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7 Iconic New Jersey Stores From Our Childhood That Are No More and Were The Coolest!

By Terrie Carr

Before the internet we used to shop IN the store with our parents! Remember those days?
Terrie Carr here asking “Do you remember these iconic retailers from our childhoods”?
Sitting at the Woolworths counter was a big deal for me!
Let’s go back in time! I miss shopping at some of these fun stops!

  • Two Guys

    Starting out as “Two Guys from Harrison” and later shortened to “Two Guys” – this chain expanded to East Hanover, Union, East Brunswick, Totowa and a bunch of other locations.
    Everything from appliances to records, I loved to go there with my dad and pick out albums on Sunday!

  • Woolworth's

    My fave Woolworth’s location was in the Essex Green shopping plaza and I remember lunch at the counter with my Nana as a kid!
    Starting out as F.W. Woolworth, I remember it as the original five and dime store with inexpensive treasures in every isle. Love the record commercial too.

     

  • Bamberger's

    With locations in Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania. Bamberger’s was the place to go for back to school shopping with mom.  The flagship was in Newark and they eventually became Macy’s.
    The sound on this 80’s commercial isn’t the best, but the commercial is!

  • Korvettes

    The O.G. of the discount department store, Korvettes even gave out discount cards before anyone else.

    I loved buying records there too! I went there with my dad as a kid when Leif Garrett was appearing, but we couldn’t get in because there were too many people!

  • Sam Goody

    I shopped at a ton of record stores in my youth and Sam Goody was always a favorite.
    It was hours and hours of browsing and sometimes the shelf would be empty if your favorite big seller was sold out.
    I miss having record stores all over the place! This 1985 commercial rules!

  • Compact Disc World

    Pearl Jam at Compact Disc World

    I had to include Compact Disc World as I lived there even when I started working here. LOVED their “trade in” policy and live performances in the store including this early Pearl Jam performance in Menlo Park! (I remember doing a bunch of DHA appearances there when I first started too)
    And they always had a super cool DHA section with discounts offered and hot tunes that were called the “DHA EARGASM” of the week!

  • Caldor

    Caldor was kind of an early Target and named after it’s founders Carl and Doris. They closed the remaining stores in 1999, but whenever vintage retailers are mentioned people always think of the big red CALDOR sign!

Have a place you miss scouring for treasures of your youth? Let me know! [email protected]

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