The southeast side of Lehman’s old time general store is returning to its 1950s look. “We’ve been monitoring the Swiss chalet-styled front on Lehman’s store go through a steady deterioration for several years,” said Galen Lehman, president and son of founder Jay Lehman. “A professional assessment confirmed the fact that we cannot wait any longer to replace it. We are excited about updating the look of Lehman’s, but in an old-fashioned style.”
A review of old photographs of Lehman’s, as well as other retail businesses in the 1950s, showed a style that was appropriate for Lehman’s property, as well as the Kidron landscape.
“Because we are always concerned about safety, and the building does show dry rot, we’ve decided to replace it this summer,” explained Lehman. “The Feb. 28 flood at the store added to the urgency, because we can use this opportunity to check for flood damage inside the walls without disrupting interior operations.”
The Lehman’s new store front will look very much like it did in the 1950s, as shown in this photo (right).  Significant features include:
– a simple design that was very popular in the 1950s and 60s
– traditional white clapboard siding
– installation of an antique gas pump out front
– a 1955 red Chevy will be stored under the roof (just like on the old photo), adding to the authenticity of the setting
-Â a colorful awning and large, retro window posters will provide an eye-catching accent
“The changes will be limited to the original Swiss front on the southeast corner of the store. Depending on the final cost, we may or may not make changes to the south facing exterior wall to match,” said Lehman. “Our goal is to have the work completed by early spring. We will keep you updated on our web site, www.lehmans.com.”
Lehman’s was founded in 1955 by Jay Lehman to serve the Amish and other without electricity with simple, old-fashioned merchandise. Today, Lehman’s ships product all over the world via the retail store in Kidron, a print catalog and a web site, www.Lehmans.com. Lehman’s is open every day except Sunday. Call 1-877-438-5346 for seasonal hours.
Always exciting to see what Lehman’s will surprise us with next! Great blending of the old and the new. Kudos!
I’m sure that the nostalgic look will be most welcomed, it’ll just go with the theme of your lovely store.
Looks good. Looking forward to your open house next month.
Thank you so much for your supportive comments. 2011 is certainly turning out to be an interesting year for us!