By Edward Master
I recently watched a rerun of “Rocky” (the first and best in my eyes, though the third one was okay). My wife and I were Jersey-ites at the time when Rocky One was released, living in Glassboro. We decided to see Rocky at the nearest theater, which was an ERIC (a regional chain) at the Pennsauken Mart, a fairly local shopping establishment and a forerunner of the shopping mall. There was a Berlin Mart not too distant east of Glassboro, but with no theater complex.
The ‘Marts’ in South Jersey were definitely a different type of shopping experience. Going shopping to either Pennsauken or Berlin establishments excluded any type of national chain type business. Forget about the Sears, JC Penny, Western Auto, Macys, or even Wal-Mart. The stores were more mom-and-pop oriented than anything else.
Even the available food stuffs had a local flavor. It seemed each mart had its own version of hot sausage-and-pepper sandwich along with pizza by-the-slice.
I do remember a sporting goods that sold homemade gym equipment in Pennsauken. I passed on the machines. A trip to one of the marts usually was accompanied by a sitting at a movie theater (close by) or a visit to a restaurant that wasn’t Burger King or MacDonalds. A trip to Pennsauken often meant a visit to the Jug Handle for wings. Berlin may have required the Spaghetti Palace.
One of the attractions to visiting one of the marts was also the shoppers/customers at the marts. Seeing the people was basically seeing another facet (or facets) of society. You could say ‘how the other half lived.’
When I first moved east and lived in South Jersey, I often longed for home. I guess at times I was homesick. Now, I’m glad that I spent the time did spend in the Garden State. I liked going into Philly and maneuvering through the City of Brotherly Love. Now, I like knowing about the places I hear of in the news. I made and enjoyed the many friendships and some adventures with those friends. I never lost my faves though in the Pens, Steelers, and Pirates. I just never could bring myself to root for the Flyers, Eagles, or Phillies.
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