Unity-Frankford Grocers
by JimThere was a time when you could not walk down the street in almost any neighborhood in Philadelphia without seeing a Unity-Frankford Grocery store sign. Before the mega food store chains, mom and pop ruled the grocery business. The Unity-Frankford Grocers was an association of these stores. They benefited from group buying and established the Unity brand as unique to those little businesses.
Their warehouse, where several of my ancestors worked, was down on Griscom Street at Unity Street. You can still see the Frankford Grocery sign up at the top of the building. It later moved down to Erie Avenue.
Those Unity-Frankford signs have become collectors items over the years and people are looking to catalog where they can still be seen.
We checked, there are no signs at:
- Mascher and Spencer
- Torresdale and Magee, there could be one under the Grocery Queen awning, but we didn’t get too close to tell
- Olney and Mascher or 2nd
Here are the ones that we’ve found
222 Hartel Ave:
8344 Torresdale Ave:
29th and Jefferson:
- photo credit: Chris_In_Philly_’08
October 9th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Is there a way fopr me to get a hi-res photo of 222 Hartel?
October 9th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
You can click on the second image of 222 Hartel and it will show up HI-RES. I guess it’s just the way I posted the first image that it uploaded small.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Oh no I was wrong. Here’s the original for the first one
Hartel A
second one:
http://frankfordgazette.com/wp1/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/222-hartel-c.jpg
October 9th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Thanks!!!
November 10th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
i grew up eating the unity brand it was good. can anyone remember the coalyards near church st or oakland st
March 31st, 2009 at 3:12 pm
I remember the store at the crossroads in the middle of Dublin, PA had one of these signs. That part of Bucks Co was the back end of beyond way back when, but I guess it was worth the drive into the city once a week for the shop owners.
June 22nd, 2009 at 6:06 pm
In the 1950′s-60′s, I lived next to Oskian’s Unity-Frankford Store, located at the N/W corner of Hawthorne & Fanshawe Streets in Mayfair. I still remember watching the Unity-Frankford delivery truck pull up at the side of the store. The driver set up long metal rollers from the truck to the store, and slid cartons of groceries to the waiting arms of old Mr. Oskian. The old couple operating the store, provided customers with merchandise on credit, which at the time was called “Buying on the Eye.” They didn’t have a candy counter or ice cream fountain there, but those were readily available at some of the other corner stores, e.g. Pat’s (later Feeney’s) at Hawthorne and Magee, Marty’s at Battersby & Fanshawe, Feiner’s Drug Store at Battersby & Unruh, and especially Conny’s at Hawthorne & Unruh Streets. It was a great place and a great time to be a kid. Later in the mid-60′s the store was purchased by the Ettling family. I belive Ted, the new owner, broke away from the Unity-Frankford supplier, as the old sign was taken down. Ted operated the store for several years, with greater emphasis as a deli and butcher shop. However, he could not compete with the large food chains such as Food Fair, Acme, A&P, and Penn Fruit; who drove the small mom & pop stores out of business. Today, there is still a viable old-fashioned grocery store located at Battersby & Magee Streets. Back in the 50′s & 60′s it was Nap’s Deli. I was pleasantly surprised recently, walking into the store for some hoagies. The interior is practically unchanged in appearance, and it feels as if I had entered a time machine. All that was missing were the old gumball machines, which in days of old, had been positioned outside and were the object of many a slug.
July 8th, 2009 at 5:01 am
I grew up in frankford on Harrison street, and left the area in 1973…
I get all nostalgic looking at photos of what is left…
I worked as a grocery boy at the Harrison Quick Shop for about 5 years in 1964 through 1969. Gus Matus was the owner, Irma was his wife. Dennis Grassey worked there as well. So did Daniel Grassey, his brother. Anybody remember them?
There was also a store at Foulkrod and Large, and a little shop we called Doris’ place, who sold firecrackers, sodas, and candy.
Schwartzes Pharmacy was on the opposit corner of harrison and large…he had a soda fountain as well and sold pimple balls and balsa airplanes as well as other junk as well…
Remember Schwartzy?!!!
July 21st, 2009 at 6:22 pm
My father and grandfather owned Unity Frankford grocery stores. Cottman Ave, Van Kirk and Oakland and Rosalie street. Sorry no pix. Greatest memories of a family owned business. Wish it still existed.
September 23rd, 2009 at 2:51 pm
According family history my great uncle William Radcliffe of Frankford was an original owner of the chain. He started out selling fruits and vegetables in a horse driven wagon–these were called hucksters. Does anyone have information regarding this?
September 23rd, 2009 at 10:20 pm
I wonder if the Historical Society of Frankford has anything. Seems a natural for them. I had 2 grandfathers and an uncle who worked for them at the big warehouse. First down on Griscom Street then they moved over to Erie Avenue.
I grew up in Bridesburg at the corner of Pratt and Thompson across from Reichert’s grocery which was a Unity-Frankford. I was the one who had to go to the store and I did almost every day. They kept account in a book and you only had to pay once a week on pay day.
The egg man came in the middle of the night waking us up some nights. They had a real butcher who would cut your steaks from a side a beef. Old Mr. Reichert used to cut his butter down into one pound slabs from a huge block. It wasn’t all that long ago.
November 17th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Does anyone know where that old Phrmacy is that has the tile floor in the front of the sotre that says “Drugs for Sale?”
November 18th, 2009 at 8:43 am
glaychoc, could you possibly be referring to the Health Fair at Overington and Frankford?
November 21st, 2009 at 7:28 am
I’ll check it out. Thanks.
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:46 pm
My Great-Grandfather, David Johnston, was an Irish immigrant. He owned the Unity Frankford store at the corner of 30th and Girard.
January 15th, 2010 at 7:22 pm
I grew up in Bucks County. There was a Unity Frankford store in Fountainville at the intersection of Ferry Road & Rt 313. The Fountainville post office was housed in the grocery store. That’s where we got our mail. Local farmers always came in there to buy corncob pipes, tobacco, etc. Closed in the Mid 70′s.
There was another Unity Frankford in Tradesville. Intersection of Bristol Rd and Lower State Rd. Early 70′s it was torn down and Hensler’s Mobil was put up. There was one more Unity Frankford in Central Bucks County. Anybody know where it was? I used to know, but now I can’t quite place it & it’s driving me crazy!
Geoff, you said, “That part of Bucks Co was the back end of beyond way back when…”
How true! We moved from Wyndmoor (near Chestnut Hill) to Central Bucks in 1959. Dublin may as well have been a midwest farm town back then. Now it looks like the suburbs. Housing developments everywhere. I don’t recall a Unity Frankford at the crossroads in Dublin, though. You may be thinking of further east on 313 at Ferry Rd (Fountainville) There’a hardware store at that intersection in Dublin, though. Maybe that was it I’ll ceck it out. Do you remember Goldy’s Diner?
PS: Jim, thanks for your site!
March 27th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
My Great-Grandfather, Harry Beneke, owned a grocery (may have been called ‘Ben’s') at 28th and Jefferson until 1945. In his obit, it is listed that he was a member of the Frankford Grocers Association. Does being a member mean that he would have had a sign like that? I know there were 2 apartments above the store where my Great-Grandparents and Grandparents lived for a while. If anyone has any information or photos of it, I would absolutely love it. Thanks!
March 30th, 2010 at 10:17 am
Erin, are you sure it wasn’t at 29th and Jefferson, cause there’s a picture of that store at the bottom of our post up above.
May 31st, 2010 at 4:52 pm
Is there anyone who remembers the Unity- Frankford store at 8721 Frankford Ave>? It was my great uncle’s and I’d like to find a picture or two. thanks
May 31st, 2010 at 7:09 pm
We’re all out of pictures. I’d like to see more around the net. I’m actually suprised there isn’t a Frankford-Unity dedicated website.
July 1st, 2010 at 12:41 pm
FRANKFORD GROCERY CO. WAS THE FIRST COOPERATIVE IN AMERICA.THEY MERGED WITH THE QUAKER GROCER CO. AND BECAME FRANKFORD QUAKER GROCERY CO. WITHOUT A DOUBT THE BEST COMPANY I EVER WORKED FOR.
THEIR PRIVATE LABEL WAS PACKED BY TOPCO ASST. IN CHICAGO THE CO. WAS STARTED BY HERMAN HEIM AND SAM COOKEE OF PENN FRUIT CO.