In addition to the political and social positions held by Douglass, he also ran a store at this property. The store which the Douglass family ran at this location was apparently dealing with mass quantities of iron from the local ironmasters in this iron rich region. Some letters shed light on this fact. In June 1796, David Rutter owed the Douglass’ L168 for “boating iron.” In 1801, Dewees—a local ironmaster—informed George Douglass, Jr. that he had a load of iron ready for him. That same year, Andrew Douglass, brother to George Jr., was running an iron business in Philadelphia and was in hopes that a fine parcel of iron could be sent down as he was sure there were a few tons of plates for sheet iron laying around. The 1781 tax list had George Douglass owning 1,350 pounds of merchantable goods. In 1769, the store was robbed and a notice for reward (which sheds light on the kinds of goods the Douglass’ were dealing in) was posted as follows: “FIFTEEN POUNDS Reward. BROKE open and robbed, the shop of the subscriber, living in Berks county, of the following articles and cash, on the 11th instant at night; 1 piece fine Holland, marked 6s. 6d. per yard, sundry remnants coarser linen, sundry remnants apron check, sundry pieces and remnants shirting ditto, 1 piece half yd. wd. Cross barred red and white Damascus, 1 piece ditto 3 yrds. Wd. White and yellow, 20 yards green narrow Persian, 1 remnant black ditto, 3 yards black peeling, 10 strings mock garnet beads, sundry silk handkerchiefs, 8 yards white silk gauze, 8 pair mens worsted hose, 4 pair mens buckskin gloves, 20 yards embossed flannel, blue, red, and yellow flowers, 1 new great coat of grey duffel, 1 dozen fine checked Holland handkerchiefs, 4 pair oiled leather breeches, 1 middling buckskin, 1 small ditto, English dressed, 1 copper teakettle, pewter tankard, tea, sugar and loaf ditto, gartering, and sundry things, not now mentioned; the cash chiefly silver, copper and small bills, to the amount of about Three Pounds. Any person that will apprehend the thief or thieves, with the goods, so that the owner may have them again, and the thieves brought to conviction, shall have the above reward, or TEN POUNDS for the goods only, paid by George Douglass.”

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