08/19/2025
The blown up picture is not very good but the store next to Turners was Krauss store. Formerly Cohens.
1956 - Nathan H. Krauss, Owner of Cohen's Dress Shop, with employees in the community of Bellefonte. Employees from left to right are Betty Reish, Ruth Deibler, Helen Rogusky, Nancy Cowher, Della Gates and Edwina Espenshade.
Photo Courtesy of Fred Smith.
If you have crossed the Lamb Street Bridge in Bellefonte near the Gamble Mill you may have seen the sign for Krauss Park. This is a beautiful space for fishing, bird watching, having a picnic, or reading a book away from the more crowded Talleyrand Park down the street. The new waterfront will connect Talleyrand Park to Krauss Park.
Ground was broken for the park in 2004 under an agreement between HBI, Bellefonte Borough, and the Krauss children and family in honor of the significant impact Nathan and Florence Krauss made on the Bellefonte community. Florence was born Florence Cohen. Her father, Walter Cohen, operated Cohen & Company Store in Bellefonte. It was a well known place for women’s apparel. Florence married Nathan Krauss in 1937.
Nathan was born in Selinsgrove in 1908. At age 29 he became the Mayor of Bloomsburg, the same year he married Florence. Walter Cohen owned and operated Cohen’s for 34 years before dying in 1942. Nathan decided to buy the store upon his father-in-laws death and in 1943, he and Florence moved to Bellefonte where they would raise their family.
Nathan became very active in the community while owning and operating the store. He was President of the Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club and served on the board of directors of many organizations such as the YMCA and Hospital Board. He was instrumental in bringing Skills Incorporated to the area. They continue to serve residents with special needs to this day. He served on the board of People’s National Bank for 29 years.
Nathan Krauss was a leader in the Jewish Community. A friend of his, Max Kofman, had been the first president of B’nai B’rith and was also active in the Jewish community. Max and his brothers owned Kofman Trucking which was located along where the waterfront is now. In 1946 Max formed Penn Transformer Company. It was initially in a building where Talleyrand Park now stands. Max turned to his friend, Nathan Krauss, to help grow the company. While Nathan Krauss had his own store to operate, he agreed to help Max. The company did grow and at its peak the electronics company known as Pentran employed more than 400 employees.
Krauss’s store, Cohen & Co, operated in different store fronts over the years but had been in the Crider Exchange Building. In 1952 there was a fire in that building. Nathan Krauss and his wife, Florence, had a grand re-opening and changed the name to Krauss Apparel for Women. He ran the business until the spring of 1971 when he decided to close. He predicted a decline of downtown Bellefonte due to the opening of the Nittany Mall. While Florence retired, Nathan Krauss moved on to work full time as secretary-treasurer of Pentran until the death of Max Kofman in 1974. Krauss would become President of Pentran.
Nathan Krauss was a loyal member of Bellefonte Lodge # 268 of Free and Accepted Masons, Bellefonte Lodge # 241 of Royal Arch Masons, and other Masonic bodies. He was a member for more than 50 years. Max Kofman was a fellow member and belonged to other Masonic bodies as well , including the Jaffa Shrine.
Nathan Krauss was a very avid Stamp Collector. He was a member of the American Philatelic Society for over 50 years. When the Krauss Park was opened, the Philatelic Society created a commemorative First Day Cover honoring the occasion.
