Ephrata?

Without Doneckers?

It was a hard thing to imagine for the folks eating breakfast at the Pancake Farm and Bright's restaurant outside the borough today, for the guy filling up his pickup truck at the nearby Wawa, the young woman stopping in for coffee.

"That was your landmark," said Eddie Adams of Ephrata, who was eating at the Pancake Farm. "I was traveling and would say I was from Ephrata and people would say, 'Oh, Doneckers!' "

Cindy Kauffman of Ephrata said, "That's where you went for your prom gowns, your mother-of-bride dresses."

People from the town north of Lancaster were upset and surprised by the news that the longtime upscale clothing store and related business empire apparently is closing or restructuring in some way.

Doneckers officials flatly refused to comment about the closing for the third day, but some employees said they have been told the business is shutting down.

"I think it's very sad," Adams said, "because Doneckers has always been an institution in our community."

She was one of several retired and current Ephrata High School teachers at the Pancake Farm today.

Teacher Bonnie Strohl said Doneckers always has been supportive of events at the school and in the community.

Wendy Mellinger, another teacher, said the store drew a lot of international travelers to the town. A former guide at the Ephrata Cloister, she said Cloister visitors often asked for directions to Doneckers.

Vivian Moyer of Denver, who stopped at Wawa today, said everyone seems to know about Doneckers. Her daughter got married earlier this month in Bryn Mawr, outside of Philadelphia, and the wedding guests were very familiar with the store.

"It was amazing to me," she said, "You say Ephrata and their eyes get big and they say, 'Doneckers!' "

John and Ruth Deemer of Akron said they have many memories of the store. Their son, Brian, worked in the men's department during the 1980s. Mrs. Deemer shopped there.

"I always went there when they had their sales," she said.

Her husband said the store is a landmark.

"I almost think that side of town IS Doneckers," he said, referring to the north side of the borough, where the store and its other businesses are situated along State Street.

His wife said, "You just wonder what's going in there, or if it's going to be empty."

Donna Anne of Akron said Doneckers' longevity is one of the hallmarks of the business, which began back in 1961.

"It's been there such a long time," she said, "You just didn't think they would close."

"It's a sign of the times," her husband, John, said. "The economy is going downhill."

Her husband wondered how the closing would affect the local economy, with people from the store potentially losing their jobs and the community possibly losing the tax revenue from the store.

Bill Wiersma said the news of the closing is not a great surprise, in light of people's changing lifestyles.

"People are buying more casual clothes," the Warwick Township resident said. "They are paying less and going to the malls. I think that business peaked."

Kathy Fausnacht of Ephrata said it's the end of an era.

"They started the business from scratch," she said, "and added on the restaurant and Artworks. I hope somehow, somebody will pick up the cultural things they started here."


Staff writer Cindy Stauffer can be reached at cstauffer@LNPnews.com or 481-6024.