🌹 The Lancaster Ledger

Good morning, Lancaster. The weekend's almost here, and there's a lot going on — including a 78-year-old family business closing its doors, a candy empire family feud that went national, and a township meeting so packed they ran out of chairs.

In today's Lancaster Ledger:

A wave of Lancaster closings (and one exciting move)
Salisbury Township's farmland growth debate
The Reese's grandson who says Hershey ruined the recipe
Sheetz on Manheim Pike comes down

Let's do it.

— Collin

THE DIGEST

After 78 years, Gochnauer's Home Appliance Center is closing for good 🏪

Gochnauer's Home Appliance Center in East Petersburg — the four-generation, family-owned appliance shop at 5939 Main St. — will close at the end of February. Adam Gochnauer, whose great-grandfather Chael G. Gochnauer started the business in 1948, said a recent death in the family shifted his priorities. He's looking forward to spending time with his dad and business partner, Sid, somewhere other than behind the counter.

The store once had locations in Lancaster city and Lebanon before consolidating to the Main Street hub in the late 1970s. Over the decades they narrowed to strictly washers, dryers, refrigerators, stoves, and grills — one of the only shops around, independent or chain, that did only appliances. It wasn't the big box stores that did it. It was simply time.

More doors closing (and one big move) across Lancaster 🔄

It's been a tough month for Lancaster storefronts. Fern.ish Home, the home décor boutique at 690D N. Charlotte St., closes Feb. 28 — owner Lindsey Barnes is stepping back for health reasons but plans to continue design services and resume online sales. Fescue Gallery on Gallery Row (140 N. Prince St.) is closing after about a year, with co-owners Dennis Herbert and Lina Seijo-Herbert citing personal and professional commitments. That space reopens March 1 as Olivia's Fine Art, run by Lancaster artist Olivia Stoltzfus.

The bright spot: Curio Gallery & Creative Supply closes at 106 W. Chestnut St. tomorrow (Feb. 21), but only because they're moving to a bigger space at 111 N. Prince St. — the former Lancaster Parking Authority offices. They're going from about 1,200 square feet to nearly 1,900, part of a roughly $2 million renovation project supported by a CRIZ grant.

Salisbury Township's farmland fight draws a standing-room-only crowd 🌾

Salisbury Township supervisors spent two hours fielding questions from a packed room Monday about a proposed growth boundary that could open up more than 700 acres — about 90% of it Amish-owned farmland — for potential future development. Supervisor Gordon Hoover said the area near Route 30 was chosen because it already has sewer and water infrastructure. Without it, extending services elsewhere could force a real estate tax — and Salisbury is currently the only township or borough in all of Lancaster County without one.

Residents pushed back hard, urging the board to prioritize farmland preservation. No vote was taken, and supervisors say they won't decide before at least March 17. The debate mirrors what's happening county-wide — the Lancaster County Planning Commission recently paused growth boundary expansions after pushback from Earl Township farmers.

Reese's inventor's grandson says Hershey ruined the family recipe 🍫

Brad Reese — he's 70, and the grandson of H.B. Reese, who invented Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in 1928 right here in Hershey, PA — accused the company of swapping real ingredients for cheap substitutes. In a Feb. 14 letter posted on LinkedIn, Reese said Hershey has been replacing milk chocolate with compound coatings and peanut butter with "peanut crème" across multiple products. He recently threw out a bag of Reese's Mini Hearts, calling them "not edible."

Hershey pushed back, saying the classic Peanut Butter Cups recipe hasn't changed — but acknowledged that some products in the expanded line use different formulations. H.B. Reese started his candy company in 1919 after working at Hershey for two years. His six sons sold the business to Hershey in 1963. The family hasn't had a say in recipe decisions since. This story went national via the AP — it was everywhere from NBC to CBS to ABC this week.

Sheetz on Manheim Pike is now a construction site ⛽

If you've driven past 1180 Manheim Pike this week and thought "wait, where's the Sheetz?" — it's gone. The store closed Feb. 17 and demolition is already underway. The location, which opened in 2009, is being rebuilt from the ground up with a new 6,100-square-foot store (about 1,000 square feet bigger), a drive-thru, and a single gas canopy replacing the old two.

Expect it to reopen this summer. In the meantime, the closest Sheetz locations are on Oregon Pike and Millersville Road.

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WHAT'S HAPPENIN'

Saturday
Hand-in-Hand Fire Company Chicken Pot Pie Dinner | The 31st year of this Lancaster County tradition — homemade pot pie made from chickens they raise themselves, plus peas, pepper cabbage, rolls, and pie with ice cream. Take-outs come with a whoopie pie instead. Take-outs start at 9 AM, dine-in 10:30 AM–5:30 PM (or until sold out) | Bird-in-Hand
Off The Cuff Improv Comedy Gameshow | Hosted by Austin Rittle — audience-powered improv comedy | 8:30 PM | Lancaster Improv Players, 16 S. Prince St. | $15

Sunday
Lancaster City Lunar New Year Festival | LAAPI's free annual celebration with cultural performances, food vendors from across Asia, games, crafts, and a lucky lion dance. Year of the Horse! | 11 AM–3 PM | Ewell Plaza & Binns Park, 123 N. Queen St.
Soul & Spirit: Black History Month Sacred Arts Experience | A sacred arts celebration for Black History Month | 4 PM | First Reformed Church, 40 E. Orange St.

Now Playing And Then There Were None | Agatha Christie's classic whodunit — ten strangers, one remote island, and a body count that keeps climbing | Through March 8 | Fulton Theatre, 12 N. Prince St.
Little Shop of Horrors | The man-eating plant musical is back — dinner-and-show packages available | Through March 21 | Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, 510 Centerville Rd.

WEATHER

Friday High 49°F, low 34°F.

Saturday High 47°F, low 30°F.

LANC LIVE MUSIC

Friday
Southern Market | Bridge Street Trio | 8–10 PM | Free

Tuesday (2/24)
Horse Inn | Jazz Night | Evening | Free

THANKS!

Thanks for reading The Lancaster Ledger today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who still thinks Reese's taste the same as they used to.

Cheers!