For more than a century, downtown Paterson was one of northern New Jersey’s premier shopping destinations. Main Street, Market Street, Broadway, and Washington Street were lined with department stores, specialty shops, furniture stores, jewelers, and clothing merchants that attracted customers from throughout Passaic County. By the mid-twentieth century, downtown featured several major department stores as well as hundreds of independently owned businesses. Competition from suburban shopping centers in the 1960s and 1970s eventually led to the decline of many of these stores.<\/p>\n
Meyer Brothers Department Store<\/strong><\/p>\n Quackenbush Department Store<\/strong><\/p>\n Frank’s Department Store<\/strong><\/p>\n Downtown Paterson also attracted many nationally known retailers, including:<\/p>\n These stores made downtown Paterson a regional shopping destination throughout much of the twentieth century.<\/p>\n Paterson’s commercial district featured hundreds of independent merchants, including:<\/p>\n The busiest shopping streets included:<\/p>\n\n
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National Chain Stores<\/h3>\n
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Specialty Stores<\/h3>\n
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Markets and Shopping Districts<\/h3>\n