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A Brief History of Mason Jars

| | Housewares

At Hilsher’s General Store, we sell a variety of housewares to those from Selinsgrove and the surrounding areas. Canning supplies are a popular item and, of course, so are Mason jars. Did you know that Mason jars have been around since the 1800s? And they wouldn’t be around if it wasn’t for Napoleon?

The French military and political leader needed a reliable way to preserve food for his troops, so in 1795, he offered money to anyone who could come up with a new method of transporting food from spot to spot. Nicolas Appert came up with the canning process around 1806, but that only solved part of the problem because the jars they used at that time were not reusable and were actually quite messy.

In 1858, the Mason jar we all know and love made its debut. Invited by John L. Mason in New York City, the difference between these jars and the other ones on the market at that point were the fact that the lids were reusable and could be screwed onto the tops of the jars. They could easily be resealed thanks to the zinc lid with a rubber ring, so food stayed safely preserved for quite some time.

In 1879, the patent expired on Mason jars, and that brought about different brands, variations and improvements. But Mason still remains one of the most well-known types of glass jars on the market today.

The design of the Mason jar continued to evolved and improve in the following century and became a popular housewares item for families all over. There was an improvement made in the lid sealing in the mid 1900s, and these lid improvements made the canning process that much faster. From that point on, Mason jars became a common household item.

While the 1950s brought us refrigerators and other ways to keep our food good and preserved, Mason jars remained popular. Forty years later, in the 1990s, magazines and TV programs like Martha Stewart Living revitalized these jars’ popularity.

From that point on, it is safe to say that just about everyone knows what a Mason jar is. And they are not just for housewares and canning anymore either! Mason jars have a variety of uses and purposes. People use them for everything from drinking glasses to decorations to light sconces and everything in between.

Are you interested in browsing through and purchasing housewares in the Selinsgrove area? Visit Hilsher’s General Store and browse through our selection! We are located on Routes 11/15. Or you can call 570-374-1550 or you can Contact Us.

A Brief History of the General Store

| | General Store

The general store has been a central part of American business since the Colonial period. They often became the central and most important part of a town. They gave the town residents a place to gather to buy goods and trade news and stories, and sometimes the general store also doubled as a post office. For families that did not live in town, a visit to the general store was a big deal and social event. As a general store in Central PA, we thought we would take the time to give you a brief rundown of the history of general stores and why they are such an important part of American history.

The general store came about during the Colonial times when traveling peddlers started to establish permanent locations after they gained enough money and inventory to do so. They would put their stores in the middle of settlements, crossroads or areas that were starting to grow in population. Most of the time, the general store would be the first business for that area.

The store would usually have just about everything a person in that time period would want to buy. Items ranged from clothing for men and women to tobacco, ropes, tack for horses, food, tools, dishes, medicine, soap and more. These items from the general store were often seen as luxuries for families, especially poorer families.

The layout of a general store was usually the same from store to store. The main floor would be the store itself, and there would usually be a stove of some sort for the townspeople to gather around. The upper floor of the general store was where the merchants would store goods and other supplies. Sometimes, the second floor would also include the store owner’s home or living area.

When the store owner would get new merchandise (either from traveling salesmen or, when the railroads expanded, from the rail lines), this would sometimes become a social event for the townspeople, who wanted to see the new stock the general store just received.

As you can see, the general store has a rich history and was an integral part of this country’s history and growth.

So when you want to visit a general store in Central PA, come to Hilsher’s General Store and browse through our selection! We are located on Routes 11/15. Or you can call 570-374-1550 or you can Contact Us.

Hilsher’s 20% Off Fall Sale

| | Specials

The holiday season is right around the corner, so it’s time to start thinking about shopping for all of your loved ones. We here at Hilsher’s are kicking off the holiday season with a Fall Sale! You can get 20% off of all fall home decorations if you present this coupon at the register through November 22, 2014.

In the meantime, here are some fun facts about the holiday shopping season and why it’s always a great idea to start your shopping early!

  • On average, a person will have to go to the mall five times to complete their holiday shopping. (Save yourself the hassle of travelling to the mall and using up all that time. Just come to Hilsher’s General Store! You’ll find gifts for everyone on your list!)
  • The holiday shopping season is usually about 55 days, according to The National Retail Federation. This encompasses all of November and all of December.
  • Despite what most people believe, the most popular holiday shopping day is not Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving). It is actually the Saturday before Christmas.
  • Accounting for about 40% of holiday shopping business, December 15 through December 24 is considered the crux of the holiday shopping season.
  • Many retailers offer big discounts on days other than Black Friday, like Cyber Monday (the Monday after Thanksgiving) and the Saturday before Christmas.
  • For many retailers, the holiday shopping season makes up 20% to 40% of their annual sales!
  • This year, Small Business Saturday will be held on November 29. This is an initiative to help local businesses drum up more business during the holiday shopping season.

Are you ready to take advantage of our 20% off fall home decorations sale? Print out our coupon and visit our store located in Port Trevorton, seven miles south of Selinsgrove on Routes 11/15. Or if you want more information, call us at 570-374-1550 or Contact Us.

Hilsher’s General Store’s 40th Anniversary Sale

| | Specials

This month, Hilsher’s General Store is celebrating our 40th anniversary! We are so pleased to have been in business for four decades, and we wanted to commemorate the occasion by offering all of our customers some great specials.

From November 1 through November 29, you can get some great deals on a wide variety of products. So you can start your holiday shopping early or buy yourself a treat! Here are a few of the deals you’ll find when you visit us here in Port Trevorton.

We just got a huge truckload of black oil sunflower seeds. You can get 50 pounds of these delightful goodies for birds for only $18.99.

But if you’re looking for clothing, especially for hunting season or the upcoming winter months, we’ve got you covered. We’re offering Carhartt Heavyweight Hooded or Sherpa-lined Hooded Sweatshirts for $59.99 each. We’re also offering their Washed Duck Work Dungarees for $39.99 or, if you’re more in need of quilt-lined overalls, you can find them here too for $99.99. There are plenty of other clothes for sale (including women’s clothing, socks, gloves and more!) so you’ll have to come to the store to see what else we have in stock!

One of our most popular products is, of course, boots. We’re selling a huge variety of work and hunting boots. It’ll be easy for you to find the perfect boots for your needs when you have such a big selection to choose from.

And just in time for hunting season, we’re offering some great specials on butchering equipment. We’re selling a Non-stick Adjustable Burger Press for $16.99 and a Jerky Gun for $26.99. And if you’re looking for a great gift for the hunter in your life, you will find a #22 LEM Stainless Steel 1 HP Big Bite Grinder for $590.00, plus we have other sizes for special prices as well.

If you’re more in the market for some lovely new home decorations, we’ve got plenty of specials in our home décor department too! Five-inch Luminara Flameless Wax Pillar Candles are $37.99 each. We’re also selling Charles Viancin Honeycomb Pot Holders for $4.99. You can even find marbleized and enamel Milk Cans for $18.99!

All of our Melissa and Doug toys are 20% off, so you can even do some shopping for the little ones in your life!

And just for the ladies – we’re having a special Ladies Night on Friday, December 5, starting at 7:30 p.m. There will be plenty of refreshments and door prizes and you’ll walk out with a free gift!

Stop by Hilsher’s General Store for all of these special offers! We are an easy drive from Harrisburg and Williamsport, and we’re just seven miles south of Selinsgrove along Routes 11 and 15. And if you want more information, call us at 570-374-1550 or Contact Us.

Hilsher’s General Store’s New Blog!

| | News

As a locally owned and operated business in the Central PA area, we at Hilsher’s General Store have always prided ourselves on our work, and illustrating why we’re one of the area’s top general stores.

Because of the pride we take in our work, we’re happy to today launch our blog. It will be frequently updated with information on our products. We will also use this blog to showcase promotions and sales.

Not familiar with Hilsher’s General Store? Please visit our home page to learn more about our company and products and services, or if you’re looking around at different stores in the Port Trevorton area. We look forward to working with you!