I then decided to work full time with management moving me to "The Quadrangle" college shop managing the entire thing! It was sandwiched in between men's shoes and suits. Of course the guys in both departments were always helpful not to mention delightful to work besides. Eddie (forgot last name) worked forever in the shoe department, while the guys in men’s suits, who were really haberdashers, not just salesmen, all had their quirks. Since they all got commissions they all wanted to be my suit salesman.
Then you had George (again forgot last name) who was one of the funniest men I ever met. He worked at the New York store since the dark ages, and when he came to Bergen Mall he had more funny stories to tell about the business than anyone. He hated customers who would waste his time or be overly demanding. Once I remember when a customer could not find the right pair of pants, George sarcastically and with a twinkle in his eye would say "wait, I’ll go in the basement and see if we have any more inventory down there..." then he would pretend to be walking downstairs by crouching behind the pile of pants until the customer could not see him staying there for a few moments, then ascend back up and say there was nothing in his size down there! It was hilarious to watch.
I then started working in the men's furnishing department which took over the entire East side of the main floor to the Promenade, and at 19 I was promoted to assistant manager of the men's furnishings departments 410-430. I worked for some interesting managers for those three years. I remember in particular John Bloom a sweetheart of a man, and Ed Massey.
I would merchandise everything, putting together shirt tie combos using ties that were neatly sitting in the cases row after row, but not selling. If you remember, customers were not allowed to paw over the merchandise. Everything was in display cases and you personally assisted the customers.
I remember Yolanda Giovedi, a Greek lady with a heart of gold, in the dress shirt department working with the other ladies who were all so professional and really fun to work with. They were the last of a dying breed, and they could make change too!
Back then they were professionals on the selling floor, not just salespeople. Even the head of interiors, a very dapper gentleman, who unbeknownst to me at the time took "a liking" to me if you get my drift. After all he was in interior decorator! Well he saw my talent for merchandising in my department and took me under his wing offering me opportunities to create displays for my department with his blessing. He even had me design the Christmas theme for the "Promenade" which many of you will remember was that large open area that spanned the width of the store and had the "air curtains" at each end as people entered and exited the store.
Well I design a "Swiss" theme for 1970. I designed these large "A" frame beams that would be placed about 20 feet apart and connected with cables representing a Swiss sky ride of sorts, with wreaths at each one. It was truly impressive. Unfortunately I lost my photos of how it looked, but the store designer loved it.
Being the assistant manager was great fun. I loved using the giant freight elevators going down to receiving and sweet talking the girls down there to put my merchandise ahead of other departments for pricing, so I could get them up on the floor. I remember the janitor Willie. He used to help me load and unload boxes that came up from receiving. I also remember having my name called out over the store PA by the operators: "Mr. Sapoliga dial"O", Mr. Sapoliga dial "O" please...." (They never got my name right!) At 19 or 20 hearing your name being called out in a major department store as an assistant manager was pretty cool. They even wanted me to go to become a buyer, but my heart was in architecture and followed that career. Yet, my years at Sterns was a time for me to develop and hone y people skills, know how to manage and be responsible, ever though I did have my funny experiences. I remember one time when I had to work an "iron day" which was from opening to closing, I went to dinner with one of the sales associates. We called him "space cadet" for obvious reasons. Remember it was the late 60's early 70's. Well, just before we went back inside, here we are sitting in his dilapidated Volkswagen bug, and he is trying to light something. It didn’t look like a normal cigarette. No it was Hashish, but he said it wouldn’t light. I did not know what that was, nor did I smoke cigarettes or anything else for that matter. So instead of lighting it he broke the stuff in half and gave me some to eat. It tasted awful so I swallowed it fast. Well, nothing really happened...until closing. As the AM, I had to close all the registers and take the readings and do the days sales tally. I was a pro at that, hitting the keys of the departments of all 6 registers sounding like Chopin playing the piano...but not that night. The Hash got the best of me. I couldn’t add. I felt queasy. I was giddy. Well what usually took me about 30 minutes to accomplish, took 90 minutes that night thanks to my Space Cadet salesman!
We loved having lunch in the Skyline Restaurant on the top floor which also housed the offices, and the furniture department. They had the best ice cream sodas and BLT’s. If some of you recall, the restaurant was designed with small peninsulas with the waitresses being able to walk though the center of each one. There were umbrellas over each rounded end, and coach lamps all in an outdoor themed décor. It was always crowded too! Of course when you wanted a quick bite, you went down on the lower lever to see the "hot dog lady," a nice old lady whose little stand was nestled near the toy and housewares departments, who served hotdogs from one of those rolling tubular hot dog fryers.
Then of course after closing in the evening, myself and the sales crew hit the Forum Diner across from the Mall on Route 4. They had these circular booths that would comfortably hold six people, but when we were there we would squeeze in at least nine or ten, pulling chairs from other tables to get all of us to sit together. And about an hour later when we got the check it would come to about ten dollars, since we could only afford a bagel and coffee!
Well Sterns is no more, it's grand façade now covered with what looks to me like three designs pasted together on one façade, filled with cheap goods, sold at sales stations instead of by personal salespeople. If you remember Stern's the way I do I would love to hear from you.
Michael J Sopoliga
Below, this hodgepodge design is what the Grand Lady of Bergen Mall has come to:
