Jean’s Newsstand owner retires
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - A sign on the lottery counter at Jean's Newsstand, Market and Centre, notifies customers that Friday, Dec. 30, is the shop's last day.
SHENANDOAH – Another longtime downtown business owner is calling it a career.
Jean Kostick has owned Jean’s Newsstand at East Centre and Market Streets for the past several decades.
For many in Shenandoah, the Gilberton-native’s shop was the go-to for lottery tickets, newspapers, and a snack.
Friday, though, was the shop’s last day.
“It’s time to retire, I’ve worked for 50 years,” Kostick said.
Kostick said she took over the shop from the Tutko family, whom she worked for, decades ago. At that time, it was on the north side of Centre Street.
In the time since, she’d met many and formed friendships with longtime customers, many of whom have since passed on. While speaking with the Sentinel Friday, Kostick had many of their obituaries behind the lottery counter.
A few years ago, the shop moved to the south side of Centre, into the space formerly occupied by Juliano’s Ice Cream Shop.
Kostick said her time owning the shop was “good,” though she had always hoped someone would hit a major multi-million dollar jackpot.
That never happened, she said, but her customers did have some multi-thousand dollar wins, as she showed the Sentinel. Though, tonight’s $685 Million Mega Millions jackpot could change that, as a fitting retirement gift.
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