March 2002
Memories of Trenton: A look back at Trenton through the years
By
Joe Connolly
When
an older generation reflects fondly on the "Good Old Days,"
the younger breeds scoff at them. In his book, Tom Brokaw calls
the prewar group "The Greatest Generation." The City of
Trenton has survived the best and the worst of every generation.
Please sit and rest awhile, while I seek to explain.
The City of Trenton today is a far cry from the once great Capitol
City of Trenton where so many of us were born and grew. Let's turn
back the clock now to those good old days that modern youth deny
ever existed.
During the glory days, an area of perhaps no more than three or
four blocks composed the gut of downtown Trenton. You had to go
no further to satisfy all of your needs. Clothing stores, restaurants,
theatres, department stores, bowling alleys, cigar stores, candy
stores, drug stores, hotels, dance halls and soda fountains were
everywhere. Remembering and naming them all seems an insurmountable
task, but let's give it a try.
Among those downtown stores were Hurley-Tobin, Swerns, Stern's,
Goldberg's, Yards, Dunham's, Binder's, Whitehill's, Sears, Montgomery-Ward,
Nevius', Voorhees (the latter two later merged), Van Scivers…the
list goes on. Movie houses appeared all over town, as well as in
every part of the city. Warren, State and Broad Streets housed these:
the Lincoln and Trent on North Warren Street, the Stacy, the State
and Orpheum (later the Mayfair) on East State Street, with the Capitol,
the Palace on South Broad and the Broad further down on South Broad
Street.
Vaudeville
was big then, with stage shows supplement to the movies at the Capitol
and State Theatres. Many recall the featured double features as
well as a 13-chapter serial on Saturday, while newsreels and shorts
were featured at every theatre. Newsreels of heavyweight championship
boxing bouts were an added feature.
Neighborhood theatres included were the Strand in the city's western
section, the Bijou, the Princess, the American, the Greenwood and
later, the Olden. There surely may have been others that you might
recall. It was common among many kids who couldn't afford or missed
the movies in town to pick them up at the lower priced theaters
such as the Rialto on Pennington Avenue. The Garden on North Broad
Street was sometimes best remembered for the threat of "stink
bombs."
After
a long afternoon at the State Street theatre, we sometimes reenacted
the cowboy movies on the way home. Nearly forgotten were two identical
structures, the Colonial on South Broad Street and the Brunswick
near the Brunswick Circle, usually featuring second-run movies for
the postwar crowd.
Department
stores featured a great variety of wares, including clothing, electrical
appliances and household furnishings. The malls were largely instrumental
in the demise of most of the popular department stores, although
Sears survived by moving to Quaker Bridge Mall. During their heyday,
the Christmas season signaled great activity in the toy section
of these stores. Before credit cards, charge accounts were a blessing
for the poor and middle-class shoppers.
In
mid-City, Loft's, Fanny Farmer's and Green's Peppermint Patties
were among the better known candy stores, while the five-and-dimes
also offered a fine variety of candy sweets and cookies. You could
likewise purchase lunchmeats, as well as hot dogs and tasty "keg"
root beer. Some of the five-and-dimes had lunch counters, where
you might enjoy a delicious turkey platter for about a buck and
a quarter. Woolworth's, Kresge's, Grant's and Grand's - in the same
block of East State Street - are the best remembered among the five-and-dimes.
It may have been Kresge's or Woolworth's that had a second entrance
on South Broad near the Capitol theatre.
While
soda fountains were featured at some drug stores in town, they could
also be found in neighborhood pharmacies. Bearmey's and the Warren
Confectionary, as well as Clede's, were popular among the soda fountains.
The Savoy was a fine, very popular restaurant and Horn and Hardart
enjoyed a brief but welcome stay in Trenton. Chambersburg still
features many fine Italian restaurants. Especially in the Market
Street area, delis featured the best sandwiches could be found.
Robbin's and the Majestin were among the best bakeries offering
mouth watering baked goods.
Practically
in a single row on North Broad, Griscom's butcher shop, Worob's
Fish Market and Heroy's - featuring fresh coffee, tea and homemade
peanut butter - did much to satisfy our taste in foods. Satisfying
the tobacco craze, Schulte's Cigar Store at State and Warren, as
well as many drug and candy stores were available.
Today
the stores and theaters may have moved out to the suburbs, but those
of us who have lived in Trenton a long time recall fondly the days
when Trenton was the center of activity for miles around.
Next
month: More memories of Trenton.
