The Jamisons
Earl Jamison and his wife Sheila, owners of the Bountiful Acres roadside farm stand in nearby Holicong, purchased several acres of land in Lahaska in 1961. Lahaska, which was also referred to as “Hentown,” was then nothing more than a chicken farm and a few antique shops. The Jamisons continued to purchase land until 1985, forming today’s 42-acre Village. During a vacation to California, Earl and Sheila had been captivated by the artists’ haven of Carmel-by-the-Sea as well as the newly opened Disneyland. Influenced by this trip, Earl and Sheila were inspired to create a place designed not just for shopping and dining but also for family outings and fun. Earl was able to turn this dream into a reality with the help of his sister Margaret (Midge), her husband George Smith, and their children Pierce Ann and Jamison Justin (JJ). George’s father designed the first Peddler’s Village logos and broadsides; several shops were opened by the Jamison family; and Earl and Sheila’s children worked their fair share at the Village, running flower carts, carts of home-grown produce, and more.
Cock ‘n Bull Restaurant
The original building of the Cock ‘n Bull Restaurant—in an area of Bucks County then called “Hentown”—was quite dilapidated. However, Earl Jamison saw its potential, and within a few years, the Cock ‘n Bull was born. Since 1962, the restaurant has been offering hearty favorites and still serves a few of the original menu items, including the chicken pot pye. The Cock ‘n Bull is known for its charming colonial atmosphere, with hanging artifacts and artwork. A second level was added to accommodate 200 more guests as well as weddings and banquets. The current lobby area was once the Red Fox Lounge, a 1960s-style cocktail lounge, where visitors and patrons could puff on a cigar and order the Cock ‘n Bull’s signature drink, the Apricot Rooster.
The Shops
Some of the very first shops in Peddler’s Village include The Treasure Chest, now part of Hart’s Tavern; Village Fare, which was owned and operated by Sheila Jamison’s parents, Nan and Francis Connor; The Wickery, owned by Sheila’s sister Eileen and husband Fred Roedel; The School House, a popular children’s boutique; and The Nut Kettle. Other shops, which opened in the 60s and 70s, included Creative Hands, The Village Trader, and Flower Show Farm, later the Village Flower Shoppe. Several of the original shops remain: Cookery Ware Shop, which has been thriving since 1969 under three generations of ownership, and Knobs ‘n Knockers, which was originally located in the Grist Mill but has since moved to Merchants Row. Until his death in 2003, founder Earl Jamison would visit each shop regularly, offering suggestions and help with improvements or remodeling.
The Waterway
Founder Earl Jamison truly shaped the Village from the ground up. To create an environment in harmony with nature, water is recirculated to flow from the Grist Mill water wheel down a boulder-strewn water course planted with flowering trees and evergreens, ending at the pond near the Village Green. Throughout the Village, winding brick walkways, natural fencing, and stone retaining walls frame seasonally changing gardens. In the late 1960s, after a trip to Holland, Earl worked with Dutch tulip growers to test new hybrid species of bulbs in the Village. Springtime brings thousands of tulips and hanging baskets planted with pansies. In summer, the gardens are enhanced with carefully selected flowering annuals. The winter gardens are decked out with twinkling holiday lights.
The Gazebo
The Gazebo in the Upper Village Green was added in the mid-1980s. In addition to being a welcome spot to relax and take in the everyday scenery, the Gazebo has become a premier place for live entertainment and musical performances as well as wedding ceremonies, celebrations, and proposals. During the winter months, the Gazebo housed annual entries from the Quilt Competition and Display (1987–2015) and the Gingerbread Competition and Display from 1984 until 2020, when the display moved to a larger location.
Giggleberry Fair
While antiquing in England, Earl Jamison stumbled upon an antique carousel bull that ignited an interest in the folk art of carousel carvers and builders. He began collecting figures, displaying them in restaurants throughout the Village. One of the world’s largest collectors, Charlotte Dinger, lived in Morristown, New Jersey. In 1993, Earl and Charlotte formed a partnership, displaying her collections at a $5-million Peddler’s Village venue created by Earl called Carousel World. When Charlotte died in 1997, the loan came to an end. It was at this time that Earl found a 1922 Philadelphia Toboggan Company (P.T.C.) carousel, #59 of only 89 ever produced, in need of extensive restoration. In 2001, Carousel World was replaced by Giggleberry Fair, which features the meticulously restored carousel as well as a six-level indoor obstacle course, an arcade, a toddler play area, and the Painted Pony Café.
The Courtyard
The “Yard” Shops became part of Peddler’s Village in 1977. Among the shops in the 1970s and 80s were: Jiminy Kricket (hip designer jeans), Western End (Western wear and cowboy boots), W. Skold (Scandinavian imports, including real clogs), and Donegal Bay (Irish imports). The Café provided customers and shopkeepers with an informal place to pick up a quick breakfast or lunch. Jenny’s restaurant was the first extensive rebuild; the highly-anticipated opening brought an interesting combination of haute cuisine and glittering discotheque to Bucks County.