Jul 6, 2013

Tuckerton Emporium Celebrates 20 Years on Main StreetBy Pat JohnsonThesSandPaper.VillageSoup.com

Tuckerton, NJ – When John and Rosemary Kumpel moved to Tuckerton in the early 1980s, they soon made a visit to Gerber’s Department Store. It was where townsfolk shopped for various household needs, from baby shoes to mattresses, and clothing that was classic and reasonably priced, though limited in selection and sizes. Gerber’s was built in 1921 and, although it was much smaller, some of the details were modeled on the old Macy’s store in New York City, said Rosemary. “If you see the original, old movie ‘Miracle on 34th Street,’ you see the same railings on the balcony that we have.”

Recently the Kumpels found proof on an old postcard that Gerber’s was also an authorized dealer for early Ford cars. “The sign was outside the store. They must have used the garage out back to store them,” she said.

The Kumpels were taken with the small town of Tuckerton, and when the opportunity came to purchase the Gerber’s building, they jumped at the chance. They retained most of the nostalgic flavor of the old store, even the wooden screen doors and the hanging globe lamps.

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