After 1836, when “The Cut” was created on Pennington Avenue to the rail ferry dock, the White Chapel Pool Hall building that was located on the northeast corner of Pennington Avenue and North Washington Street is said to have become the passenger and freight station, or at least a ticket office. On March 20, 1839, the 453-ton steamer “Susquehanna” under Captain William W. Virdin (1803-1871) began hauling trains across the Susquehanna River. The “Susquehanna,” and later the “Maryland,” did this until the first bridge over the Susquehanna River was built in 1866.

In February 1890, Harry W. Cooling opened his first barbershop on this northeast corner at Pennington Avenue alongside a pool hall (he moved to the Odd Fellows Building in 1913). A 1916 telephone directory lists this address as the business of Arthur Cloak, who operated a pool parlor and sold cigars. The White Chapel Pool Hall was also located here and appears on the 1921 Sanborn Map. A photo shows a group of men standing outside the White Chapel Pool Hall in the early 1940s and others show the deterioration of the pool hall. Reportedly, the tote boards from the White Chapel were stored in a shed of Jake Hecht’s behind Tawney’s Garage on North Adams Street (Tawney’s garage and The Hecht Hotel were adjoining properties at Green and North Adams Streets).

In 1916, there was an Eagle Hotel nearby owned by Joseph Hergenrother (1865-1917) at the northwest corner of St. John Street and Pennington Avenue and the hotel may have been part of the original White Chapel Building. By 1949 the original building, reaching east to St. John Street, was owned by Aloysius “Loach” and Dorothy Hergenrother (Aloysius being the son of Joseph Hergenrother). The Hergenrothers sold the old White Chapel building to Jacob Hecht (1914-1984) and his sister, Hannah Hecht (of the Hecht Hotel family) in 1949, who demolished it. In its place, they built three new stores that we see today.

The Dolly Mae Apparel Shop opened on the corner and remained in the clothing business for about 30 years from 1955 through the 1980s run by Ola “Mae” Dolce. Mae opened the shop the year after the death of her husband, Dr. Daniel D. Dolce (1913-1954), a WWII veteran with a Bronze Star. Their son, also Daniel Dolce, often helped her in the shop. Daniel moved to New York in 1973 and later became fashion director at May Department Stores. In 2007 he began his own brand, “Daniel Dolce Italy,” sold in nearly 300 stores across the country. Dorothy Churchman and Hazel Blevins also worked with Mae. Barbara Bradley recalls one time when the store held a fashion show in St. John’s Church hall—Barbara was one of the models. And Tandra Ridgley says her Mom still has some of the hats she bought there.

Beside the Dolly Mae shop was the American Loan Company (or American Finance Company). When American Loan closed, that store became Amanda’s Florist & Gifts in December 1987, begun by Amanda DiDomenico. On the south side of Amanda’s, the Video King had taken over the former Dolly Mae shop but was followed by the expansion of Amanda’s Florist into that property also. Amanda is the daughter of Albert and Jewell DiDomenico, who owned the popular Bayou Restaurant on Pulaski Highway from 1949 to 1982. Amanda’s Florist & Gifts celebrated its 30th anniversary in December 2017 but in the fall of 2021 Amanda retired and closed the shop. The other two stores built by the Hechts and included in this property are the former Robin Hood Café and Vincenti Decoys that both fronted on Pennington Avenue. After the Robin Hood bar closed a few years ago, Vincenti Decoys expanded into that space also.

County Records
Built 1955. 4164 sq ft, 2539 sq ft lot, retail store.