Back in the day, if you wanted to impress people in the Lansdale area by buying quality products, you had to buy at Geller’s.

Geller’s Emporium was once located on West Main Street in Lansdale, where the Lansdale School of Cosmetology, Wilson’s Hardware and PCS Cellular are located today.

According to Lansdale Historical Society President Dick Shearer, the photo showing the wagon pulled by horses probably was taken sometime between 1906 and 1910.

Shearer said it’s possible that the photo was taken at the time of a parade.

The men dressed to the nines and sporting top hats also are wearing sashes that read “hardware” and the like, touting the various offerings of the store.

Shearer said that the deliverymen for Geller’s would also dress up to deliver furniture to area residents’ homes, and the store would make sure the deliveries were made during “socially advantageous” hours, so that your neighbors would know you had bought it at Geller’s.


It is uncertain what the building is in the background, but the word “Proprietor” is on the building.

The other photo shows the leather signs that adorned the team of horses — including in the old photo — that pulled the Geller wagon.

The signs now are among the local historic artifacts at the Lansdale Historical Society.