We’re headed to Erie’s east side this month folks – lace up those sneaks, grab your beer, and let’s take a walk together. Snag a can or growler-fill from a local brewery and we’ll all meander along the mega-wide sidewalks of Erie’s first main thoroughfare, Parade Street.
Let’s begin at the north east corner of East 10th and Parade streets, home to all things Denny: Denny’s Ice Cream Stand, Denny’s Coin Laundry, and Denny’s Touchless Auto Wash. Ice cream has been a fixture in this spot for the last 43 seasons, imagine how many cones have graced those serving windows. We’ll raise a pint to you!
This exact spot once housed the Parade Street Market House, a large building where local vendors could sell their produce, meats, and other provisions. Similar to Cleveland’s wonderful West Side Market, its interior was lined with stalls for rent from 1895 through the 1960s when it closed. At one point in time, Erie had no fewer than four market houses. Shopping local was the norm and chain stores didn’t exist…