Here He Comes! By Jack Coll

Here He Comes!
Right Up Fayette Street
By Jack Coll

The following news is hot off the wire, Santa Claus will visit Conshohocken on Friday evening, November 28, the day after Thanksgiving. Typically Santa keeps a very busy schedule this time of year but thanks to the efforts of Bob Moore, of Bob Moore’s Auto Garage located on Colwell Lane, Santa manages to make an early appearance in our borough. (Actually Bob Moore works on Santa’s Sleigh, that’s his connection, I’m not sure if Mr. Moore has ever met Santa in person at the garage, but he maintains his sleigh throughout the year).
Santa’s visit to the borough has been a festive occasion throughout the years, this year’s event is co- sponsored by the Conshohocken Ambucs and the Conshohocken Mayor’s Special Events Committee as they have for more than 20 years. Robert Moore Sr., Peter Moore, Johnny Pasquarello, and Mayor Bob Frost along with the other members of the Ambucs and Mayor’s committee will provide the lighting of the tree, the arrival of Santa Claus and music and Mayors trivia, (even I got two or three questions right last year but didn’t win a prize).
The star studded event kicks off at 6:00 P.M. with a cup of hot chocolate and music to sing along with. The event is highlighted with the sounds of the borough’s fire trucks racing up Fayette Street to deliver Santa to Borough Hall where Santa will climb the Washington Fire Company’s ladder to the borough hall tower before meeting with the children.
The festive event takes place at Conshohocken’s Borough Hall located at Eighth Avenue and Fayette Street. (Not the Borough Hall at Fourth Avenue and Fayette Street, and although Santa used to arrive in town at First Avenue and Fayette Street, the current site of the Borough Hall, we’re not talking about that Borough Hall either) If it all sounds a little confusing, well it is, when a visitor says where’s Borough Hall? the reply is, which one?
When I said that Santa Claus used to arrive in town at First Avenue and Fayette Street, well there was a time, throughout the late 1940’s and 1950’s, Santa would slip into town, usually arriving at E. F. Moore’s Car Dealership once located at Twelfth Avenue and Fayette Street.
Well back in 1953 when every house in Conshohocken, well almost every house had a radio, songs like “The Doggie in the Window,” by Patti Page, and “Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes,” by Perry Como could be heard coming from the living rooms of the borough as the family would gather around the radio to listen to music and other programs of the day. If ever there was a charmed moment in time to be alive it was the 1950’s, the only thing better than growing up in the 1950’s was growing up in the 1950’s in Conshohocken.
Following the post-World War Two building boom and the many industry jobs awaiting our servicemen many of our residents could afford to buy a house in Conshohocken with the average house on the avenues going for $7,000. A good portion of the borough’s residents were shopping in the car lot of E. F. Moore’s Chevrolet looking for that perfect family car, those with the higher paying jobs were walking the showroom floor with new cars going for $1,500. It was a hard decision when you factor in the price of gas in the early 1950’s, by 1953 gas had jumped to 20 cents per gallon.
Back to Santa’s arrival in 1953, Santa would arrive at the Moore Chevrolet early in the evening, and led by the St. Matthew’s All Girl Band dressed in full regalia, they would begin the parade throughout the borough riding along on top of a Tornetta trailer that had been transformed into a winter wonderland, courtesy of students from Conshohocken High school, Santa himself rode in a 100 year old sleigh loaned by the Volpe family from 62 Forrest Street. (I’m pretty sure it’s the same sleigh Bobby Moore still works on every year for Santa) Led by a Washington Fire Company with a brightly lighted ladder truck with Jesse Stemple, Jr., and Sam Januzelli at the controls. The parade would visit Hector Street, Forrest and Elm Streets, and wind the way back to Fayette Street.
Santa would arrive at the Riant Movie Theatre, First Avenue and Fayette Street, Stemple and Januzelli would extend the ladder, with all its brightly lit Christmas lights and decorations to the roof of the Riant, Santa would climb the ladder to the delight of thousands of onlookers, one rung at a time, as Santa climbed past the lighted marquee of the theatre that was showing “From Here to Eternity”, (an academy award winner in 1953) Santa would reach the rooftop, turn and wave to the crowd, and slip down the chimney into the theatre’s lobby where candy canes would be distributed.
Back in the 1950’s, Santa’s arrival was always sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce with William A. Moore running the show along with guys like Charles Butera, George Rafferty, Vince Flocco and many of the other merchants at that time.
It was sixty years ago in 1954 when the scene was repeated, often the Conshohocken High school Band was involved as well as the St. Matthew’s All Girl Band. Students enjoyed decorating Santa’s transportation trailer and sleigh. Of course the marquee on the Riant Theatre would change, in 1954 the feature movie on the marquee might have been the years Academy Award winning “On The Waterfront,” or “White Christmas.” In 1955 the marquee posted some great movies throughout the year including “Rebel Without a Cause,” “Lady and the Tramp,” East of Eden,” and “The Seven Year Itch” just to name a few.
I was just wondering if some of my older friends could close their eyes, and hear the Chordettes singing “Mr. Sandman,” or “Hey There” by Rosemary Clooney, or “Secret Love” by Doris Day as they strolled down Fayette Street back in 1954. Neighbors stopping to say “Hello” and shopkeepers busy with customers in the brightly lit stores. Bill Dugan once located at 50 Fayette Street, usually sold school and office supplies during the year would highlight toys, greeting cards, and Christmas supplies during the month of December.
The Mary Anna Shop had recently moved uptown but still had some great gift sweaters. A little saying back then was all lights lead to the Wallace Jewelers, once located at Second Avenue and Fayette Street. All lights leading to Wallace’s referred to the continuing string of lights on both sides of Fayette Street starting at the bridge and running up to Second Avenue, where the bright Christmas lights ended. I you were lucky you would find the bright Christmas morning gifts from Wallace Jewelers. Although some residents preferred to shop where the light began in which case they would do their shopping at D’Annunzio Brothers Jewelers once located at 40 Fayette.
A little further up Fayette Street was Dougherty’s Pharmacy at Fourth Avenue and Fayette Street, which was always good for a couple of gifts, as was McClement’s Pharmacy at 527 Fayette Street. Kehoe’s Hardware Store located at 109 Fayette Street always stocked the shelves a little heavier at Christmas time, as did Walter Olszta’s TV and radio store at 41 Fayette Street, remember the RCA “45” Record Player was the ultimate gift for your teenager back then. Of course if you needed records back then Charlie Hicks Music Store was the place to shop, Charlie had several locations over the years but most shoppers would remember him being located next the Riant Theatre at 70 Fayette Street.
Anthony’s Men’s Shop was a place where you could solve a lot of your gift problems, Anthony’s was located in the heart of the shopping district at 125 Fayette Street. Talking about clothes stores I wonder if anyone today remembers the Clothes Line that was located at 4 East First Avenue.
In the mid 1950’s Conshohocken still had more than 150 families owned businesses in the lower end of town, Bert’s Gift and Toy Headquarters was a busy stop during the holiday season, you could find Bert at 64 Fayette Street.
Ah, what else did we have, well off the top of my head there was W. T. Grants at 112 Fayette street, just a couple doors up from Shirley’s Market, the Highland Shop at 108 Fayette, Gabin’s Hardware Store down by the bridge, Philips Furniture on the corner of Hector and Harry Streets, Ray’s Electrical Appliances at 113 Fayette, Wilder’s Shoe Store at 118 Fayette, Phillips Gift Shop at 117 Fayette, Stanley’s Children’s Shop at 108 next to the Highland Shop, Zajac Shoe Store just off Fayette Street at 9 W. Elm, Gordon’s Furniture at First Avenue and Fayette Street, Herman’s Shoe Store at 36 Fayette, Conshohocken Variety Store at 122 Fayette, Flocco’s Cancellation Shoe Store at 103 Fayette, and then of course there was Warrell’s who sold everything from tires to radio’s and refrigerators. I know I don’t need to mention F. W. Woolworths once located on the corner of First Avenue and Fayette Street, current home to Light Parker Furniture, sometimes I walk into Light Parker just to hear the floors squeak. Speaking furniture I wonder how many residents shopped at Bert’s Clothing-Furniture-Appliance Store at 65 Fayette Street?
Does anyone alive today remember shopping at the Hat Box once located at 523 Fayette Street? And of course the very last stop before going home other than stopping at one of the many restaurants was Nick Talone’s Beverage at 12 East Hector Street.
I could go on for another few pages, it was nice to close my eyes, hears the sounds of Sh-Boom by the Crew-Cuts, Ain’t That A Shame by Pat Boone, Sixteen Tons by “Tennessee” Ernie Ford.
By 1955 things were changing, these wild cats named Bill Haley & His Comets were tearing up the air waves with “Rock Around the Clock,” the store fronts on lower Fayette Street started changing faster then most of us change socks. The once crowded and thriving riverfront industry started thinning out, and the Sixties were right around the corner. The new frontier didn’t go over so well in the Country, and it certainly didn’t go over very well in Conshohocken.
One thing that has survived the test of time is the arrival of Santa Claus in Conshohocken, and this year the fat man visits us on Friday night November 28. He will once again arrive by fire truck to climb the ladder to the Borough Hall tower. Events get underway at 6:00 P.M. on the Borough Hall grounds.
Be There
Or get a piece of coal in your stocking
Friday November 28
Festivities start at 6:00
Borough Hall Eighth Avenue and Fayette Street
Hot Chocolate
DJ
Mayors Christmas Trivia and prizes
Tree Lighting Ceremony
And the arrival of Santa Claus

Mister Sandman, Bring me a Dream
Make him the cutest thing that I’ve ever seen.
Give him two lips, like roses and clover
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over.

Yea, that’s good stuff