I have always had an interest in the ethnic makeup of early Trenton as the Irish, Jewish, German, English, Hungarian and various other immigrants came to America to find a better way of life. My Irish, Italian and Jewish folders are being added to an a regular basis. I recently heard from Mr.Ron Schnur who referred to a column I wrote a while back wherein I mentioned Mr. Aaron Schnur's department store that was once located on South Olden and Hamilton Avenue where today's Dunkin' Donuts is located. Mr. Schnur was a kindly man and I remember my mom taking me there many Septembers to be outfitted for school with a new pair of "cancellation" shoes which were lifesavers for us poor folks.
Tom:
ReplyDeleteAs a young man most of the shops that I bought my trendy new clothes from were located in this block of South Broad St.
From Factory St. south to the Palace Theatre, noted on this poster as "The Grand" there was: George's Men's shop run by two bothers one very dapper, the other strictly a business type. Moving South, was "Harold's men's shop, owned by Harold Zelt, then the "Premnier Men's store "Maury Robinson's, It had a new modern facade on the front and he carried the most stylish clothes of the moment.
When being fitted for my "Zoot suit" like outfits, the tailor would laugh and say I would need a shoe horn to get my "Pegged Pants" on. I came a long ways in fashion from a kid getting everything you would need from "Lavine's on Union St. to going uptown where the "class shops were.
Some of the names of other Shops were Metropole Clothing, Bond Clothes, ( 2 pair of pants with every suit) Robert Hall, Baxter Clothes etc. Should you be wearing one of those ill fitted suits, you would be mocked by the more fashionabley dressed.
Who could forget the suede shoe craze! When you realize that Thom McCann did not carry those sharp looking "scops" You knew that "Hanover Shoes" virtually next door would, oops made a mistake and stopped at "Father and Son" who was also located on West State St. between Broad And Warren. Spent all that money on clothes and shoes just to hang on State and Broad Sts. conbing my Slicked back "DA"
Happy times, Happier Days.
Regards
Mike Kuzma