Davidson Plumbing on Route 17 in Paramus NJ to close

PARAMUS – After 65 years, one of the oldest stores on Route 17, Davidson Plumbing Supply, will close its doors next month.

Retiring the company was something that Washington Township co-owner Emil Matera had in mind for a number of years and believes the time is right.

“I want to spend less time working and more time retired,” said Matera.

Davidson Plumbing Supply has been a mainstay of Route 17 since 1956. It was purchased from the original owner Irving Davidson in 1983 by Matera and its business associates, brother-in-law Marc Zitcer and cousin Bob Adamo.

Back then, Davidson Plumbing Supply was known for having old parts for faucets and faucets, a tradition they continued. In the beginning it was an all-round hardware store with some plumbing work, but Matera and its business partners turned it into a primary plumbing business over the years.

“We got rid of all the hardware, screws, nuts, bolts, chains, ropes and brooms,” Matera said. “It was a small home center and we turned it into a plumbing fixture showroom and kept part of the all-round plumbing store.”

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Matera’s brother-in-law and cousin will continue to run a plumbing business in Paterson called Sachs & Zitcer Supply and fulfill all orders from the Paramus facility there. The Paterson store was bought in 1978.

Ever since Matera put a sign on the front of Davidson announcing the store’s closure and resignation, loyal, long-time customers have come to say they are sorry to see him and the store leave.

“But they got it and wish me all the best,” said Matera. “They said they always enjoyed coming here and getting advice they couldn’t get anywhere else. They said me and my staff were always good at what we did or what we talked about. It was nice to hear that they said the very best and wish us all the best. “

Long-time customer Linda Eckstein from Fair Lawn stopped by the showroom on Thursday. “I’m very upset that they are closing,” she said. “They are personable, they always helped me whenever I needed it, they always delivered the equipment I needed on time and I just love them.”

Copy the photo of the Davidson Plumbing Supply store front in Paramus, taken in the late 1980s.

Davidson isn’t the only thing that has changed in the past 38 years; Route 17 has also changed drastically. Larger buildings emerged, more traffic on the freeway and more ramps.

Route 17 lost another mainstay in July when the Fireplace restaurant announced its closure. It was also founded in 1956. Long-standing customers stood in line for hours to say goodbye on the last day.

Local:Once a mainstay, these restaurants in the Paramus area are now mere memories

“Davidson’s is probably one of the oldest buildings and shops on Route 17 right now,” Matera said. “Back then there were only a few buildings, but now it’s built and everything has come and gone.”

The pandemic and online shopping also played a small role in Matera’s decision to retire, but mostly because Matera just felt it was time.

“To be honest, there is also more competition out there,” said Matera. “People didn’t have to come on Route 17 and were avoiding them like the plague because of the traffic, so that didn’t help either. It was a bunch of different things.”

Various sinks are on display at Davidson Plumbing Supply in Paramus, which will close in October after 65 years.  Photographed 16.09.21.

October 14th is the last day of the store and there will be a clearance sale for everything on display. Matera sold the building and it is currently unknown what could replace Davidson.

In his retirement, Matera wants to focus on golf, his woodworking projects and his family. Matera has been grateful to its loyal customers over the years. Some of these clients have redesigned their bathrooms 10 times with the help of Davidson.

“We saw families raise their children and their children became customers too,” Matera said. “They came in and said, ‘I remember you took care of my mom and dad, that’s why we’re here.’ It was very rewarding. I had a very good career because of it. “

Bob Parkinson, a longtime employee dubbed a “local legend” by Matera who celebrated his 50th anniversary in the plumbing business in 2019, said at the time he would stay with Davidson until the end. He kept his word and will retire with Matera.

“I enjoyed every day, it was great fun,” said Parkinson. “You always try to help people. It was a unique place. Even a simple sale could help people and that meant a lot to me.

“It didn’t want it to end, I wanted to stay here forever,” added Parkinson with a laugh. “But nothing lasts forever.”

Stephanie Noda is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For full access to the most important news from your local community, subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @ snoda11

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