Then and Now: Remembering Prosser’s Drugstore

The summer after high school, while working the counter at Yeager’s Pharmacy, I would always buy a copy of the now-defunct Valley Voice whenever we restocked our newspaper rack. On the third page was the work of a contributor whose articles I always read: Bud Prosser’s “As I See It” column.

I’m not old enough to have visited myself, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know about Prosser’s Drugstore. Now an optometrist’s office, 834 Main Street in Hellertown once housed the beloved pharmacy of the Prosser family on the first floor and a bowling alley on the floor below it. Prosser’s Drugstore first opened in 1920, at a time when the Hellertown Airport was operational, Main Street was not yet paved and workers from Bethlehem Steel could stop at the pharmacy after their shifts for cherry Cokes and cigars. Founded by Harry Prosser and his wife Mertie, the pharmacy was a Hellertown staple for decades, and residents became familiar with the Prossers’ delivery Corsair traversing local roads. Stanley “Bud” Prosser, Harry Prosser’s grandnephew, began working in the store at 14, eventually becoming the owner and operating it until its closing in 1995.

For residents of Hellertown and Lower Saucon, Prosser’s Drugstore was synonymous with ice-cold drinks from the soda fountain. Prosser’s soda fountain menu included Jane Logan sundaes, plain malted milk and “refreshing drinks” such as Pepsi-Cola and Frosted Lime Whiz. Signs above the fountain offered, “A coke float for a buck and a quarter, guaranteed to knock your socks off!” along with strawberry, chocolate and vanilla milkshakes for the same price. At a time when phosphoric acid was still added to soda drinks to give them a sour edge, Prosser’s cherry or lemon phosphates were a particular hit with the community, offering a refreshing, tangy flavor to children stopping in after a long day at school.

Entertainment was never lacking at Prosser’s, either. Although the soda fountain was always a draw, especially on hot days, Bud’s collection of comic books in the back room and the array of trading cards for sale helped make the drugstore a popular hangout spot. Saturday mornings at Prosser’s were particularly special; sipping a cherry phosphate with the warm, papery smell of comic books in the air, and the whole day stretched out in front of you. The bowling alley underneath Prosser’s also drew plenty of foot traffic to the pharmacy.

Bud Prosser himself was known as a charismatic and welcoming member of the community, locally famous for his Valley Voice columns. “As I See It,” a popular fixture of the Voice, discussed topics that ranged from politics to matters of daily life, and even something as simple as working on a puzzle. But the Voice was only a piece of Bud’s impact on the Saucon community. Bud also started the beloved Sidewalk Sales, where Main Street would be lined with tables from local shops offering discounted items, along with food to eat. Prosser’s sold food and back-to-school supplies like many other shops, but the main attraction was Bud himself, who would dress in a different eccentric outfit every year. The Sidewalk Sales, though they no longer occur, were the precursor to the vibrant and popular Community Day that Hellertown now holds yearly. Bud’s affinity for local events also manifested in his being the commentator for the Saucon Valley Spirit Parade for many Octobers.

Although Prosser’s Drugstore is no longer in operation, the memories it held and Bud’s impact on Saucon Valley live on in the minds of all who encountered them. Community Day, the Spirit Parade or even just grabbing a soda from a nearby shop are all good reminders of what Bud and Prosser’s emphasize for us to this day: the importance of community.

Helen Behe is an MFA candidate at DeSales University, where she is studying through the program’s poetry track for a degree in creative writing and publishing. Aside from her studies, Helen enjoys gardening, boxing and rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles. She is a resident of Bethlehem. Read more of Helen’s Then & Now series here.