Cape May As I Remember It: Part Two
A number of years before the Washington Street Mall was constructed, I stood at the corner of Washington and Decatur Streets one August night and counted the people. There were a total of eight people in the three-block area. Most of the stores were closed, as the boardwalk (it was wooden then) was the place to be. I thought it would be interesting to list those stores that were on Washington Street at that time.
On the corner of Washington and Ocean Streets, where Winterwood is today, Camden Trust Bank was located. There was another financial institution located in that building prior to Camden Trust, but I am not sure of its name. Cape May City Hall eventually moved into that building. There were only four employees in City Hall; they were Stanley Schellenger, Florence Church, Hope Taylor, and Margaret Keenan. There are so many more rules, regulations and red tape to manage a city today that it requires more than four employees. City Hall eventually moved into the old high school, one block away from the Camden Trust building.
Next to the Camden Trust building was Kokes Bakery. I can remember smelling the aroma of coffee cakes and buns coming from the bakery when I was collecting the mail from the street letter box at 5:00 in the morning. Next to Kokes was O.L.W. Knerr Dry Goods. Continuing in the same block was the Cape May Coal and Ice office, George Wentzel Furniture, Alexander’s Dry Cleaning, Mayflower Shop, Sol Needles Real Estate, Keltie News, Smith’s Cab, Campbell Real Estate and Insurance Office, and Joe Roth’s Candies. You could buy a nickel’s worth of candy to eat in the movies from Roth’s. Liberty Theater was located in the 500 block, where Liberty Way is now. The price for a movie was 10 cents for children and 35 cents for adults. There were two shows each night, which usually included the news, a short film, and a cartoon before the main feature. Next to the movie was Dellas Real Estate, attorney Charles Sandman, and Willards Insurance Agency. Ray Faulkner had a 5&10 where the Dellas store is now, and at one end of the building was Hillman’s Restaurant. Merchants National Bank was located on the other corner. I was told by someone who dealt with the bank that you could apply for a mortgage in the morning and be approved in the afternoon. There was a Ben Franklin Store next to the bank that was demolished and the lot was used for bank parking. There was a walkway between the two buildings leading to the office of Dr. Robbins, a dentist. I remember getting a tooth filled there for $5. Delaware Avenue was located next to the Star of the Sea Church from Washington to Lafayette Streets. (Delaware Avenue’s name was changed to Ocean Street when the mall was constructed.) There was a trolley barn in this block. When trolley service was discontinued, Horace Church’s Moving Service moved into the building, along with Les Poulson’s cab service.
On Decatur Street between the 400 and 500 block of Washington were several commercial buildings. Harry Lehman had a gas station and the pumps were next to the curb. You parked your car right in the street to get gasoline. Tony Massella had a shoe repair shop; the motor vehicle agency had an office where you could renew your license in a matter of minutes. Central Garage was where Carpenters Lane is now. In between Kahns (now Ugly Mug ) and The Tarpon (Fins) was a walkway to a tailor shop owned by Vince Sherretta. In addition to his regular business, he did all the alterations for Tenenbaum’s Clothing Store. On the other side of Washington Street, Gys Rief had a tailor shop. Earl Hollingshead’s Funeral Home was located in this block before moving the business up Washington Street to where Sudak Funeral Home was and now Spilker Funeral Home is today. Bill Baldwin (Baldy) had his barber shop in this location. He liked to sing, and you never knew when he would stop cutting your hair, get out his guitar, and sing you a song. Cape May Transfer also had their office in this block. I worked for Cape May Transfer in 1943 to get in shape for high school football. The truck picked me up at 6am. We went to Philadelphia and the suburbs to pick up baggage for people who were coming to Cape May for vacation. Many vacationers came by train rather than by car. They stayed longer than they do today, and used trucks and large boxes to ship their clothes, in addition to a number of bicycles and occasionally a refrigerator. We delivered all the baggage the same day. We did this five days a week and a half day on Saturday. The hours were 6am to 9pm, and the pay was $30.00 a week.
On the corner of Decatur and Lafayette Streets, where Rotary Park is now located, there was the remains of a concrete step, leading to what was at one time a large house. The owner’s name was Tyler, and to my knowledge [the house] was only occupied in the summer.
In the 400 block of Washington Street was Kahn’s. There were two barber shops, owned by Joe Drugo and Harry Velli. Matador Florists, Tenenbaum’s Clothing Store, John the Greek’s Restaurant, [Jewel Box], Fosters Clothing Store, and Frymires—now Delaney’s Irish Pub—were on the south side of Washington Street. Ray Adams had a printing store that was destroyed in the 1955 fire that demolished a number of stores, including Put’s Pool Parlor—he was also the band director at Cape May High School. Wally Hebenthal and Put Hughes both had pool parlors on the other side of the street. Wally’s had a carved wooden Indian by his front door. The Savoy Bar and Liquor Store was next to Wally’s. Frank Hickman had a photo shop; he moved to Florida, where he became the greenskeeper for the New York Yankees’ spring training facility. George Douglass had a luncheonette for a short time; Walter Redden had a dry cleaning business; Hewitt and York’s Drugstore was on the corner; Anne Smith had a gift shop and L. Ashburn, an optometrist, were also located on this block.
On Jackson Street, there were several businesses. Brown’s Hardware and Jack Millington were on one side of the street, and Kelly’s Boat Bar on the other. Jack Millington sold fresh fish in the summer months from his building. There was an Italian restaurant located here, I believe by the name of Colameco’s.
In the 300 block of Washington Street was Harry’s market, now Fralinger’s Candy. Previously it was Sam Golden’s Meat Market, and later on Barry’s Clothes. Dr. Newcomer had an office in this block; he was the owner of the Physick Estate before it was abandoned. George Seidelman had his plumbing business where the Whale’s Tale is now located. Next door was the Palace Theater, one of three movie houses in Cape May; the City Pier on the boardwalk and Liberty Way Theatre were the other two. The City Pier and Palace were only open in the summer months. The Liberty Theater was eventually demolished to make room for a number of stores. Jack Cresse opened an eight-lane bowling alley where the Palace Theater was located. I was a pin boy there for several years. Our pay was five cents a game, plus free bowling.
Next to the bowling alley was Sudak’s Shoe Repair, notable for the very large shoe in the window. On the corner of Washington and Perry Streets was the Fleet’s Inn, an ice cream and sandwich parlor. It was a favorite spot for all the pin boys after we were done working at night.
On this corner, Hudson’s Furniture had a store for a time. He left, and eventually Bob Steger moved into the same building. There was a dress shop called Selma’s and later on, Lorraine’s Fashions. There was a large clock in front of Garrisons Jewelers at 313 Washington Street. Next came the Shore Bar, a popular place for both music and sandwiches. Dave Crowell’s Hardware Store was in this block, along with Roxy Restaurant, Famlet’s Ice Cream Parlor, Hazlet’s Dry Goods and Connelly’s children’s shop. Dr. Max Kurland, an optometrist, constructed and moved into his new building after World War II. Where Washington Street meets Perry Street was Von Collin’s Garage and Repair Service. Moon’s Drug Store was on the other corner. The drugstore was only open in the summer months. It had white ice cream parlor tables and chairs that you would associate with stores in the 1800s.
This is it for “before the mall.” I may not have remembered every store, but with the help of Barney Dougherty we covered this section of Cape May fairly well.
