Filling's story began modestly in 1929 when Frank Fredrick Filling purchased a soda fountain in Millersville, PA. Frank maximized the new space by turning the rear of the building into a shop for pressing clothing and quickly expanded to another location in Lancaster, PA in 1932. During the 1930’s ready-made clothing was almost nonexistent. In turn, Frank wisely  purchased a tailor shop at Pine St. and Lemon St., and began making suits for just $24.75 and $38.95.

In 1939, the always enterprising Frank purchased the Green Shea Inn in Mountville, PA and transformed it into the first mineral spirits dry-cleaning facility in the state. Filling’s rapidly grew into a thriving business with multiple delivery routes and drop-off locations in the county. In 1941, the tailor shop moved to a new building at the corner of Lemon St. and Charlotte St. Following World War II, ready-to-wear clothing came into prominence, changing everything for Filling’s.

For Frank, Filling’s was not just a business—it was a family affair. Four of his children helped the company grow, his sons Frank Jr., Jay William (Bill), Richard (Dick), and Albert were active in the business, and after Frank’s death in 1952, the family continued his vision to keep the company a family operation. Frank Jr. and Albert carried the dry cleaning responsibility, while Bill, and later Dick, handled apparel.

Filling’s eventually branched out to include uniform sales, rentals, and in 1963 Kathryn Filling founded a women’s apparel division at the Lemon St. store. The brothers assumed different roles as division managers. The business thrived, especially dry cleaning and apparel sales. In the mid to late 1970’s, a third generation became of age for duty. Filling’s discontinued uniform sales as new locations for dry cleaning opened, the women’s apparel store was added, and a second men’s store was added to the roster.

Throughout the 1980’s, apparel sales and dry cleaning continued to be the backbone of the company. Third generation members of the family, like J. Jay Filling and Linda Filling, eventually ran a business unit and additional apparel stores were opened as a result.

After 40+ years in the business, Frank Filling Jr. retired in 1987. His brother Bill moved into a dual management position, overseeing both apparel and dry cleaning as company president/CEO. In 1988, Bill’s son Jay moved to the flagship location as the store buyer/manager and his wife, Mary Beth, as head of women’s apparel.

In 1995 Bill chose to retire, which resulted in Jay and Mary Beth Filling purchasing the business. Shortly after the transition, the dry-cleaning division was sold and Jay and Mary Beth evaluated the Filling’s future.

Filling’s operated out of the Lemon St. store until October 2007, when the business was the first to move into its current location on College Row. This move allowed the company to thrive in a fresh, upscale location in Lancaster’s northwest quadrant, which quickly developed into a destination for shopping and dining excellence. Moreover, additional square footage allowed Filling’s to offer customers far more selection and an elevated experience.

During the summer of 2018, Filling’s purchased an adjacent store front and underwent a complete remodel. The additional space allowed for the creation of a designated suit room, where customers today can come to be fitted for custom suit orders.

When thinking about his next career move, Ben aspired to own and operate a store just like Filling’s. He is so glad Jay and Mary Beth agreed to fold him into their retirement plans. He has worked in specialty retail since high school and always found himself returning to Lancaster. He was born and raised here and finds nothing comparable to the local community support in this town. He is ready to lead Filling’s into its next generation.

In 1963 Kathryn Filling launched the women’s apparel division of Filling’s Clothing, laying the foundation for a legacy of fashion and personalized service. After years of steady growth and earning a reputation for timeless style, expert guidance, and a loyal customer base, the women’s division was ready for its next chapter and DRESSED was born—a standalone destination for classic fashion with modern ease.