Shopping / There are few new ideas
Subject
Haverstraw History
Description
Letter To the Editor
Source
Date Created
1989-05-17
Text
I can't resist commenting on the recent
advertisement by a major supermarket
chain, offering overnight delivery of groceries
for $9.95.
Meyer's Market, which my father founded on the Bank Corner in Haverstraw in 1910, provided free delivery service to areas from Valley Cottage to Tomkins
Cove, first by horse and wagon, and then by motor truck. The service provided credit, without charge, and without written contract.
The first supermarket in the Haverstraw area surfaced in 1940, and Meyer's ,Market converted to self-service in 1943 when, as a result of wartime rationing, only 125 gallons of gasoline , were allotted to run four delivery trucks for three months.
I operated Meyer's from 1935 until I retired in 1977 at age 67, and I resumed delivery, after the war, to many of the
very loyal customers.
But I couldn't stand retirement, and answered an Orchards of Concklin advertisement for an assistant manager's position, where, at a very active age of 76, I
continue to enjoy working.
And, in reference to the recent Viewpoints column that mentioned the first supermarket carts in Hackensack, N.J., I still have a few of the early carts, purchased about 50 years ago from the Wire Form Co. in New Jersey. I use one daily for stocking at The Orchards. The upper
and lower wire baskets were removable, and the cart folded for easy storage.
WILLIAM H. (Bill) MEYER Jr.
Stony Point
advertisement by a major supermarket
chain, offering overnight delivery of groceries
for $9.95.
Meyer's Market, which my father founded on the Bank Corner in Haverstraw in 1910, provided free delivery service to areas from Valley Cottage to Tomkins
Cove, first by horse and wagon, and then by motor truck. The service provided credit, without charge, and without written contract.
The first supermarket in the Haverstraw area surfaced in 1940, and Meyer's ,Market converted to self-service in 1943 when, as a result of wartime rationing, only 125 gallons of gasoline , were allotted to run four delivery trucks for three months.
I operated Meyer's from 1935 until I retired in 1977 at age 67, and I resumed delivery, after the war, to many of the
very loyal customers.
But I couldn't stand retirement, and answered an Orchards of Concklin advertisement for an assistant manager's position, where, at a very active age of 76, I
continue to enjoy working.
And, in reference to the recent Viewpoints column that mentioned the first supermarket carts in Hackensack, N.J., I still have a few of the early carts, purchased about 50 years ago from the Wire Form Co. in New Jersey. I use one daily for stocking at The Orchards. The upper
and lower wire baskets were removable, and the cart folded for easy storage.
WILLIAM H. (Bill) MEYER Jr.
Stony Point
Collection
Citation
“Shopping / There are few new ideas,” accessed May 3, 2024, https://rocklandroom.omeka.net/items/show/3988.