One of Holyoke's most remarkable retail stories would include the Saltman family.
The story begins in 1914 when Simon Saltman, his wife Rebecca (Pomerantz) Saltman, and their children emigrated from Poland to Holyoke, where they had family. The move occurred just before the outbreak of World War 1. The family moved to a block owned by Simon's brother at the corner of Hamilton and So. Summer St.
In 1915, Simon began nine years of street peddling fruits and vegetables, assisted by his children, Jonas, Rose, and Zal. By 1924, he saved enough money to purchase a three-story block at the corner of Park (now Clemente) and Sargeant St.
The building had a laundry, barber shop, fruit store, and cafe, which were eventually vacated and replaced by the growing Simon Saltman store. The store specialized in selling yard goods, which were fabrics and materials for making clothing, which was common at the time. By 1946, the business flourished, and a three-story addition was built.
In 1943, Simon became completely blind. His three sons, Jonas, Jack, and Zal, assumed store management. Jonas had given up his law practice to assist in managing the business.
In 1948, Saltman's Ladies Apparel and Dress Shop opened at 252 Maple St. In 1950, Saltman's Junior Shop opened at 275-277 1/2 Maple St in a building the Saltman family owned. Each of these two businesses continued to expand to neighboring spaces.
Simon Saltman died in 1954, and his wife Rebecca in 1951. Both lived to experience the expansion of the Saltman stores onto Maple Street.
In 1956, the brothers announced they would move the Simon Saltman store to the Maple St. area, where their other two businesses were operating. The So. Holyoke store closed on September 1, 1956, and the building was placed for sale.
Eventually, all three stores consolidated at 277 Maple St. On May 10, 1958, Saltman's closed its doors.
Zal's
On August 2, 1958, Zal and Adelaide (Keller) Saltman announced they would open a clothing store in the new South Street Shopping Center. The name chosen for the store was Zal's, and the store's opening was planned for mid-August. They cited a need for an all-inclusive family clothing store in Holyoke to compete with the specialty shops. The availability of plenty of free parking was also an enticement to this location at 229 South Street.
Although small, the retail area was maximized with the latest women's and men's apparel from teens to adults, from socks to suits and coats. Narrow passages between clothing racks and display tables were the norm, making it challenging to walk through the store without brushing up with other shoppers or against the merchandise.
Zal's advertised regularly and, during some periods, daily in the Holyoke Transcript-Telegram. Zal was the consummate, friendly, helpful salesman and remarkable at juggling several customers. The old joke retold in several variations was that "I went in for a pair of socks and walked out with a new suit, shirt, tie, sweater...and socks." Handwritten signs would identify the manufacturers and products.
In 1970s newspaper ads, deeply discounted items would be prefaced with "Out They Go."
On December 27, 1994, the Springfield Republican newspaper contained an article and interview with Zal and Adelaide Saltman. They announced that although business was still good, the store was closing due to age and health concerns. Zal Saltman was 85 years old at the time.
This was the end of an era, 37 years of operating Zal's and 71 years of Saltman retail store history.
I'll leave you with this from the December 27, 1994, news article:
"Last week, Zal told one customer, "This (clothing) is so good, I hate to let it go." Adelaide added, "No one leaves without buying."
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