But .... that's as much as I can remember .... so I posed a question to the readers of "The Lancastrian" which read:  Once again I am asking for your help for a story I am writing. What can you tell me about "Vic" the pretzel man who sold soft pretzels on the square in downtown Lancaster.

Vic selling his pretzels in front of the Fulton Bank.

I know that his last name was Rittenhouse, but I don't remember too much more than that. I do remember going with my dad to buy pretzels from him, but I draw a blank on most other things. What years did he sell his pretzels. Where did he usually stand on the square? Help!!  Well, wasn't long before I had plenty of help about the pretzelman known as Vic.  Seems Vic is related to just about everyone in Lancaster, or at least to everyone in Lancaster who responded to my call for help.  Following are several of the comments which in some cases I have edited:  

• Cathey - That soft pretzel man was my great uncle Vic Rittenhouse :)
• Tom -  That's Vic Rittenhouse, my great uncle.
• Carol - Victor Rittenhouse was my husband's uncle. He sold the pretzels on Penn Square in front of the Fulton Bank.  In fact we have the stand where he sat his basket of pretzels. We had him for dinner many times along with his sister, Erma, my husband's mother.
• Harley - This is my grandmother's Uncle. I never had the pleasure of meeting him, so thank you for posting this!
• Ronald - That was my grandfathers pretzel business.
• Lisa -  Yep....he was my great uncle. He stood outside of the Fulton Bank.
• Laurali - I remember him well, always there, Lancaster Icon!
• Monica - The square was different back in the 60’s - the street corners were more squared off and not nearly as wide as they are now. His pretzels were 3 for a quarter or 10 cents a piece in the 60’s. He sold from a woven basket with handles. I think it was one of the King/Queen St corners closest to Woolworths.
• Fred - He sold his pretzels in front of the Delmonico Cafe. It was located in the Northeast corner of Penn Square between the Fulton Bank and the White Cross.
• Bonnie - I remember it too. The Delmonico hotel was called "The palace of lonely hearts" as some people called it. I would say he was there in the early 60's.
• Keith - His son (also Victor Rittenhouse) is a friend of mine...I’ll see what I can find out...
• Carol - Vic, the pretzel man, was never married and had no children. He had a nephew that was named Victor. Vic, the pretzel man, was my husband's uncle.
• Stanley - As Rector at St. James 1978-1994, I remember we had members with the Rittenhouse name. I am not certain, but I believe the pretzel man was a brother of Mr. Rittenhouse.
• Janet - In 1979 I remember him laughing at my mom when the wind knocked her to the side walk, as we crossed the street. He helped me lift her up. But we couldn't stop laughing because it was so windy out. We had just moved here from NYC and always saw him in front of Woolworth store selling pretzels, nice man in my book.
• Jean - Often shopped for clothes at Adler's when I was in my teens & then would buy soft pretzels from the guy at the square - don't remember his name!  That was almost 60 years ago.
• Karen - I will be 67 this summer, and every time I purchase a pretzel I compare it to those, and never have I found one as good. Yesterday, at the Mud Sale in Bart, the Amish had yummy pretzels and I would say they were the very best for the pretzels they were. But they would not make a childhood memory like the one's in Lancaster, we would go in on the bus on Saturday's for the soft pretzels and a movie.
• Patti -  My mother and grandmother knew him.  They always said that was when downtown was great;  shopping the stores and people selling their things, plus the parades that were great.
• Fred - He was one of the regulars at my parents place, the Lauzus Hotel, where he would come in after the day downtown.
• Deborah - Friday evenings my parents would take us into the city and looked forward to the soft pretzels. Always on the square in front of the bank!
• Janis - I am 66 and I remember those pretzels VIVIDLY! I had no idea so many others did too. There will never be another pretzel like it. In my dreams!
• Bonnie -  He lived at 536 West King Street in the basement with another man named William who was a painter.  They were always quiet and respectful when we spoke.
• Jerry -  I remember Vic well! In the 80's, I used to take him home in my taxi when he was done for the day. He would always give us drivers his leftover pretzels. He lived on Manor St. then.  I think they were Mummaw's pretzels from their bakery on 4th St.

So, as you can see Vic was an icon on the streets of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I wonder if he knew all those who said he was a relative; or perhaps all who said they were related to Vic might possibly be part of the same family.  I do have one more response that came with a photo attached to it.  It reads:

• Cathey -  Vic Rittenhouse when he was in the service (the soft-pretzel man).
  

Lancaster is well known for many things and now you can add best soft-pretzel man to the list.  I know I certainly loved them!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

PS - After posting this story I saw a few more very interesting comments about Vic.  I have added the new replies to the others that are in the original story. Best to do that for the sake of history.