The Story Behind The Longtime H. Goodman Furs of Forest Hills
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Marvin & Rosemary Goodman, 2020
Classic Sign Acquired by NY Sign Museum
By Michael Perlman | mperlman@queensledger.com
“I learned to live by the creed of our family business; ‘The House of Personal Service,’” said Marvin Goodman, who along with his wife Rosemary Goodman, were longtime owners of H. Goodman Furs and close friends of patrons far and near. Located at 116-07 Queens Boulevard for generations, it was one of the longest continuously operating mom and pop shops in Forest Hills, until the door was locked one last time in October 2020.
H. Goodman Furs was established in 1908 at 457 East 138th Street in the Bronx, where it operated until 1932, followed by a move to a larger shop at 497 East 138th Street. The business was founded by his grandfather Hyman Goodman. After he passed away in June 1949, his father Jack Goodman preserved the family tradition, until his passing in March 1970. In September 1967, the shop made its final move to the Forest Hills location that patrons recall most vividly.
Marvin and Rosemary Goodman were born and raised in the Bronx. He is an NYU graduate who studied accounting and was also in the service from 1956 until 1962. They met at his sister’s Sweet Sixteen birthday party, got married in 1956, and the rest is history.
“I will be 90 in October, and with my advancing age and the pandemic, it was just time,” said Goodman, who reminisced and admitted, “I would still love to be working, and I miss the day to day interactions with customers.” The Goodmans live out east and would commute 35 miles per day to Forest Hills.
He explained, “It was a long commute most days. With the pandemic, it was not an optimal time to sell a business, and there was no one in the family who was up to the task of running it.” In response to its closure, this columnist joined forces with the New York Sign Museum/Noble Signs in Brooklyn to salvage the historic business sign last month, and it underwent restoration including its re-illumination among 25 other rescued vintage signs citywide.
Marvin & Rosemary Goodman’s wedding, 1956
“It is extremely gratifying to learn that our family business sign was rescued, and will live on as part of the New York Sign Museum’s collection,” said Goodman. “I know that my grandfather and father would have been really happy and appreciate this recognition of their life’s work, as do I. I hope to be able to visit the museum sometime.”
One may wonder which lessons third generation owner Marvin Goodman learned, in which he responded “To be fair and honest and treat everyone like family, with one price for everybody.” He explained, “I was in the trade from when I was 7 or 8 years old and learned it from my grandfather and father. I learned how to cut, sew, and manufacture and design a complete fur garment from start to finish. I learned the quality of fur skins and/or pelts. They were both reputable and honest businessmen, and were both loved and respected in the community.”
Throughout its history, H. Goodman Furs offered versatile services. Goodman said, “We custom-made coats, altered, repaired, and remodeled. We also offered cleaning, glazing, and cold fur storage. We sourced our skins from auctions in New York and New Jersey. We worked long hours, 6 days a week. There were lean times and challenges, but we overcame them with hard work and perseverance.”
Behind the scenes, there are a number of machines and tools. They include a Bonus fur sewing machine, Singer sewing machine, glazing sticks, cutting knives, and nailing and cutting boards to layout the patterns, a coat drum with chemical sawdust to spin and clean the coats, and a steam machine to freshen the coats.
The ambiance featured a crystal and brass chandelier, a curved railing, and a vintage National cash register. The shop is also remembered as a welcoming place where people were comfortable to come in, sit down, and have a long chat. Behind the gold storefront, the showroom meets factory style space was the site of countless memorable stories. Goodman said, “I was not only there to sell and service fur coats, but I was there for anything I could help my customers with, from car registrations to consulting on personal problems, and enjoying the sharing of happy news and events with whoever happened to stop in.” It was also the site of birthday parties such as that of his wife’s.
Rosemary Goodman’s 80th birthday at the shop
Their daughter Cheryl Goodman also shared fond recollections. “One time a woman came in with a coat that was missing a button. My dad told the lady to have a seat. He went to the back of the store and poured through tins of loose buttons, until he came up with a matching button, sat down at his Singer sewing machine, and sewed it on the woman’s coat. He came to the front of the store and handed her the mended coat and said not to worry about it, when she asked how much she owed him. She thanked him profusely, and he said his standard, ‘Wear it in good health!’ That was the way my dad did business.”
Flashback to Forest Hills in 1967… When H. Goodman relocated, in close proximity along Queens Boulevard were many old-time shops with well-established names for women’s and men’s clothing. They included Aargold, Cathy Rand, Margolies, Hirshleifers which specialized in Fifth Avenue style suits, and Little Royalty which mostly sold imported high-end children’s clothing. The draw from clothing shops enabled additional support for other popular nearby businesses, which included a deli named Turnpike Restaurant, a Barracini candy shop, and a Horn and Hardart Retail Shop.
Goodman emphasized the importance of mom and pop shops. He said, “There is no comparison to the personal service you receive in a small business versus a large department store. Small businesses are also invested in their neighborhood.”
The Goodmans are grateful for many blessings. Since their retirement, they have been focusing on simple pleasures. He said, “We used to love to travel, but the pandemic impacted our plans and limited our daily activities. We enjoy our time relaxing out east at the shore. I have a son and a daughter, two granddaughters, and now one great-granddaughter, who will be a year-old in May.” In addition, the legendary sign will continue to shine.
