I must have traveled Business Route 6 through Eynon thousands of times, but something really jumped out at me the other day.I'm not sure if the sign has recently been uncovered, or I was just being more observant. Years after it closed, the Sugerman's signs are hugely prominent in front of the old store.
For those of you unfamiliar with Sugerman's, it was WalMart before WalMart, without the charm. Throw in PetSmart, Lowe's, Home Depot, Gander Mountain, and Toys R Us, and you have Sugerman's
It was a big, sprawling, often disorganized store. It wasn't pretty. Deserved or not, Sugerman's had the reputation of being the area's low price leader. It was always crowded. People loved it.
Sugerman's had dozens of different departments, including groceries. Sporting goods were huge. It wasn't fishing or hunting season without a trip to Eynon. I'm guessing about 75 per cent of the homes in Lackawanna County, in the 60's, 70's and 80's had at least one appliance from Sugerman's. Its delivery trucks were everywhere, dropping off washers, dryers and refrigerators. Even some furniture.
Sugerman's had a better than average stationery department, long before Staples and Office Max came on the scene. You could always find something here you couldn't get elsewhere. I still have a unique Parker ballpoint I haven't seen before or since.
There are many theories, and much speculation as to why Sugerman's closed. Plenty of rumors, and this isn't the place for them. I don't remember the exact date it closed, and for a store that was such a big part of the area, there's very little on the internet.
Sugerman's is now the site of flea market. The signs remain, and so do the memories.
