THE CHANGING FACE OF FRANKLIN AVENUE
BY
JACK GOUDSWARD
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As we zoom up and down Franklin Ave. we are cognizant that the first Franklin Lakes Store Front is slated for demolition and something new put in its place. But this is not the first change that has occurred along this road. Passed Commerce Street was the Blue Bird Inn. Today a private school is being build wee it once stood.
Just past that stands the Stop and Shop Mall. Before that the Grand Union Shopping Plaza proudly stood in this location. But before that the Fox Poultry Farm stood there for many years. Across the street was the Exxon Gas Station. Now a vacant lot marks the spot where it once was.
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Crossing the rail road tracks the Franklin Lakes Auto Body and Junk Yard and the Mobile Gas station stood. Today with the building of the Rt. 287 Bridge and the Car Wash all traces of these enterprises are gone. The Quick Check Strip stores occupy the location of the former Tri- Corner Reality Corporation Building. It housed two stores and an office. Across the driveway stands the building that housed the first National Food Chain to come to town. The first store in it was a “Food town”. Behind it and to the side is the first Store Front to be add to the town since the first one across the street.
Next to this was a Shell Gas Station. This station was the third one built along this section of road. The building was later converted to the form we see today. Across the driveway that took you to the third Franklin Lakes Post Office. This office complex was later renovated to what we see today. Next to this driveway stands the sixth Post Office to serve this town. A number of homes were removed to build this along with the Hudson City Bank and the newly renovated office building that stands next to it.
On the opposite side of the street an office building and TD Bank were built. A number of private homes were removed to accommodate the building of these structures. Finally the last major construction to date was the Franklin Crossing. Before this stood this plot of land was the home to the Langendoen Hardware Store. They used the building left by the Exhibition Tent Company for storage. Before the Hardware store came the Exhibition Tent Company made Franklin Lakes its Winter Home. This is the changing face of Franklin Ave.
