Thorofare Memories

My father was interviewed (over breakfast at McDonald's) for this article by Ron Paglia in yesterday's Tribune-Review:

Steve Krassa, Cletus Doptis and Lane Core have never met Bob Schneider. But they have a lot in common, and all four would enjoy getting together for a stroll down Memory Lane....

Lane Core's memories of working for Thorofare remain just as vivid as those of Doptis and Krassa.

A native of Long Branch and a 1946 graduate of Charleroi High School, Core began working in the stockroom at the Charleroi store. He had previously worked at G.C. Murphy stores in California and Hazelwood, Brown's 5 & 10 in Masontown and the Acme market in Monongahela.

Core worked for Thorofare for six years and then decided to pursue a career in produce.

"I had advanced to assistant produce manager at Thorofare and really learned a lot from Tom Marshall, who was in charge of the department," said Core, 78, who retired only six years ago. "I felt I needed a change, so I took a job with Potter McCune at their warehouse in McKeesport. Eventually, I became a produce supervisor, setting up departments in new stores and training employees."

Core later worked for Safier's Inc., in Uniontown. He and his wife, Donna, have been married for 51 years.

Like Krassa and Doptis, Core had the opportunity to see many transitions in the retail food industry.

"I never expected to see anything change in such a big way," Core said. "The growth, in a relatively short period of time, has been tremendous. The stores sell so much more than food today. You go to a place like Wal-Mart and it's so convenient. Everything is there under one roof. I guess Sam Walton (Wal-Mart founder) had the right idea." ....

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Mon. 03/05/07 08:37:02 AM
Categorized as Other.