“S. GOLDBERG'S SLIPPER FACTORY ESTABLISHED IN 1896” was located just off
Hudson Street between Van Wetering and East Broadway with the shipping and receiving area bordering River Road where the sign was located.

The address was 20 East Broadway and for many of the people who lived in the First Ward, it was where they worked. The company had a few hundred employees, and I never met a person who did not have a high regard for Mr. Goldberg. Many of his employees were new immigrants from Italy or Poland, and he treated them fairly, never taking advantage of them.

During the 1930's depression at Christmas time, Mr. Goldberg would give everyone a turkey and he would give a large donation to Saint Francis Church. Mr. Goldberg would tell the priest not to mention his name during the service because if his Rabbi found out, then the synagogue would want the money. So every year he was known as the “Generous Anonymous donor” at Saint Francis Church. You could set your watch to its whistle, which would ring for morning break lunch, and at the end of the work day. Many kids in the neighborhood used that to signal when to go home for lunch or dinner.

I took these photos of GOLDBERG'S SLIPPER FACTORY on January. 5, 2008 just before the building was taken down in the spring of 2009. A staple of industry in Hackensack for a century was gone. With each swing of the wrecking ball the building came down, and it will soon be forgotten, but the memory of Mr. Goldberg and his goodness will live on in all those employees his company touched over this past century.

Written by:
Bob Meli
June 2007