A young man recently stopped in at the Princeton Army & Navy Store at 14½ Witherspoon Street. It was a chilly day, and he quickly walked to the back of the store, selected a blue hooded sweatshirt, put it on, and left.

“I didn’t realize it was so cold out, and I wasn’t dressed warmly enough,” he explained.

“This was typical,” points out owner Michael Bonin. “People stopped in to get what they needed, they found it, and often wore it out the door,”

That isn’t going to happen anymore. After almost 70 years, Princeton Army & Navy is closing its doors. The advent of on-line shopping has brought challenges to many retail establishments, and Princeton Army & Navy has been no exception.

Long Run

“Recently, the volume began to decline, especially as on-line shopping became more popular,” explains Mr. Bonin. “This became a real challenge. I want to emphasize that the timing is right, however. We are going out on our own terms. We are fortunate to have had a real long run — 65-plus years. We had a buyer for the building, and it was the right time.”

It has been the “right time” for the store since its opening as Princeton Army & Navy at the end of World War II. A family business from the beginning, it was started by Joseph Caplan, Mr. Bonin’s grandfather.

It actually began in 1911, notes Mr. Bonin. “My grandfather started it in 1911 as a clothing and gift shop. It closed for a while, then reopened as an Army & Navy store in the 1940s, and my late father Alvin Bonin, took over the operation in 1960.”

The store has been located at several spots on Witherspoon Street, moving to its current site in the 1960s. This location was the original Hook & Ladder Fire House.

“I really grew up in the store,” recalls Mr. Bonin. “I worked here on weekends and after school, and as a little boy, I was hardly as tall as the counter. I can remember customers saying, ‘That kid can’t reach the cash register!’ At first, it seemed like a game to me. I really always thought I’d work in the store, however. I wasn’t forced to. I wanted to do it.”

After studying business in college, he began working full-time at the store, and he emphasizes that the family tradition continued, and he became the owner in the mid-1980s when his father retired.

More Variety 

“I’ve been here full-time 36 years, and I remember people coming in pushing kids in a stroller. Now, the ones in the stroller are pushing their own kids in a stroller!”

In its early years as an Army & Navy surplus store, it provided surplus military apparel as well as Army and Navy insignia and patches, explains Mr. Bonin. “It gradually began to expand, offering more variety. We added work clothing, khaki pants — basic quality clothing with discount prices.”

Over time, it continued to evolve and expanded its line of merchandise to include casual and recreational clothing and accessories, including outerwear, jeans, shirts, sweats, Princeton University insignia items, footwear, socks, underwear, gloves, hats, and camping gear.

Levi jeans and Navy pea jackets were top sellers, and women were regular customers, attracted to the jeans and other uni-sex items. Colorful bandanas were favorites (for dogs and their owners!), and items such as Swiss Army knives, compasses, and flashlights were also in demand.

Princeton Army & Navy built up a wide customer base, including many international clients, over the years. Others came from across the country as well as from Princeton and the area. Mr. Bonin notes that the shop has also seen its share of celebrities.

“Brooke Shields came in when she was a student at the University. And when Walter Matthau was making the movie I.Q. here, he liked to stop in. His brother was an Army-Navy store supplier, and we talked about that.

Wartime Service

“Another time, Tony Orlando of Tony Orlando and Dawn (the pop music group) came in when my wife Ellen was here. He even sang and did a bit of a dance for her.

“Sometimes, veterans came in and asked for certain emblems and other items,” continues Mr. Bonin. “They often told stories about their wartime service. We also got Princeton University alumni coming back for reunions, who were always glad to see that we were still here.”

Now, however, Princeton alumni and other visitors will no longer find Princeton Army & Navy at its familiar location. It is another family-owned and operated business, once a mainstay of the retail scene, that will have disappeared.

His customers have been letting Mr. Bonin know how much Princeton Army & Navy will be missed. “After we put up the closing sign, someone took a picture and posted it on Facebook,” he reports. “Within 24 hours, 200 people had responded, including 75 in one hour. It was amazing.

“There has been such an outpouring from our customers. They have been calling us, coming in, and sending letters. I am really going to miss coming in and catching up with all the people who stop in the store. Many have really become friends over the years. We have had second and third generations of customers in the same family. I get a big kick out of it when people come in and say they remember my grandfather.”

There were often unusual requests over the years, he adds. “People asked for everything, all kinds of insignia and military items — from uniforms to Army jeeps! One person wanted sand bags.

“It has been a pleasure to serve the Princeton community. I always enjoyed it when the salesmen came with all the choices. I’d make a selection and hope that I made the right choice. Then, it was great when customers liked what we had, and the items sold.

“I think, too, what people always liked about us was our focus on personal service. It was a real hands-on operation. You could call on Monday and get me, and you could call on Friday and you’d get me. If you asked a question, you would get an answer. I think this set us apart from today’s emphasis on chain stores and big malls. We felt we were a real part of the community.

“As I said, we’ve had a good run, and as we go, I would like to remind Princetonians that if they want to keep the long-term Mom and Pop stores in town, they have to come in and support them.”

Mr. Bonin and his wife will remain in the area, as they close this chapter in their lives and wait to see what new adventure the future has in store for them.