To: 'Our every customer, each friend and all persons in northern Frederick County. In view of the opening of Emmitsburg's newest business, the Super Thrift chair grocery, B. H. Boyle & Sons should like to reacquaint Chronicle readers with a bit of its history and a few of its policies.

Our family-owned and operated store, initially known as Boyles' Community Pure Foods, was founded in 1933, with Bernie and Mary Boyle as its proprietors. Today, it still remains on East Main Street, the site of its original location.

Beginning with one small room, the business has undergone many improvements and renovations, both major and minor. Perhaps some of our older customers will remember the very first change, when in 1937, we relocated a staircase, thereby increasing our store area to two rooms. By 1943, We felt the community's need of a facility, wherein our customers, as well as others in the surrounding area, might store their perishables. Thus followed the construction of our locker plant and the subsequent satisfaction of those who have utilized its services, has been most gratifying to us.

As early as 1944, the importance of providing our patrons with the freshest meats available, prompted the building of our slaughterhouse. This particular phase of our business has progressed over the years, to the extent that we are how serving customers in a three state area. Also, in the same year, we purchased the Flax properties, each of which was located adjacent to the store. Their acquisition enabled us to make the first major change in the exterior appearance of the store, by installing two large windows in the area facing East Main Street.

By 1958, the number of customers had increased to the point where our parking facilities were no longer adequate. Utilizing what is probably still known - by some, as the old Harding place, we put in our first parking lot.

The year 1963, saw the most recent changes to both the exterior and interior of the store. The left portion of the building was extended, thus providing an extra several hundred square feet of much-needed floor space. During the course of the construction, we also added a loading dock to the left side of the structure. Prior to this time, all loading and unloading was limited to the street area in front of the store. This arrangement had proven inconvenient to our patrons, but more importantly, it was a definite safety hazard.

The new dock eliminated both of these unfavorable conditions. While we are not exactly centrally located, we are nonetheless, within walking distance for many of our customers Not meaning to slight our younger patrons, but we feet that for a goodly number of the community's Senior Citizens, their daily or even weekly walks to our store, are probably one of the few contacts they have with their friends and other townspeople.

Being a family owned concern has enabled us to conduct our dealings. With the public in a relaxed informal atmosphere. We have attempted to maintain this air of friendliness for forty three years and shall continue to do so, simply because we consider it the best possible way to run a business.

There are some small, but, we feel, significantly important services, which we have always offered our patrons. Never, with very few exceptions, have we ever permitted any customer to exit our store, while struggling under the weight of heavy bags of groceries. Similarly, an all too familiar sight these days, is that of empty grocery carts, abandoned and, perhaps, being rained upon, sitting in the parking lots of chain groceries.

Fortunately, we have never had this problem. Should anyone of our friends be good enough to purchase a cartfull of groceries, we believe they deserve to have us escort them and their cart to their car, or even to their home, if they live within walking distance. We are also, more than glad to deliver orders to anyone' residing inside the town limits. We believe this to be a great convenience to many of our customers and at this particular time, we find that more and more older citizens are taking, advantage of this service.

While neither a policy nor a service, in the strictest sense of the words, our meat department has always made us extremely proud. Our store is one of the very few in the area which has continued to offer a large variety of meats, all completely visible to our patrons. With quality and freshness as prime considerations, we shall continue to resist "prepackaging," a practice which is now, a routine method in the grocery business.

If, in the past, we have been able to make things just a bit easier for our friends, we are very thankful. This attitude, wt feel, reflects what has always been our over-all policy, and that is, to serve the community in any way we can, the best way we can. Further, we would sincerely hope that each and' everyone of our customers, knows how very much we looked forward to their visits. As our business has grown over the years, so too, has the number of our friends increased. And such relationships, we believe, can never be measured by dollars and cents.

A heartfelt thanks to all our customers. Their patronage and their loyalty is deeply appreciated.

Have your own memories of Boyle's store? 
if so, send them to us at history@emmitsburg.net