"If you cook, stop and look. Come on out to Caplan's" is one of the most famous jingles in Erie advertising history. The jingle extends an invitation to visit  A. Caplan Company, a unique and popular store in Waterford.  A large sign with the store's musical slogan definitely catches the eyes of drivers on busy Route 19.

"People often come in and they say, 'Hey, I'm here because I cook. So I'm stopping and looking.' It's funny to hear that back from people,” says Michele Johnston, a showroom support associate.

Michele is giving me a tour of the store. The aisles are packed with everything you need for cooking AND things you may not think you need. You buy one of those items, take it home, and quickly wonder how you ever got along without it. A pickle grabber, for example. This gadget lifts a pickle easily out of the jar without having to squeeze your fingers inside. How about some toaster tongs? They grab that hot slice of toast you don't want to touch. Michele shows me a tuna press that's used to drain cans of tuna quickly and easily. There’s a pan scraper that is very small, but it does the job very well. Michele says there’s no reason for anyone to cry in the kitchen, She showed me some onion goggles that prevent any tears while cutting those eye-irritating vegetables. Wow! This store is great!

"It's fun to hear what people have to say about our store and how impressed they are,” says Michele.

Caplan's does not only cater to novice cooks like myself. The store also appeals to food preparation businesses. I’m taken to part of the store that some customers have never seen. It's loaded with commercial ovens, refrigerators, freezers, and more. Caplan's opened for business in 1981. Two years later it moved into a building that used to be the home of a Dog n Suds drive-in restaurant. The business property has greatly expanded at that site but the original Dog n Suds building remains.. right down to the inverted overhang roof in the parking lot.

For over 40 years, Caplan's has been a gathering place for those to love to cook. Michele says people love to tell stories about learning to cook from a grandmother or another family member. She says seeing a particular item on the shelf can bring back a lot of memories for those cooks.

"That's always fun to hear those stories,” says Michele.

By the way, Caplan's was a popular place for Christmas shoppers this year. We're told that fondue pots and enamel Dutch ovens were the best selling items at the store during the holiday shopping season.