Bams always fascinated me. Always.
I lived in the suburbs, and was taken Newark to shop. Now, let
me see if this is right: uptown was Newark and downtown was Elizabeth
center(?). This was before malls, before all Moms drove, and we
took 2 buses to get there. My Mother kept me quiet with sliced apples.
But, that's how it was in the early '60's. And, I always felt like
this was a huge, exciting adventure. Sure we hit all the stores:
Ohrbachs, Kleins, Two Guys, Haynes and generally had a lunch of
grilled cheese downstairs at Woolworths. Another store I miss.
But, Bams was the king of the hill, to me. Huge and just like New
York. Only better, cause my Mom knew exactly where to go, where
everything was. Loved the first floor with the elevators sort of
smack in the middle, marble (I think) and dedicated to all the Bamberger's
employees in WWII. Wow. Let's face it, all that the Bamberger family
donated to the city of Newark: cherry blossom trees in Branch Brook
Park, the plaque on the entrance to the Library of the major donation
there, the Newark Museum and on and on.
But, boy, do I digress. About the store, got allot of stuff in
the bargain basement, bored out of my mind (I was never a "born
shopper"). But, the store was the most professional, big-time
place I ever saw.
I kept shopping there straight through to their "fixture sale."
|
