File:1925 - Wetherhold and Metzger - Storefront.jpg

English: 1925 - Wetherhold and Metzger 719 Hamilton Street Storefront

Local Shoe Store in the Allentown area. George A. Wetherhold and Owen W. Metzger opened their first store at 714 Hamilton Street in 1908 on Hamilton street's south side. However, according to Metzger, "It was on the wrong side of the street", and in 1918, the store moved to the more prominent north side, at 719 Hamilton where it remained for the next 69 years. It was a two story store, with the children's department on the lower level.

Wetherhold & Metzger also had an uptown store in the 900 block of Hamilton Street. Over the decades, Wetherhold owned and operated about 11 stores under the names of Wetherhold, Shoe Rack, Kristy Shoes and Shoes by Gina. The store closed and was sold in May, 1987 with the demise of the Hamilton Street shopping district. In September, 2012, the store at 719 Hamilton was demolished, along with most of Allentown's mercantile history as a part of the Onc City Center/PPL Plaza/Reconnaissance Hotel construction project.