Restaurant | Blog | News | Posted on September 10, 2019 at 12:21 pm by hopewell
HISTORY
7 West Broad: once a hardware store, a market and butcher, a jewelry store…We are in the throes of discovering the rich past of this iconic building, with help from our local historical society and neighbors. We want to pay homage to what 7 West Broad (and 9 West, the building connected to it) provided for so many generations of Hopewell.
According to Carol Kehoe of Hopewell Antiques our beloved building’s plot does indeed date back to the 1800’s. However, in 1893 or 1894 the building was tragically destroyed by fire but was then rebuilt to more closely resemble the structure we see today.
In the early to mid 1900’s, 7 West Broad was known as American Stores Company. Photos reveal a general store which provided the town with groceries and supplies. Around the late 1970’s, the family who owned American Stores Co, sold the building to the Pagano Family who then opened The Hopewell Village Market (which so many of our friends and neighbors recall). It is believed that the Pagano’s sold 7 West Broad directly to Chef Will Mooney who opened the much cherished Brother’s Moon which served our community for 18 years.
The photos of the American Stores Co are fantastic! The facade so bright and inviting; the interior with its abundantly stocked shelves. A moment frozen in time.
And what about 9 West Broad? From one extreme to another. First it was Miers Fine Jewelry (years unknown) before becoming the storage area for Holcombe Plumbing and eventually it got connected to 7 West Broad, somewhere along the way.
While, our research is bringing forth a chronological life with some vintage photographs, we want to hear from you! In addition to being interested in the history, we also want to keep looking forward to its future! We want to know your memories of 7 West Broad and we also would love to hear what you might be envisioning for its new life. We encourage you to share your stories and thoughts with us by emailing info@hopewelltheater.com, reaching out social media, or by visiting us at the theater. Be sure to sign up for our restaurant e-blast to stay in the loop of exciting restaurant developments!
