Then and Now: A Day in Hellertown of Yore

Having finally graduated my master’s program, I get to spend my quieter weekends enjoying everything Hellertown has to offer. I might get a London Fog at Allie’s Specialties before driving past Detwiller Plaza to check if the fountain is frozen yet, or I might read in the corner of the Hellertown Library (just for fun, and not for school).

But my days off are quite different from those of Hellertonians past. While I know 1152 Main Street to be a dentist’s office and salon, only three decades ago locals would enjoy their afternoons there at the Sauconia movie theater. Sauconia first opened in 1940 under the management of John Kofler, the head of the local American Legion, who constructed the theater himself. Though Kofler originally wanted to name his theater “The Hollywood,” he elected to hold a naming contest instead, and Sauconia was the winning submission. The theater quickly became a beloved Hellertown hangout. For only 25 cents, attendees could purchase popcorn, a candy bar and one ticket to a matinee. Sauconia shut its doors briefly in 1966, and was remodeled and rebranded as “The Movies.” In September of 1968, the theater opened to the public once more with a wonderful viewing of Lucille Ball’s Yours, Mine, and Ours. Though The Movies closed permanently in 2002, its 900 seats were rarely empty; for 80 years audiences were dazzled with famous films such as The Ten Commandments, Gone with the Wind and The Lion King.

While I might spend a December 2025 lunch hour eating baba ghanoush at Limon, Hellertonians of bygone days would get a bite to eat at Mom’s Diner, located at 1333 Main Street, which is now home to an apartment building. Mom’s Diner was also rebranded twice, as Andy’s Diner and Cope’s Diner. It is one of the restaurants from Hellertown’s streetcar era, and Hellertown’s trolley can be seen passing in front of the diner in a well-known vintage photo.

Fortified by a sundae from Mom’s and with the afternoon now stretching into evening, citizens past would likely head to one of Hellertown’s many bowling alleys to knock some pins down. Hellertown had several bowling leagues back in its day and its alleys were very active. Across the street from Mom’s, where CVS now stands, was PMP Lanes. The Lanes grew even more popular once a J’s Steak Shop was added, and customers could bowl while sipping root beers or eating a sub. Also popular was the bowling alley located on the basement level of Prosser’s Drug Store, which is today Advanced Optics at 834 Main Street. Before heading down, one might grab a lemon phosphate, skim through a comic book or talk to Bud about the latest goings on. Though traffic and the chimes from the Plaza clock tower are the familiar sounds of today, residents say that one could hear the sound of pins crashing while standing along the streets near PMP Lanes.

Once night came it would be time to escape the chill and head home, perhaps dropping into Meterko’s grocery to buy milk or bread before making it back for dinner. Days past in Hellertown were certainly happy and exciting ones, and are remembered fondly by the community. Though the bowling lanes and theater are long gone, Hellertown remains a place that is perfect for making new memories and trying new adventures.