Harding Pharmacy & Liquors Set to close on 11/15
November 11,2014
Boyd Loving
Ridgewood NJ, Harding Pharmacy & Liquor, located at 305 East Ridgwood Avenue at the corner of North Maple Avenue, will be closing its doors for good on Saturday, November 15. Â Current proprietor Myron Lesh, who purchased the business in the early 1980’s, confirmed this when spoken to in person today.
Rumors are that a “sandwich shop” will soon occupy the premises. Â Mr. Lesh will become a pharmacist at an existing pharmacy located in HoHoKus; all Harding prescriptions will be transferred to that location. Â No word on who purchased the liquor license, which is good only in Ridgewood.
Mr. Lesh was unable to negotiate a new lease with the building’s owner, CLOTCO, Inc. of Boca Raton, Florida, whose principal owner is Emily S. Danson.
Those in the know say that Harding was in business for 50 years at the same location.
So is the massage parlor upstairs any good? What’s the code word?
I’m asking for a friend.
That’s a shame as this was one of the last few iconic Ridgewood institutions. Not many left now. As for the new sandwich shop, I don’t see that working due to location. I expect to see the standard 1-2 year revolving businesses like we’re seeing elsewhere as profitability fights with overhead.
It should cultivate a lunch business with RHS students
Hopefully the sandwich place will have a convenience store too. Its nice to have a place with parking to run in to grab necessities. Maybe like a Krausers but with a real deli. could do well for kids from the HS too because it will be pretty close for lunch runs.
Actually, I think a sandwich shop/convenience store would be a great addition to the area. There’s a fair number of parking spots for quick grab-n-go customers.
I am really going to miss Myron and Harding Pharmacy. I’ve been doing business with him since I moved into the village 20+ years ago. Such a shame to lose him.
We need another bank in this town….
Who’s going to pick up the liquor license?
Its sad to see another long time Ridgewood business close.
Sorry to see Myron go. He was a well established presence and ran a great business. Unfortunately for him he is another victim of liability attorneys running amok. That lawsuit crushed him.
With apologies to David Letterman….
1) How about a Humidor…some advance planning for when medical marijuana is able to be sold in NJ.
2) a small parking garage ~ a sort of trial if you will.
3) Turf the entire lot. Good for croquet tournaments.
4) Another bank or Chinese food joint.
5) a smaller version of Graydon Pool complete with a cement dock for the geese and their droppings.
6) a canoe store for when the HHK brook overflows.
7) an office for Jim Tedesco and his union band of brothers.
8) an HUMC urgent care office.
9) a kennel for the drug-sniffing canines that will patrol RHS.
10) lots of parking meters with Bluetooth capability – – you know, a clinical trial if you will.
A shame! If we want to know what’s wrong downtown, here it is.
Didn’t his liability insurance cover that settlement?
What will happen to their wonderful, whimsical window decorations? They are great.
Such a loss.
Property owned by some boob in BOCA…..
That explains everything….
Nobody gives a shit what goes in there and the revolving door spins….and spins….and spins
#12 Who pays the liability insurance premiums?
Answer: Business Owners.
When will people realize that payments from insurance companies comes from policyholders premiums?
Same way Government spending comes from taxing your neighbors.
Independent pharmacies are also feeling it due to chain pharmacies and most of all, mail order pharmacies which many people have switched over to due to their corporate pharmacy plans, savings, and convenience.
Bet the liquor license goes to the new restaurant that is taking over the former bank at Ridgewood AV. and Prospect.
different kind of liquor license, no?
I think so. Package goods vs. open consumption. But still, I can’t think of a store that would need it. Rite Aid? Whole Foods? The Tobacco shop would be a good fit. One stop shopping for legal vices.
Different license.
It’s not a license for ‘consuming’ the beverages on the premises (which are the big $$ licenses, which are limited by population, thus keeping their value north of $500k.
A license to sell ‘package goods’ isn’t the gold mine it used to be (when we had lots more liquor stores in town)
This just shows how densely arranged our legal system really is. Hardings was involved in the lawsuit because they had the most to contribute. If Hardings freely provided the drug or sold the drugs to make a profit maliciously (knowing full well this was to be used illegally at a party) then I can see how they would be at fault.
The homeowner and the ex-employee should have been held completely liable considering the homeowner threw the party serving alcohol to minors and the Ex-Employee actually provided the stolen drugs to the teen (at that time).
The partygoers should have been left harmless because they are not medical professionals that know for a fact Simon was falling into a coma. If anything, this is traumatizing to them and again, this goes back to the homeowner for allowing such a party.
Finally, where is the accountability on the actual abuser of the substance? Oh…he suffers nerve damage and other maladies due to overdose. Yeah….heroin addicts are convicted for doing these drugs and suffer withdrawal…do you see them suing their drug dealers? Also…if a gun was stolen from a gun store and used to kill someone, does this make the gunstore liable for the death? Come on people…if you don’t see how simple and stupid this is, you need to wake up! The legal system is ridiculous and we are allowing it! “We the People…” Not “Our government…”
I will really miss when I come to Ridgewood stopping in to say hello to Myron. Harding was my very first job when I was 16 and was a sophomore in high school. I worked there over 10+ years. Myron was a very kind man and always was great to his employees and customers. Will be missed greatly,
When does graydon pool open?