Update:
A new offering of vintage apparel by MLH honoring local businesses lost in our Bernardsville and Basking Ridge communities.
What started out as a walk down memory lane turned into a really interesting research project about the history of businesses we’ve lost in the Somerset Hills over the last 50 years. The memories that people keep about these businesses are truly exciting to capture. Growing up is so much more than just playing around. There are these indelible marks on us all that we remember; bowling, getting ice cream, having a pizza, sitting at the lunch counter…..whatever. So The Mr. Local History Project went out and started a game to tie mimic college basketball’s March Madness.
Businesses Lost in the Somerset Hills Over the Last 50 Years
Look at the sectors that have lost businesses over the last 50 years in the Somerset Hills. Retail establishments lead the way with over 28 businesses on the list lost, followed by 18 restaurants. Services lost came in third with 15. Rounding out the top five were bars and apparel businesses.
To create our list, the Mr. Local History Project started our research to find as many businesses that have either survived 50 years or were established over the last 50 years. We then reached out to the public to submit any business that they felt deserved to be history’s greatest of all time (HGOAT) businesses in the Somerset Hills. Finally, we then grouped together in similar fashions and created a series of brackets where people would vote. The winner moved on to the next bracket until we had a winner.
Find out what the most loved businesses were that we lost in the Somerset Hills over the last fifty years.
Here’s what happened…….
How to Play Along
People followed us on our Facebook page. If you like just one bracket challenge you are in the game. They visited often and voted. Each week over a four-week period elimination brackets were created. Obviously, the first bracket was the most difficult to match up as we tried our best to determine “like vs. like” competitors. But as the game went on, some very difficult choices needed to be made.
Who Got To the Final Four
The Mr. Local History Project contacted the public to identify most businesses that are no longer around but all remember. The MLH Project then posted business against the business where the public got to vote during each elimination round. The winner moved on to the next round. Some of you might have heard a similar “battle of the bands” on the radio where you vote for one of two choices. One moves on to compete in the next round against the other previous winner, as the rest fall off the list. The process continued for six rounds until the brackets were complete and we crowned a winner.
Voting took place on our Facebook page. If you didn’t have Facebook you could follow along by clicking on our Gossip Page.
Consolation Matchup – Nardone’s Bakery vs. the Corner Cupboard
Championship – The Store from Basking Ridge vs. Pistilli’s of Bernardsville
And our HGOAT Champion – Pistilli’s Italian Restaurant
The most beloved business we lost in the Somerset Hills
Individual Bracket Results
HGOAT Business Listings (Alphabetical)
We’d love to share your memories if there’s a blank below. Post at the bottom.
| Name | Town/Area | Type | Currently There/Comments |
| A&P | Basking Ridge | Grocery | Development |
| A&P | Bernardsville | Grocery | CVS |
| A&P | Pluckemin | Grocery | Market Fresh |
| Acme | Bernardsville Center | Grocery | Kings |
| Adrienne’s Place | Bernardsville | Apparel | By VW |
| Apgar Associates | Far Hills | Services | De Munn Place, Far Hills |
| Appogee | Basking Ridge Village | Apparel | Soul Sisters |
| Atlas Market (Deli) | Bernardsville | Deli | 29 West Street |
| AT&T Headquarters | Basking Ridge | Corporate | Verizon Wireless |
| Audi Bernardsville | Bernardsville | Auto | Empty |
| Autumn House Furniture | Bernardsville | Retail | Olcott Square |
| Baker’s Auto Parts | Bernardsville | Auto | Somerset Hills Handyman 18 Quimby Lane |
| Bardy Farms | Basking Ridge | Farm | The Barrons Development |
| Base Camp | Basking Ridge | Apparel | Basking Ridge Dentistry |
| Basking In Java | Basking Ridge | Services | Perrotti’s |
| Bedminster Motors | Bedminster | Auto | Main Street and 27 Morristown Road Bernardsville |
| Bernards Television Company | Bernardsville | Retail | M. Cunningham 37 Olcott Square |
| Bernardsville Camera Mart | Bernardsville | Retail | Bagel Bin |
| Bevels Saddlery | Gladstone | Retail | |
| Bills Corall | Basking Ridge | Bar/Eatery | Café Rustica |
| Bistro II | Bernardsville | Restaurant | The Claremont Tavern, 121 Claremont Road |
| Bon Marche | Bernardsville Center | Retail | Bill Ramsey – 92 Morristown Road |
| Brass Penny | Gladstone | Bar/Eatery | Gladstone Tavern |
| Brookdale Deli | Olcott District | Deli | 19 Olcott Square – Carl and Ruthie Hackert. Now Buona Pizza |
| Burger King | Bernardsville Center | Restaurant | Across from the Fire Dept |
| Business | Town | Type | Current Store |
| Buxtons | Bernardsville | Restaurant | When Buxtons was Buxtons (after it was Pipers and the Shaggy Shingle |
| C&E Auto Body | Bernardsville | Auto | |
| Carmine’s Beauty Salon | Bernardsville | Retail | Bernardsville Auto Repair 75 Mine Brook Road |
| Carriage Trade Gifts | Bernardsville | Retail | 75 Route 202 Bernardsville |
| Catch Penny Pub | Bernardsville | Bar/Eatery | Under Bernards Inn |
| Charlies Aunt | Bernardsville | Retail | In front of DQ |
| Charlies Spirits & Deli | Bernardsville | Deli | Bernards Café – 8 Mine Brook Road |
| Chatfields | Gladstone | Bar/Eatery | Gladstone Tavern |
| Christines | Bernardsville | Restaurant | Next to Huffman Koos |
| Cigars and Fire Trucks | Bernardsville | Retail | 165 Morristown Road |
| City Federal Savings | Pluckemin | Bank | 315 US 206 – Investors Savings Bank |
| Clara Louise | Olcott District | Apparel | Known in Westfield 5 Olcott Square |
| Classic Fashions | Basking Ridge | Apparel | Perrotti’s – 75 S. Maple Avenue |
| Cobbler Shop | Bernardsville | Services | Craft Hair Studio – 13 Mine Brook Road |
| Collins Corner | Far Hills | Retail | Antiques |
| Conkling Miller | Bernardsville | Retail | 117 Morristown Road |
| Copper Kettle Deli | Gladstone | Restaurant | Moved to Basking Ridge (2000) |
| Corner Cupboard | Basking Ridge | Services | Blue Café |
| Country Casuals II | Lyons Mall | Apparel | |
| County Neighbor Liquors | Basking Ridge | Retail | Owner Bob Pretzfelder would buy us dinner (to go) from the Corner Cupboard. every night we worked |
| Crest Jewelers | Basking Ridge | Retail | Somerset Hills Florist 94 S. Finley Ave |
| Curran Pharmacy | Lyons Mall | Pharmacy | Lyons Mall |
| Debus Drugs | Gladstone | Retail | George DeSesso – Main Street |
| Dee’s Deli | Bernardsville Center | Deli | 1980s |
| Delan Flowers | Bernardsville | Services | Between Bernards Café & Diamond Dream 10 Mine Brook Road |
| Dewy Meadow Farm | Basking Ridge | Farm | Future Rental Complex |
| Diamond Dream Jewelers | Bernardsville | Retail | 165 Morristown Road |
| Diehl’s Jewelers | Olcott District | Apparel | Envy Lash – 24 Olcott Square |
| Door Décor | Bernardsville | Retail | across from train |
| Doug Lowrie Auto Body | Bernardsville | Auto | 57 Morristown Road |
| Duke’s Cafe & Grille | Basking Ridge Village | Restaurant | 2008-2009 where Blue Café |
| Duke’s Wild Goose Bakery | Basking Ridge Village | Bakery | 2009-2010 – Blue Café |
| Dunster’s Propane Gas | Basking Ridge | Services | 26 W. Oak Street – opposite Brick Academy |
| Famished Frog | Bedminster | Restaurant | Delicious Heights |
| Far Hills Country Inn | Far Hills | Restaurant | Peapack Road, Heinz and Debbie Keller |
| Far Hills Hair Salon | Far Hills | Beauty | Corner of Rt. 2020 and Peapack Road |
| First National State Bank | Bernardsville | Bank | Wells Fargo |
| First National State Bank | Basking Ridge | Bank | Wells Fargo |
| Flamingo’s Ice Cream | Lyons Mall | Services | |
| Florios Tavern | Bernardsville | Bar/Eatery | 1996 to 1998 when Blue Café |
| Freddys Tavern | Olcott District | Bar/Eatery | Rudolph’s Steak House |
| Friendlys | Bernardsville | Restaurant | Dunkin Donuts |
| G.F. Hill Power Equipment | Gladstone | Retail | Lawnmowers |
| Game Stop | Bernardsville Center | Retail | Jersey Mikes |
| Gardner Motors | Bernardsville | Auto | 65 and 118 Morristown Road |
| Gourmet Touch | Liberty Corner | Bakery | |
| Giraffe | Basking Ridge | Restaurant | The Vine |
| Grand Union | Lyons Mall | Grocery | Stop N Shop |
| Henry Street Bakery | Basking Ridge Village | Bakery | Blue Café |
| Hill Chevrolet | Gladstone | Auto | |
| Hills Development Company | Pluckemin | Services | |
| Honeycomb Heath Foods | Bedminster | Grocery | |
| Huffman Koos | Bernardsville | Retail | Rite Aid – Route 202 and North Finley |
| Hurley Insurance | Far Hills | Services | |
| Jaeger Lumber | Olcott District | Retail | |
| Jerolomans | Bernardsville | Retail | Karl Jerlolman -125 Claremont Road |
| Jerry Lewis Cinema | Lyons Mall | Services | Lyons Mall – Also was Ridge Cinema |
| Joe’s Taxi Service | Bernardsville | Services | |
| La Viva Coiffures | Olcott District | Beauty | 27 Olcott Square |
| Le Petite Chateau | Bernardsville | Restaurant | The Claremont Tavern – 121 Claremont Rd |
| Leitners Toy Shop | Lyons Mall | Retail | Lyons Mall |
| Lemon Lounge | Basking Ridge Village | Restaurant | Blue Café |
| Liberty Cycles | Basking Ridge | Retail | Empty |
| Limestone Café | Peapack | Restaurant | Il Monello Italian – 89 Main Street, |
| Linn Motors | Bernardsville | Auto | Packard Dealer in Bernardsville |
| Lobel’s Boutique | Bernardsville | Retail | |
| Lotus Mind & Body Yoga | Bernardsville | Services | 165 Morristown Road |
| Lucent Technologies | Basking Ridge | Corporate | Daiichi Sankyo |
| Ludlow Records | Olcott District | Retail | 56 Degrees Wine 25 Claremont Road |
| Marauders Pharmacy (Mowders) | Bernardsville | Pharmacy | |
| Mardi Gras Corner Restaurant | Basking Ridge Village | Restaurant | The corner of Henry Street and Maple |
| Mary’s Ceramic & Gift Shop | Far Hills | Retail | Route 206 |
| Mastro Shoes | Olcott District | Apparel | Empty |
| McGraths Paint and Hardware | The Hills | Retail | The Wine Rack – 572 Allen Road |
| Melon Shoes | Bernardsville | Apparel | 80 Morristown Road, Unit 3A UPS Store |
| Millington Savings | Basking Ridge | Bank | |
| Mockingbird Café | Basking Ridge Village | Restaurant | Blue Cafe |
| Mowders Pharmacy | Bernardsville Center | Pharmacy | |
| Mowders Pharmacy | Far Hills | Pharmacy | |
| Nardone’s Bakery | Bernardsville Center | Bakery | 80 Morristown Road, Phillips & Fredericks Jewelers |
| National Video | Lyons Mall | Retail | Lyons Mall |
| New Jersey Savings Bank | Basking Ridge | Bank | Wells Fargo |
| Nino’s Pizza | Lyons Mall | Restaurant | 22 Lyons Mall |
| O’Connors Beef ‘n Ale House | Watchung | Bar/Eatery | 708 Mountain Blvd. |
| Old Stone Tavern | Bernardsville | Bar/Eatery | Rudolph’s Steak House |
| OK Shoes | Basking Ridge | Apparel | Lyons Mall |
| Parks Meat Market | Basking Ridge Village | Retail | Haus Remodeling – 47 South Finley Ave – Anthony Cavaluzzo |
| Passiac Valley Dry Cleaning and Dyeing | Basking Ridge | Services | 26 W. Oak Street – opposite Brick Academy |
| Peking Royale Restaurant | Bernardsville Center | Restaurant | Li Chu Li – |
| Pepper Mill Deli | Basking Ridge | Deli | Coldwell Banker Real Estate |
| Per Forza Italian Restaurant | Basking Ridge Village | Restaurant | Blue Cafe – 1987-1996 |
| Pink Poodle | Basking Ridge | Beauty | Lyons Mall |
| Pipers Restaurant | Bernardsville | Restaurant | John and Mary Garis – 99 Morristown Road |
| Pistilli’s Restaurant | Bernardsville | Restaurant | Josephine Pistilli – Applied Waste Water Pumping 0 147 Morristown Road |
| Queen City Savings | Basking Ridge Village | Bank | Where Wells Fargo is |
| Quiet Cycles | Olcott District | Retail | 15 Olcott Square |
| Ridge Beauty Salon | Basking Ridge Village | Beauty | 24 W. Oak Street Irene Wilkenson |
| Ridge Chevrolet | Basking Ridge Village | Auto | Organic Nest – 17 Olcott Square |
| Ridge Liquors | Basking Ridge Village | Retail | Ridge Family Dentistry |
| Ridge Pharmacy | Basking Ridge Village | Pharmacy | Gotta Dance – Al Needleman and Charles Berman – 69 S. Maple Avenue – Corner of Finley and Henry Street |
| Shady Grove Inn | Basking Ridge | Bar/Eatery | Vine |
| Sight & Sound Camera and Audio | Bernardsville Center | Retail | |
| Simms Jewelers | Bernardsville | Retail | 17 Mine Brook Road |
| Somerset Bowling | Bernardsville | Services | Bernardsville Hardware |
| Somerset Hills Dairy Farm | Bernardsville | Farm | Dairy on 33 Mill Street |
| Somerset Hills Florist | Basking Ridge | Services | On Finley |
| Somerset Hills Pastry Shop | Bernardsville | Bakery | Formerly Nardone’s Bakery |
| Somerset Recreation Bowling | Bernardsville | Services | Bernardsville Hardware |
| Somerset Travel | Olcott District | Services | Organic Nest – 17 Olcoltt Square |
| Speed Wash Launderette | Bernardsville Center | Services | |
| Sussmans | Olcott District | Apparel | Ride & Reflect Meditation 11 Olcott Square |
| Telesco’s Beauty Salon | Gladstone | Beauty | |
| The Knit Shop | Far Hills | Retail | Far Hills Village |
| The Lamp Post Gift Shop | Bernardsville Center | Retail | |
| The Olympic Shop | Bernardsville | Apparel | Down from Theater |
| The Rug Beater | Bernardsville Center | Retail | Next to Lobell’s |
| The Sports People | Bedminster | Retail | Steve French Betty Sackmeister |
| The Store | Basking Ridge Village | Bar/Eatery | The Washington House |
| The Works | Bernardsville | Services | |
| Three Lights Tavern | Olcott District | Bar/Eatery | Empty – 17 Olcott Square |
| Three Links Social Club | Bernardsville | Services | Lodge 263 |
| Thursty Turtle | Bernardsville | Restaurant | Shop Rite Parking Lot |
| Tony’s Butcher Shop | Basking Ridge Village | Retail | Tony Cavaluzzo supplied meat to the Store aka THE Market |
| Valley Squire Clothing | Basking Ridge | Apparel | Perroitti’s 75 South Maple Avenue |
| Village Fountain | Basking Ridge Village | Services | Food Services – Took over in 1955 by Dick Cleave. Barber Shop today |
| Village Hardware | Basking Ridge Village | Retail | WB Hawke – 37 South Finley Avenue |
| Village Toys | Bedminster | Retail | The Hills Village |
| Wachovia Bank | Basking Ridge Village | Bank | Current Wells Fargo |
| Wagon Wheel | Basking Ridge | Restaurant | Minuteman BBQ |
| Werring Chevy/Olds | Basking Ridge Village | Auto | Ridge Dentistry |
| West & Noble Inc | Bernardsville | Services | Advertising Agency |
| Willies Tavern | Bedminster | Bar/Eatery | Delicious Heights |
| Wilson’s Taxi | Bernardsville | Services | Edwin Wilson – |
| Woolworths | Bernardsville Center | Retail | Gary’s Wine and Liquors |
| Ye Old Cordiality Shoppe | Bedminster | Clothing | Corner 202 and Lamington Road |
Additional MLH Researched Stories
I feel that in the bracket category that Pistilli’s pizzeria and restaurant will be the final winner of the brackets
It’s not the winner, it’s the journey. And you have to win win with votes to advance. 🙂
Bevel’s Saddlery is now Ken Rent