The Patio Podcast

THIS IS THE GUY!!! Frank Whelan is a historian, author and educator. He is the author of WFMZ.com's weekly History's Headlines feature. To be clear, there would be no Patio Podcast if I did not first get Frank’s blessing back in the winter of 2022.  Frank Whelan was a feature writer with the Morning Call newspaper in Allentown from 1981 to 2006 where he wrote over 2000 articles. He was t...

Dean and Kristin Wehr have a Hess’s memory straight out of a Hallmark Movie! Now married for 27-years, with three lovely daughters, Dean and Kristin recently moved back to the Lehigh Valley, and he submitted their story through the Community page of our website.  Dean worked at the downtown store from 1987-1992 during high school and college breaks. He worked in the spiral parking deck, customer p...

During the 2022 Christmas season, Union & Finch owners, Ed and Shahnaz Hanna , released t-shirts for sale featuring the classic Hess's logo. The response from Hess's fans was unexpectedly large and the t-shirts sold out immediately. Through a sister-brand, Queen City Apparel , Ed and Shahnaz printed more t-shirts to meet the public demand during the holidays-- a time when Hess's...

When Susan Weller Bickta interviewed at Hess's Department Store in 1968, they asked her to start working the next day. Luckily, she was able to negotiate starting a few days later, because she first had to sew herself a black dress before she would be prepared to hit the floor at the most popular place in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Susan covers many aspects of what it was like to work under the...

Listen as I rummage through memorabilia owned by Susan Weller Bickta from her time as the Hess’s announcer (1968 to 1974).  She tells us about Christmas at Hess’s, what those who worked there were called— and it’s not employees— and I am introduced to an interesting character named Peter Glen.  Our full conversation is in the previous episode, so check that out too.  The Patio's original musi...

You’re about to hear part of a conversation I had with author and journalist, Joe Kita , during the planning process. I hit the record button just in case we captured any aha-moments, and we certainly did. The biggest being, that I was simply trying WAY too hard.  Joe Kita is a longtime journalist, a former executive writer for Men's Health and the author of six books, including The Father&ap...

We all love Hess's Department Store. These are some of the people who are going to help us remember why. This is a sneak peek inside several conversations to come! The Patio's original music: Theme created and produced by Dave Meyers, with Vocals by Sam Cummings. Follow us on Instagram @HessPatioPodcast Connect on Facebook with The Patio Podcast Visit our website www.hesspatiopodcast.com

The Super Gigantic Garage Sale only comes to the Lehigh Valley twice a year, and it's here!! Saturday and Sunday, March 25-26, 2023 in Ag Hall at the Allentown Fairgrounds . It's the largest INDOOR garage sale in area, and a favorite of mine and my guest, Robbie Lawrence. Since we talk about it, and it's coming up, I had to share now. In this excerpt, Robbie talks about finding a He...

Kate Kareha, host, welcomes you to The Patio Podcast, a wistful exploration of her hometown's enduring attachment to Hess’s Department Store.  In candid conversations with Lehigh Valley residents, historians, collectors, former shoppers and employees, each episode will shed light on Allentown, Pennsylvania’s multigenerational interest in one single place. Kate immediately takes you back to th...