At one time - as someone pointed out Main Street was the place to be.
Researching it I have found pictures going back to the late 17th Century - ...
To the 18th Century - the 19th - the early 20th.
...... I grew up listening to tales of how it Main Street 'was'.
I grew up listening to tales of my dad, a Sicilian immigrant that grew up in Hackensack NJ back when most of it was farmland.
Of how it was when my my mom emigrating from Denmark during the war..
But one thing I do recall is: I remember the street fair on Main St.
Back then, they blocked off the street, carpeted it, had bands, sales, vendors - a Carnival. It was a major event.
People came from all over the tri state area to view it.
I barely remember it, and I still remember it.
Bring back the old Hack Main Street St Sidewalk Sale the way it was. .
Go back to the 1960's, the 70's. Better yet go back to the late 1890's - early 1900's!!
Nostalgia- of whatever sort, is big now.
In the 1980's is when Main Street really fell. Trying to compete with the Malls on their own level: Garden State Plaza, Riverside etc....
The Malls Climate controlled, convenient - Main St had no chance. I worked on Main Street in that time frame in the 80's.
I thought, and I still think that Main Streets only chance nowadays is to go back. Competing with the Malls on their own level it is doomed,
taking advantage of it's actual age - on the other hand.
Someone asked why do some of us want to save Main St - why do we care?
Because it has been around. Because we grew up with it. Because -
and most importantly - it has history -
not just another mall.... another street, not just another Main St., it is part of Hackensack History. Part of America's oldest History.
Much of it gone, too late. Lets keep what we can alive.
Keeping Main Street alive saves Hackensack from being just another boring bland old 'Mall', just another boring same as the rest of them county .... Another generic part of the greater metropolitan area that, and let's admit it blends into the same old, same old metro area.... .
Hackensack, NJ one of the oldest states, counties in the USA, we should remember that and keep what we can.