A closer look at a 35 lb. Reading Barbell Company plate. You don’t see these around much any more and if you find any, you’d be pretty lucky. The Reading Barbell Company was led by Walter good of the famed Good Brothers and, according to old literature was once located at the intersection of First Avenue and Franklyn Street in West Reading, PA.
The Billard Barbell Company, out of Reading, Pennsylvania, hit the scene in the early 1960’s and featured their equipment primarily in department and sporting goods stores. If you got one of their weight sets, you also received this nifty training manual featuring Bruce Randall, the 1959 Mr. Universe winner. Randall made appearances at sporting good stores promoting and demonstrating Billard equipment. As a side note, Billard was actually the third barbell company based in Reading, PA (after the Good Barbell Company and the Reading Barbell Company.) In addition to weights, the Billard Barbell Company also boasted a national championship caliber softball team.
35 lb. Reading Barbell Plate