Main Street History 237 Main St
Another piece of Main Street history is scheduled to be demolished today. 237 Main Street, which was a barber shop all the years of my growing up in Hackettstown. I think it was Tomaino's or something like that.
Lonesome Dove 237 Main while a structure built prior to 1860, was a terrible eyesore on Main Street.
It was S.M. McClallen, a harness and saddle shop. He moved to that location a few years after 1858. It was unique as the front portion of the building was an addition. The original building was set back from the others on Main street allowing for a full size figure of a horse denoting the establishment was a saddle and harness shop. It was very eye catching. Silas McClallen also a Hackettstown council member and one of the board of directors of the Hackettstown Water Supply Company, died suddenly at his shop in1887 at just 53 years old. The property remained a private residence until 1929. It then became Dimicelli's Tonsorial Parlor. It remained that kind of business until it closed several years ago.
It will now be a retail store front with just 3 separate apartments. Not that we need another hair salon or barber in town but it would be fun to see one open there again.
Who knows with the cost of energy and fuel where it is, perhaps a saddle and harness shop could make a come back...
I encourage anyone in town to find a copy of "Historic Main Street Hackettstown, New Jersey" by Ray Lemasters and Leonard Frank. It is really a wealth of information
Greg 
MAN 
It was a barbershop from 1929 until 16 or 17 years ago when Chick closed.
It was nice chatting with some of the family members there today. Clearly it was very melancholy for them. I'm glad Chick went home in his own car...
EVV After I saw a post on FB, I realized it was Dimicili's Barber Shop. Tomeo's was further uptown.
It was Demiceli's. The parking lot next to 237 there was a house and when it was demolished, they found a walled up speak easy in the basement
Robert Greg (and others)
I highly recommend that book, as well as Ray's book on the Carriage Indstry in Hackettstown. Coincidentally, (or maybe someone saw the opportunity to clear extras out of their collection), I see that there's a classified containing those two books, and a couple of others. http://www.hackettstownlife.com/classifieds/62674
The Main St. book is out of print, but if there was enough demand, perhaps we could get permission to get it reprinted. I believe we still have some copies of the Carriage Industry Book at the Museum. I think the CD we have available may have the Main St. book on it, but I'd have to check to be sure.
Phil D. 
eapos 
mangomustgoIncorrect. Chick did not retire and "let it rot". He retired then shortly after sold it in 2008.
Chick and all of his sons made that a fun place to get a haircut! Ah, the good ole days!
@Greg do not believe you as I have records to prove he had it until a year ago. No one buys that years ago and let’s it sit there dormant like that. He owned the building before it was knocked down the other day. What a great tribute to his parents, leaving it that way.
Plus the BID did nothing to try to get that eyesore taking down years ago. Another reason new leadership is needed there.
NJ TaxMaps seems to show Greg is correct unless he was part of the Grand Hack Square LLC entity that purchased it from him in 2008
The R No. That sale did not go through and if it did, you do not leave a building like that for sixteen years. Chick owned that building until this past year.
mangomustgo
If you check the minutes of the Hackettstown City Council Meeting for Aug. 12, 2021, you'll find that "Grand Hack Square" was to be billed for the cleanup done by the Hackettstown DPW to clean brush, etc. on their unmaintained property at 237
Main St. So apparently they've owned it for at least 3 years.
Grand Hack Square LLC sold it in May of 2022 to to 237 Main Hack LLC the current owner / developer. Grand Hack Square bought it from Mr.Dimicelli in 2008. Clearly when the financial crisis hit in 2009 whatever plans they had went out of the window. The building was essentially derelict during that time. During that span there was various issues and litigation with them and the Town of Hackettstown.
I had a nice chat with Chick and the family while watching the building be demolished last Wednesday. Learned a lot right from the source....
I completely understand that for many reasons it's not good to have an unsafe, essentially abandoned building sitting on the main street of your town, and in that respect I'm glad it's gone. However, I kind of disagree that it was an eyesore. Even in its derelict condition, it had more character than a good many buildings in town. We'll be lucky if whatever gets built in its place has as much architectural personality.
Monty I'm not sure a run down version of once was an average at best building is what anyone wants to see along Main street. Perhaps if it was kept in good repair we would have a different outcome. Furthermore the unsafe nature of that structure necessitated the removal. Believe me I am all for giving the past a future, it was a large part of my vocation for nearly 30 years...
The new building will certainly be acceptable. The renderings have been presented at the LUB meetings. Both the public and LUB members have had the opportunity for input on the design elements. It will be pleasing. In addition the builder is nothing like the project at the other end of town. They build high quality fine buildings. Not some Ryan type home builder which in my opinion is the Olive Garden of home builders at best.... LOL.
MangoMustgo-
"No one buys that years ago and let’s it sit there dormant like that."
Ummm.... there are countless in every town, in every state, in the entire country that sit for years, sometimes decades.....
You comment is amazingly both ignorant and amusing. You drive past all sorts of properties every day of your life that are in stark contrast to your assertion.
Greg- you are a wealth of knowledge- I would love to talk 'old stuff' over some beers sometime...I'd bring my friend who also loves this stuff and goes metal detecting with me- his email is 'IdigHistory'@.....
Even the small dirt area around this building could have cool stuff... I'd love to search it.
Josh so I need to correct some misinformation from MangoMustgo
1) the Building was sold in 2008. yes that sale was completed, Its public record. Grand Hack Square, LLC bought it from the Dimicelli family in 2008.
Grand Hack Square, LLC then left it in disrepair for years, going into foreclosure numerous times with numerous court hearing. Again public record. Every time there was a court hearing, they paid just enough to stop the bank foreclosure.
Grand Hack Square, LLC then finally sold it to the new owner in 2022 and then terminated the LLC.
you can search Grand Hack Square LLC and see there Deed and bank foreclosure filings in the warren county public records. you can also find the name of the managing member of the LLC in the docs.
https://www.warrencountynj.gov/government/warren-county-clerk-s-office/public-land-records
As sad as it is to see a historic building come down, the building was condemned years ago and beyond repair long before that. The owners from 2008-2022 did nothing but let the building rot and waste everyone's time in court.
Jim L. Thank you for this info, Jim.......mangomustgo, where on earth did you get your information from?
Thanks Jim for corroborating everything I stated. Some of this I knew, some I got directly from the family last week and the rest was a 30 second online search.
Thanks Josh. I don't have a ton of knowledge but I do try at minimum impart the correct information! You had me at beer.... LOL
The sad part about this is that another part of old Hackettstown's history is gone. You see this happen all over, buildings become abandoned and left to rot. By the time the town's do something, then it's too late. Mostly those with the money get away with it, sometimes the owners just can't afford to fix it. Just recently the old house on Rockport Road was torn down. years ago I knew the owner of that house. I was told it was part of the Morris Canal, built in the early 1800's. The cellar had a dirt floor. It was just left to rot and it was a nice home not that long ago. It would have made a nice home for a small family.
Mr 4Paws Mr4paws, as to the house on Rockport, l’ve been watching that one slowly fall apart since l was a kid in the 1980’s….although l think it was lived in even when it looked quite derelict. I always thought it a shame because it was a neat old house. But it seemed as if the owner must have died or something with no heirs. Even the old Jeep CJ still remains.
As for the Main Street building, up until a few years ago it would have been repairable. Not easy, but it could have been done. What many (okay, most) saw as an eyesore l always saw as possibility. It’s a shame the owners at that time let it fall apart. Death by neglect.
Eperot Thank you to those who share the true history of the barbershop. As this was a impactful and memorable place for all of my family. The memories of growing up in the barbershop and absorbing those conversations of knowledge, comedy, insight, advice were what helped shaped me. Chicks barbershop was more than just a place to get your hair cut. It was a family home, a legacy, and what makes me most proud, it was generational. I am proud to be part of the Dimiceli Family and I am proud of my family members who dedicated their lives to their passion of friendship, family, connection, and as we all know. Cutting hair. Since chick retired, he sold the building in 2008. But he continued his passion, in home hair cuts, house calls, funeral home calls…. He is dedicated to his craft and that’s admirable. Thank you to all who have supported and continue to support our family. The roots we have in Hackettstown are everlasting no matter what changes in appearance. Blessings to all.
HtownBorn HtownBorn: Plus ++++
went to Chick's for perhaps 20 or more years. I remember his father who was retired. His love of lolly pops. Chick said his Dad always took the best flavors. Good memories!
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