From today's "Your Views" in the Record:
Photographer Thomas E. Franklin erred with his nostalgic claim that "Main Street in Hackensack was the center of the North Jersey retail universe" ("The button shop," Picture This, Page L-1, Dec. 4).
Before the advent of highway shopping centers in the 1950s and 1960s, Newark and, to a lesser degree, Paterson were the retail shopping giants in the area. Newark had its huge Bamberger's and Haines department stores and Paterson its smaller Meyer Brothers and Quakenbush. Any of the four dwarfed what Hackensack had to offer in those days.
Adding to the appeal of the big-city retail trade were the great numbers of specialty retail outlets similar to the J&B shop in Hackensack visited by Franklin. That is something the malls no longer offer these days, quite probably due to their astronomical rents.
The demise of Newark, Paterson and Hackensack as major shopping destinations has been well-documented. At the outset the highway shopping centers aggressively touted their "acres of free parking" and highly competitive pricing. By contrast Newark at the time had its riots, Paterson's plan for a peripheral highway never got off the ground, and Hackensack's Main Street -- along with Fair Lawn's River Road, Bergenfield's Washington Avenue and other downtowns -- was hampered by its linear layout.
Shoppers will go where they have convenience, competitive pricing and safety. They are willing to walk in climate-controlled malls but not outside in all weather on city streets.
Other than government offices and courthouses, there isn't a great deal left to draw shoppers and their dollars to Newark, Paterson or Hackensack these days.
James D. Storozuk
Fair Lawn, Dec. 4
We enjoyed reading "The button shop" (Picture This, Page L-1, Dec. 4).
This store was across the street from our family's business, H. Plager and Sons (retail furniture).
Memories of the bygone days of Hackensack's Main Street in accounts such as these have never included a mention of H. Plager and Sons.
This store was established in 1888 at 190 Main St. in a four story, 50,000-square-foot, elevated building with entrances on both Main and Moore streets. It was an important part of Hackensack's vitality, drawing customers from all over Bergen and Rockland counties until it closed in 1973.
Malls changed Main Streets all over and our business, but not our way of life.
We recall Main Street in Hackensack as a vibrant, exciting and bustling area. We were proud to have been a part of those flourishing times.
Perhaps the next time a human interest story about Hackensack's business district appears in our favorite paper, The Record, whoever writes it will include H. Plager and Sons among other retail establishments discussed.
Harris Plager
Paramus, Dec. 4