Comments from gfradar

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gfradar
gfradar commented about Roxy Theatre on Jul 1, 2010 at 2:45 pm

The Roxy on 13th, the Grand on Derry St. and the Penway on State St. were owned by Walter Yhost enterprises. He also owned the Vale in Mechanicsburg and owned or ran the Paramount in Mechanicsburg prior to the Vale

gfradar
gfradar commented about Grand Theatre on Jul 1, 2010 at 2:38 pm

The Grand did have a modist curved marquee it overhang the sidewalk by about 4-5 feet The Entrance was recessed into the 3 story building about 6 feet. Walter Yhost owned the Grand on Derry St, Roxy on 13th St, Penway on State and the Vale in Mechanicsburg. Don’t think he owned the National, but did own or manage the Paramount Theater in Mechanicsburg in the early 1900’s. the building was demolished about 2005.

gfradar
gfradar commented about Penway Theatre on Mar 2, 2010 at 2:08 pm

I was born in 1951 AFA related to Coghland, That name is not familiar. AFA McClintock I am not sure, unless they had Martin, Handley, Creason or Yhost somewhere in there heritage. When I was little mid 50’s I remember my mom, my aunt, my grandmother and another lady doing the Tickets at the Penway theater. My mom and grandmother (Yhost) had dark hair with reddish tint. My aunt had silver hair. My dad and Uncles took the Tickets and managed inside. cousins and others manned the candy and popcorn. We moved out of the upstairs apartment about 1956.
I appreciated the photo. I tried to upload one of my own but the website won’t allow right now. Something about a new upgrade. I also wanted to place photos of Valle, Grand & Roxy theaters. Have to look thru some OLD photo albums of Mom’s for decent pictures. You know how it is, where you live and work is usually ignored and all the pictures are of vacations etc.
My fondest memory, was of playing hide & seek during summer afternoons with friends, while mom worked in the office. Theater was so dark you couldn’t see your hands in from of your face and only light was from the office. It was cool in there. There weren’t to many places that were air conditioned then.
The Penway was my grandfathers Pride-n-joy. He died in late 50’s early 60’s and my grandmother took over then.

gfradar
gfradar commented about Penway Theatre on Feb 27, 2010 at 8:41 pm

My Mom’s step father owned all of them (Yhost enterprises) He started with the Paramount in Mechanicsburg and my entire family, Aunts, Uncles, and cousin’s lived, worked and played in all of them. This was a real family operation. I never went into the Roxy or Grand but lived near them later. We lived above the Penway (the way to Penbrook) along with my mom’s step parents in the 50’s. My mom real mother was the sister of her step mom and she lived above the Valle in Mechanicsburg and the projectionist at the Penway was Dort Koffhold. I think he started in the 1940’s but know the 50’s, 60’s and into the 70’s and probably earlier. The Drugstore was Ray Peffers. It had a small soda fountain. My dad had one of the businesses in the office space on the other side in the 50’s and 60’s “Martin & McMillan Insurance”. I remember standing on that Marque watching a circus parade down State St. Running thru the Projection room to go downstairs to get popcorn. The Penway also had what we called “a peep hole” from our apartment upstairs into the theater where we could watch the movie from the comfort of our dining room. I also remember sitting on the Marque of the Valey watching Parades. They were my childhood in the 50’s and 60’s and even into the early 70’s. I still go to the neighborhood theater near me (West Shore in New Cumberland) on almost a weekly basis. It still has the family atmosphere I remember from the Penway & Valle of my childhood. Many many found memories!