Treasure Shop, Jim Thorpe, PA

04/08/2026

Removing the Cornerstone of the Dimmick Memorial Library 7/8/1989.
From left to Right - Jean Zellers (librarian), Bill Mullen, W. Scott Stoner (grand master), Harold Queen (library trustee), Thomas E. McBride (library trustee). Front Center - Anna Moore (library trustee).

04/08/2026

Going through my dad's files, found these pictures of the fire at the Library - January 1980. What a great job by the fire dept to not only save the front of the library but the adjacent buildings too!

03/21/2026

Since I was 12, I worked alongside my dad at The Treasure Shop. He & my mom purchased & restored the building in 1982. Even after he bought the jail & I purchase the shop, he always loved to come decorate his building. Every season, until he couldn't go up the stairs, he would come change the decor & lights in the upstairs windows. He would stand on a ladder outside until his mid-80s decorating for Christmas - despite my objections. The minute I wasn't paying attention to him, he'd sneak the ladder out the side door. I remember one December, dad was on the ladder decorating the pole when my mom drove past. She stopped, rolled the window down & yelled "if you fall off that ladder & break a hip, I'm not visiting you in the nursing home" and drove off. He just continued. Another time, neighbor Kay came in & said "do you know you're dad is on the library roof?" When I questioned, he said. "why does everyone think I'm too old?"
Sometime in the summer (around dad's birthday in July) we will be having a celebration of life at the Old Jail. If you are interested in coming, please let us know.
Thank you to everyone who supported our family business. Because of you, for 40 years, my dad could do what he loved .. decorating the building to make you all smile.
Love, Peggy

View Thomas E. McBride's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.

11/10/2025

11/01/2025

Restoration #4 .... Choosing paint colors was given lots of thought. My parents were leaning toward red & blues until someone (Bruce Conrad if I remember correctly) pointed out that those colors were Federal Colors & the wrong time period for our building built in 1849. This book was used for color selection. It was paint a little section & stand across the street, analyze, & ask opinions of those walking past.

09/30/2025

Fall Foliage was started a few years before my family moved to Jim Thorpe in 1981.
Agnes McCartney was the director of the Carbon County Planning Commission.
At the time, Jim Thorpe consisted of buildings in need of restoration & factories.
There were only a handful of businesses on Broadway & none on Race Street.
Mrs. McCartney watched the traffic drive through the stop light intersection, but no one ever stopped to visit downtown. She saw the huge potential of our town needed an idea to get people to stop & see the town through her eyes. That’s when she came up with Fall Foliage & Laurel Blossom… some activity in the park to spark interest in the passing motorists so guests would park their vehicle & not keep driving.
Here’s the lists of businesses around this time (please comment if anything is incorrect).
Please post pictures if you have any!

Leonardis News
Newberry's 5 & 10
Four Seasons Sporting Goods
Pharmacy
Two Bros. Pizza
Dugan’s
Lemmo's Flowers
Edwina's Lunch
Three Gas Stations
Paul’s Service Center
Dave Kriley Eye (2nd Floor IOOF – not sure of year)
Hotel was a pay by week for housing
Diner
Weiksner’s
George Heart Train
Police Dept. (in hotel where bar is) - may have come later?
Mauch Chunk Trust
Jim Thorpe National Bank
Dept. of Health (Vathis Bldg.)
Dimmick Memorial Library
St. Mark Church
Asa Packer

09/26/2025

Restoration #3 - This picture July 1981… who can name the painter on the ladder? (Answer at end of this post)

To continue how we ever came to town… After purchasing the Jim Thorpe property, my 2 sisters & I spent a summer at my Nana’s house in Junedale while my parents worked on the building. In Florida, we had no family nearby & we have fond memories getting to know my Uncle W***y, Aunt Shirley & my cousins, Renee & Cheryl, plus many cousins who stopped in the see my Nana. Renee & Cheryl taught us how to pick huckleberries & we would take them back to Nana & she’d bake us something. We spent hours in the playground across from Nana’s & spent many evenings sitting on the porch with her. So summer is over & we went back to Florida to start school. My parents asked us our thoughts about a trial move to PA. We would start school in PA after Christmas & finish the school year. If we liked it, we would stay, if not go back to Florida. My parents bought a small home on North Street & we started school at “St Joe’s”. I was in 7th grade, Kathleen 5th, & Michelle 3rd. All of us were welcomed & made friends immediately. When you walked downtown, everyone passing would make eye contact & say “hi”. Everyone said hello to each other by name in the “Acme”. It was because of the overwhelmingly welcoming & friendly atmosphere of the “locals” that we stayed. We now lived closer to my Nana & dad’s family plus my Gram & my mom’s family were a few hour drive to Cleveland rather than a plane trip away.
PS... Painter in top of ladder is Ed Nunnamacher - Shirley holding ladder.

09/25/2025

#2 ~ The year is 1979. This is a picture taken of my mom (Betty McBride) when she & my dad came to town to consider moving. Who can name the businesses in the downtown area in 1979?

09/24/2025

#1 Often, I am asked the history of our family business. This morning, I came across an album my mom put together & wanted to share some pictures. In 1981, I lived in Naples, Florida. My Nana lived in Junedale not to far from Jim Thorpe. My parents went to visit Nana & drove around the area thinking of moving. They considered Weatherly... as a young boy, my dad would walk to Eurana Park to swim. But then, my dad remembered his drive when he worked at Bethlehem Steel & stopping at the traffic light in Jim Thorpe thinking, "some day I'll have a gift shop there". So they took a drive to Jim Thorpe & found the "Eagles Building". When they returned to Florida, my dad called realtor, Mrs. Wildoner, & said he's interested in the property. She told him that he didn't want to buy it. He again stated his interest but she insisted, "you don't want to buy that building" & tried to talk him out of it honestly mentioning everything wrong with it... the roof leaks, the bay is sagging, & termites in the floor.... Even though there was so much "wrong", my parents could see the former beauty & purchased the building "as is" in 1981. To be continued....

09/24/2025

Thank you to everyone who purchased the "LA Strong" tshirt to help the animals after the LA fires. As promised, 100% of our profits from the sale of this shirt was donated to "Bubbles Dog Rescue" in California . Thanks to you our donation = $200!

09/23/2025

Thank you to everyone who purchased the "Stronger Together" tshirt to help the animals after the Ashville, NC hurricane/flood. As promised, 100% of our profits from the sale of this shirt was donated to "Brother Wolf Animal Rescue" in Ashville . Thanks to you, our donation = $200!