Chrusz General Store

In response to Lisa's review:

The general store that you highlighted is, “Chrusz’s General & Liquor Store” located in the center of Main Street of Johnsonburg, NJ – a quaint little town in Frelinghuysen Township (Warren County).

The store has been in our family for over 100 years. My great grandfather built it, then my grandfather and my grandmother ran it and my father took it over when his father passed unexpectedly. It has produced many fond memories for residents at a time when life was more simple. You could buy candy for a penny and promise to pay for your purchases another time based on your word alone and with ounce of good faith. While he still possesses that mentality, as that is how he was raised and how the business was run for decades – it has gotten harder to uphold as times have changed. But man, do I admire him for it.

I felt compelled to write, because the description of the “guy in there that didn't even acknowledge” you sounded very out of character based on the man on know and the descriptions that I have read. Often times, when I am with my dad and others – whether in the store or in public elsewhere, I have to nudge him playfully and remind him that people have places go! Filed with history of the town and many other things, he is a walking encyclopedia and loves to talk and share his knowledge and experiences. While he may be quiet at first, once you get him started – it is hard to stop him. Others have recognized this, and as a result – the store has been featured in the NY Times and there are several interviews featured on YouTube highlighting the store, the town, the now-defunct railroad and other tidbits.

My father - Gerry Chrusz. does not have social media, but was told by others about this post and explained to me what happened when you had entered. My mother (his wife) – passed away during the pandemic unexpectedly in 2020. She was the captain of our ship and the glue that held us all together. To say that navigating life after her death was difficult would be an understatement. We had a lot of learning and adapting to do. Her affairs were not in order and we found ourselves dealing with a lot of tedious paperwork and often frustrating phone calls in the middle of grieving. Knowing that the store and the surrounding properties had simply been passed along through the generations, and not necessarily managed correctly – I made my dad promise me not to go through that again and to make sure that all of his affairs were in order.

When you walked in, he had just gotten through to the IRS after back and forth three-hour waiting game to speak to a live (and competent) representative. The information was necessary to fill part of his promise to me. He told me that he had signaled for you to, “please wait a minute” – but perhaps you didn’t see it or took his silence for negligence. I apologize on his behalf if you felt unseen or that his actions were purposely rude. It was a frustrating experience certainly not reflective of him, the store, or the community in any way.

Should you (or anyone) pass through the “weird town” of Johnsonburg (again), I urge you to come inside. We are going through the store and finding all sorts of “Weird Jersey” items that I am sure you would just adore. We are throwing things out and are selling things that have been around for decades that we know other people would appreciate. Vintage beer signs, old metal lunch boxes – it has been a laborious, yet fascinating experience. Every night when my father comes home, I ask him if has “found any more treasures” that day-- and boy, he won’t stop talking all about what has discovered. ☺

Super, everything I was looking for was there.

best selection of magazines.

First...

Stop to see Gerry. Have not seen him in years.

Had a great talk about old times and the railroad.

Quaint corner store.

Love is there August 25,2023. Look like an abandoned old school Hotel. One stray cat that might have jumped in our car with us but decided not to. Then there was the general store that we walk throuh, but it was kind of creepy. The guy was at the register but he spent his time on the phone and did not even turn his head to acknowledge us. Neither did the guy across the street there was doing something it in his yard. It seems like a weird but a harmless place.