Conover & Emmons

Conover & Emmons (center), 1957.

Historical Overview

A lumber company once stood on the site of what are now several businesses stretching from 38 to 50 Princeton Hightstown Road. This business, with origins in the late 1930s, lasted into the 21st century and was thus a longtime staple of old Princeton Junction.

In the late 1930s, Norman L. Conover and William Emmons opened the Conover & Emmons Lumber Company at the intersection of Princeton-Hightstown Road and Wallace Road.[1],[2] They were later jointed by Joseph Taylor after Norman's death the following year.[3],[4] This business, stretching from that corner up to where (in 2023) Santander bank stands,[5] provided myriad materials for countless construction projects in and around West Windsor. Some time after World War II, they also established Tiger Development, a concrete plant across the railroad tracks next to the Dinky line, that operated until the 1960s or 1970s.[6],[7] In 1948, they also built an auto shop and garage to service their equipment; this building still stands at 50 Princeton Hightstown Road.[8],[9] 

Conover & Emmons operated until 1958, when it was sold to to Sam Pillsbury.[10] The establishment was then renamed "The Building Center," which opened on Halloween of 1958.[11] Not only did the new business offer building materials; it also helped prospective homeowners design new houses with architectural plans, a showroom, and options to coordinate with local contractors to have homes constructed.[12],[13]

The Building Center, 1962. From Howard E. Schrader.

Around 1967, the Building Center shut down.[14] Although Pillsbury planned to turn the property into a commercial center with 16 shops and a restaurant, this idea never manifested.[15] Instead, in 1969, Lucar Hardware - founded in 1963 by Joe Luther and Al Carson (the latte of whom had previously worked for Conover & Emmons[16]) in the strip mall across the street[17] - moved into one half this complex.[18] The other half had the current Santander bank building at 44 Princeton-Hightstown Road built there in the '60s or '70s.[19],[20]

​In addition to Lucar, a small shack stood on the property, which at various points in the 1970s and 1980s was a Fotomat, a bank building, and even (briefly) a pasta store.[21],[22],[23] By the mid-'80s, however, it had turned into "Lick It" - a beloved ice cream stand.[24] This establishment was a local favorite for children and adults alike, with its myriad flavors and non-pareils for every customer. However, in the early 2000s, this business - as well as Lucar - were sold off and demolished.[25] In their place stands PNC bank, with no remnant of Lucar or Lick It to be found.

Lick It ice cream stand during 1988 "War of the Worlds" 50th anniversary celebrations. From Roberta Smith.

Go to Princeton Junction Homepage

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Bibliography

1. "Norman L. Conover Dies at Edinburg." Trenton Evening Times. September 25, 1940.
2. "Opening Tomorrow for Building Center." Trenton Evening Times. October 30, 1958.
3. Princeton Junction 1957. (1957). photograph, West Windsor. Stored in the Archives of the Historical Society of West Windsor at the West Windsor History Museum - 50 Southfield Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550.
4. "Norman L. Conover Dies at Edinburg." Trenton Evening Times. September 25, 1940.
5. Ligeti, Paul T. I., and Trevor LePrevost. Phone Call with Trevor LePrevost. Personal, July 2023. Note: Trevor grew up in West Windsor in the mid-late 1900s and personally knew many figures from the mid-1900s. Norman Conover was his grandfather; Joseph Taylor was his grandfather-in-law.
6. "Sebolt Road Acquires Tiger Development." Princeton Herald. May 28, 1958.
7. Ligeti, Paul T. I., and Trevor LePrevost. Phone Call with Trevor LePrevost. Personal, July 2023. Note: Trevor grew up in West Windsor in the mid-late 1900s and personally knew many figures from the mid-1900s. Norman Conover was his grandfather; Joseph Taylor was his grandfather-in-law.
8. Ibid.
9. “West Windsor Township Meeting Minutes, 1797-2012.,” n.d. Original Township Committee meeting minute database located in the Municipal Center.
10. "Opening Tomorrow for Building Center." Trenton Evening Times. October 30, 1958.
11. Ibid.
12. The Building Center. (1959, April 26). New! Complete Plans for Four New Home. Town Topics. Princeton. 
13. "It's New to Us - Found: Jobs for Spring at Building Center." Town Topics. April 9, 1964.
14. "Business in Princeton - For Shopping ... New Center in West Windsor." Town Topics. December 21, 1967.
15. Ibid.
16. "Lucar Hardware Store, where 'Service!' is the motto; prices are low; advice is free." News Eagle (West Windsor). December 18, 1998.
17. Princeton Junction Shopping Center. (1963, September 19). Opening at Hightstown Road, Princeton Junction Shopping Center. Town Topics. Princeton. 
18. "Lucar Hardware." Town Topics. December 18, 1969.
19. “West Windsor Aerial Photography Composite Map, 1965.” Map. Historical Society of West Windsor - Map Archives. West Windsor, NJ, 1965.
20. “West Windsor Aerial Photography Composite Map, 1975.” Map. Historical Society of West Windsor - Map Archives. West Windsor, NJ, 1975.
21. Murphy, D. (2023, July 10). Facebook comment by Rory Murphy. Comment made on Facebook in response to photo of Lick It. Made within the private "West Windsor & Plainsboro - The Glory Days" Facebook group. URL: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2425866877514164/?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=3114182665349245
22. Messler, J. M.. (2023, July 10). Facebook comment by Judy Meyer Bessler. Comment made on Facebook in response to photo of Lick It. Made within the private "West Windsor & Plainsboro - The Glory Days" Facebook group. URL: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2425866877514164/?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=3114182665349245
23. McConnell, J. B. (2023, July 10). Facebook comment by Jill Brown McConnell. Comment made on Facebook in response to photo of Lick It. Made within the private "West Windsor & Plainsboro - The Glory Days" Facebook group. URL: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2425866877514164/?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=3114182665349245
24. "Times' readers rate their favorite ice cream from 'Burg to Bristol." The Times (Trenton). July 2, 1986.​
25. ​Personal Recollections of the author of this article (Paul Ligeti)