Sunday, May 6, 2012

Jane's Walk: Site 6

Once upon a time, this remarkable house stood at 310 Warren Street. It was the home of Captain John Hathaway and an extraordinary example of Federal design. 


Much happened to this house between the late 1860s, when this photograph was probably taken, and the 1930s, when I believe the building was demolished--all of it bad. According to various accounts, it was turned into a garage or a car dealership, and huge openings were cut into the facade. George Duguay once told me his father, who had been the chauffeur for Mrs. Isaac Newton Collier, one of the wealthiest women in Hudson in her day, had also worked for whatever the auto-related business was that occupied the former Hathaway house. I've been told that there are pictures of the house taken during that time, but I've never seen them. At some point, mantels from the house were removed and installed in the Italian villa at 601 Union Street, where they can still be seen.

Eventually, after being abused beyond recognition, the house was demolished, and in its place was built a supermarket.


It was originally Sam's Supermarket, a neighborhood market known for the quality of its meat. The meat counter was like a butcher shop. There was no prepackaged meat. Customers made their selections out of the case, and the meat was weighed and wrapped up on the spot.   

Sam's Supermarket closed in 1994, and a few years later, with the support and encouragement of the Columbia Hudson Partnership, a new grocery store, the Hudson Supermarket, opened in the building. Sadly, the Hudson Supermarket was short-lived. It closed only a year or so after it opened.

Still called the Hudson Supermarket, the building now houses a market for antiques and vintage furniture. It's a vibrant and attractive business, and there are always intriguing things in the window to engage your attention as you pass by, but once you've seen a picture of the house that stood there long ago, it's hard to walk by without conjuring up its ghostly image.

6 comments:

  1. Hudson's recent past of "grocery stores"
    The Hudson Supermarket previously Sam's Supermarket.
    Sam's was lacated at 4th & Warren prior to move to 308 Warren.
    308 Warren previously Grand Union, after buying out Empire Market.
    Empire Market was located at SE corner of 3rd & Warren present site of Steiner's.
    Steiner's was located (destroyed by massive fire) at present site of nursery/garden shop just below 3rd & Warren.
    T. D'Onofrio

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    1. The Grand Union moved to Warren, North of 7 th opposite Lawrence Tavern. Oneida Market 310 Warren, Ginsberg Market 317 Warren. Six 'super markets' ? I don't think so, but many smaller grocery stores.
      Sunkist Food Market 618 Warren. On Columbia at 3rd Fedyk,s Market, Gohl's (where Lady Liberty now is), Nick's, 2nd st., Russo, on 3rd, Ritters, on 3rd, A&P on 7th.
      Also at least 1 fish market, several deli, many bakeries.

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  2. Thank you, T. D'Onofrio, for all that supermarket history! I always imagined that Sam's had been there for decades and was the first market to occupy that space. Clearly, I was wrong! So, was it a chain, Grand Union, that built the building there in the first place?

    It's amazing that there were once so many supermarkets in Hudson. I've heard of A&P and some other chain and now Grand Union having stores here, and now it seems impossible to lure even a specialty chain like Trader Joe's. We need Acres Co-op Market to open . . . soon!

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  3. I heard that at one time Hudson had six grocery stores.

    I have seen pics of the Hathaway house carved out as a car dealership - truly horrid.

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  4. OK everyone.
    At one time Hudson did have a few grocery stores. An A&P at 135 Warren St, then an A&P on N. 7th, a FINAST where Social Security is (is it still there?) a huge Grand Union on upper Union St. (a medical center is located there now) another above 3rd & Warren.
    And as Judy mentioned many Ma&Pop stores plus mid size stores such as Sam's & Ginsberg's.
    The FINAST & Union St. Grand Union had large parking lots for its shoppers.
    Then came the Shopping Centers in the 60's, I think Cental Market & Jamesway were the 1st shopping strip located where Walmart is today, which many Hudsonians believed was the beginning of the end to the Warren St. shopping district & the Hudson City limits grocery stores.
    You can also add the Empire, Oneida, & Sunkist (Sunkist was located just East, next door to deMarchin on Warren St below 7th) grocery stores to the list.
    I can't tell you the exact years when each grocery store opened/closed. That's left for research & someday The Hudson City Museum.
    I'm glad to see Gossips stir up a response from the readers.

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  5. Byrne Fone's book has a photo showing Oneida Market at SW corner of Warren & 7th in late 20's. (p158).

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