Greenbrook Electronics since 1974 - old school electronics the way I remember

[mattblast]

I have to share my excitement of finding an old school electronics store in central NJ. It is on rt 22 in Greenbrook NJ. I've noticed it before but never stopped in thinking it would be more like a modern radio shack, but it was like the old electronics stores I remember from the early 80s.

I could spend an hour inside looking at each part. I can't believe what they stock. Prices are reasonable and staff was happy to let me take photos to share.

Across the street (divided highway) from harbor freight

Convenient hours

Other services they provide

Yes, a tube tester and NOS floppies and vintage technical books and SCSI cords and 66 blocks and serial cables and tons of switches and transistors and it goes on and on.

I took photos of only some aisles. I had no idea stores like this still exist. The 9v battery harness (with 1' leads) was $3 after tax which is same price as amazon.

They had several old parts pulled off vintage equipment for sale such as chokes and capacitors and power supplies. They had bins full of different power supplies.

 

[Lawson4450]

That place is cool I pass it all the time on my way to work in north Plainfield

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Good to know it's there. Only about a half our or so from me.

Tommy

 

[G_P]

WOW! I would have a blast just browsing in there.

I wonder how long they have had that 89 Maxima repair book sitting on the shelf....

 

[sselander]

website also:

http://www.greenbrookelectronics.com/

 

[PFSard]

Thank you. I haven't seen an electronics retailer like that since the late 70s.

 

[Jack90210]

I've ordered some electronics stuff on Amazon that wound up coming from that place. Cool.

Plus I grew up not far from there.

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

Thanks for posting this Matt - I've driven past there several times but never stopped.

I feel a drain on my wallet coming - I just ordered a replacement switch for a desk lamp from the web - even money I find one there.

Cheers

Jim

 

[DanarchyCustoms]

I have always been looking for a place like this up in the Hudson Valley, just wish it was a bit closer.

 

[jeffmoss26]

I could get lost in that place!
We have a decent store here, but the hours are not great.
http://www.electronicsurplus.com/default.aspx

 

[Hootbro]

With old style price stickers on everything even new, tells me they are stuck in the 1970's even on inventory control. Neat place and may have to make the trip across the river and see it.

While not as expansive, Radio Shack prior to the mid 1980's was somewhat similar in assortment and not the cheesy abomination it has become today

 

[manioso]

I live about an hour south in Princeton, but never heard of Greenbrook Electronics. I even used to work in Branchburg (20 minutes west). Was always sorry I could never find this kind of place after I moved to Jersey. Even went to the Harbor Freight occasionally for work related stuff.

Lived in Southern California until 2000 and had several electronics and surplus outlets to choose from. Dow Radio in Pasadena was one of my favorites as was C&H Surplus also in Pasadena. Since I visit SoCal regularly, I used to go to Electronics City in Burbank until it closed December 2013. It was much like Greenbrook and had row after row of parts and pretty knowledgeable counter staff.

Anyway, Greenbrook is about an hour away, but now that I have found it, I'll have to schlep up there every couple of months for my electronics needs. Like other posters, I dislike buying from a catalog, partly because I can't see the item, and partly because shipping eats you up, especially on small purchases.

 

[theoldwizard1]

If you are into this stuff, you have to go to Weird Stuff in Silicon Valley. I visited there once in the early 90s. They had dozens of different scopes including a couple of ancient 555s as well as newer Tek and HP models. Power supplies of all kinds and sizes (VAX 11/780 (5V@100A). All sorts of used electronic equipment.

It was close by a Fry's Electronics. Still the only place in the world that I know where you could buy new a motherboard with your choice of processor, RAM memory, UVEPROMS, 6 pack of Jolt, a new stereo, a bag of chips and a ******* magazine all in one stop !

 

[WarrenJ]

Been a long time since I saw one of those tube testers.

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

My son and I went there yesterday afternoon to look around.

He's converting an older aluminium Power PC case to hold a modern motherboard and fixin's so he needs a lot of odd's and end's pieces.

After he shopped for an hour or so he said "If I knew this was here I wouldn't have just placed all those Amazon and Ebay orders for stuff - they have it all here".

To keep it garage focused - in the "odd lot" corner they had an old steel "Jerry Can" gas can for $20.00.

They hand write the invoices and I imagine their inventory control is a bit loose by modern standards. As we were checking out I commented to the 70-ish year old clerk that my 17 year old son would be back often - he replied "I came in here at his age and never left!".

They carry name brand stuff and "store brand" things at something approaching HF pricing. They are almost directly opposite the HF on Rt 22 in Greenbrook.

These gems do exist - you just need to find them and shop there.

Jim

 

[Flat-rate]

I grew up about 10 miles from there. Great place, have been shopping there since late 60's with my dad.
RT 22 had several electronic stores, this place has found a way to survive, thank goodness.

Last time I was there they still have the hand written receipt, OK by ME!! I also mentioned to the old timer, ( he was not old, just maybe a year older than me) that I had been in the store many times since I was a kid, and he did say "yeap me too"

Across the highway there used to be a car radio repair store. It was a tiny little place on a jug handle intersection. Asked oldtimer about it and he had a few stories to tell. Next time any one is in there mention the auto radio repair,, it's a good story.

 

[Ponchoguy]

I want to say it's on Rte 22 near all the auto mall dealers that are out that way (The old Queen Pontiac, now Greenbrook Auto Mall)?

 

[David Paul]

Went in there years ago. Glad to see there still around.

 

[nine4gmc]

That place reminds me of Pelican Electronics in Metarie, LA. Literally floor to ceiling old school electronics.

 

[Boiler]

Make sure you keep them in business. Don't shop online for a better price.

 

[Ponchoguy]

If you are into this stuff, you have to go to Weird Stuff in Silicon Valley. I visited there once in the early 90s. They had dozens of different scopes including a couple of ancient 555s as well as newer Tek and HP models. Power supplies of all kinds and sizes (VAX 11/780 (5V@100A). All sorts of used electronic equipment.

It was close by a Fry's Electronics. Still the only place in the world that I know where you could buy new a motherboard with your choice of processor, RAM memory, UVEPROMS, 6 pack of Jolt, a new stereo, a bag of chips and a ******* magazine all in one stop !

Back in 2002 or so, I found the one year "red light" 8 track for my 10th Anniversary '79 Trans Am. The seller told me he didn't think it was worth fixing and he had brought it to a few places and they gave him the same answer, "no parts".

I took it apart and found that the 8 track drive belt was loose. I went online to the Usenet forums (that's how long ago this was) and went to the 8 track collector's group, posting what I needed. Everyone pointed me to the same place: Inland Electronics in Modesto, CA.

I called up and they sure knew everyone on that group! In five minutes time and for $10, I had two RCA belts shipped. I installed them, slapped in GM's "Sounds of the 80's" off the shelf in the garage and Ronnie Milsap came through the speakers. Success! LOL.

So, places like that and this NJ store do indeed exist (I think Inland is gone though), and that's what keeps us with the "old gold" rolling!

 

[Flat-rate]

I want to say it's on Rte 22 near all the auto mall dealers that are out that way (The old Queen Pontiac, now Greenbrook Auto Mall)?

Yep on the west bound side of 22, near D&R boats, amazing that a boat store is still in biz. No water for 15 miles.

 

[Ponchoguy]

Yep on the west bound side of 22, near D&R boats, amazing that a boat store is still in biz. No water for 15 miles.

I used to know of all the Pontiac dealers in NJ back in the day:

Cathcart in Trenton
Queen on 22
Park Pontiac in Jersey City (where my parents bought my '80 Trans Am new, and I just recently found the sales manager that sold us the car--still selling cars 35 years later). This is now DiFeo Chevrolet on Communipaw Ave.
Suburban-Mallon in West Orange
Maxon on 22
Reydel in Edison
Kemper in Bridgewater
Frank's in Lyndhurst (I think it's still a GMC dealer)
Rassas in Red Bank near the train tracks.

How am I doing so far? LOL.

 

[Flat-rate]

I used to know of all the Pontiac dealers in NJ back in the day:

Cathcart in Trenton
Queen on 22
Park Pontiac in Jersey City (where my parents bought my '80 Trans Am new, and I just recently found the sales manager that sold us the car--still selling cars 35 years later). This is now DiFeo Chevrolet on Communipaw Ave.
Suburban-Mallon in West Orange
Maxon on 22
Reydel in Edison
Kemper in Bridgewater
Frank's in Lyndhurst (I think it's still a GMC dealer)
Rassas in Red Bank near the train tracks.

Let me bring you up to date..

As we know GM pulled the plug on the best division they had.

I worked at Maxon, now its a Honda store. All 77 bays

Kemper is closed. Not sure what is in the building now, at one time was Kia or some chit.

Franks GMC was bought by Maxon in the early 90's and is now Union Buick GMC, the Buick franchise was in Union, and Maxon bought that, forget the name. They are not owned by the Maxon group.

Rassas aka ratsass, just closed a few years ago and building torn down.

Park has been gone for many years. might have been Big Red at one time.

Reydel not sure what happened with them, maybe bought and under a new name.

Queen City is now Greenbrook Buick GMC and they have expanded. Doing well.

Mallon, wow that's like the pyramids.

Colonial Pontiac in Summit closed the doors 30+ years ago. The most nasty dirty shop i have ever been in.

Barnes Chevrolet in Summit closed years ago and the building is vacant.

Whelan Pontiac in freehold is now Freehold Buick GMC, same old building with a facelift, doing well.

 

[Ponchoguy]

I used to know of all the Pontiac dealers in NJ back in the day:

Cathcart in Trenton
Queen on 22
Park Pontiac in Jersey City (where my parents bought my '80 Trans Am new, and I just recently found the sales manager that sold us the car--still selling cars 35 years later). This is now DiFeo Chevrolet on Communipaw Ave.
Suburban-Mallon in West Orange
Maxon on 22
Reydel in Edison
Kemper in Bridgewater
Frank's in Lyndhurst (I think it's still a GMC dealer)
Rassas in Red Bank near the train tracks.

Let me bring you up to date..

As we know GM pulled the plug on the best division they had.

I worked at Maxon, now its a Honda store. All 77 bays

Kemper is closed. Not sure what is in the building now, at one time was Kia or some chit.

Franks GMC was bought by Maxon in the early 90's and is now Union Buick GMC, the Buick franchise was in Union, and Maxon bought that, forget the name. They are not owned by the Maxon group.

Rassas aka ratsass, just closed a few years ago and building torn down.

Park has been gone for many years. might have been Big Red at one time.

Reydel not sure what happened with them, maybe bought and under a new name.

Queen City is now Greenbrook Buick GMC and they have expanded. Doing well.

Mallon, wow that's like the pyramids.

Colonial Pontiac in Summit closed the doors 30+ years ago. The most nasty dirty shop i have ever been in.

Barnes Chevrolet in Summit closed years ago and the building is vacant.

Whelan Pontiac in freehold is now Freehold Buick GMC, same old building with a facelift, doing well.

Park became DiFeo. The Pontiac building is now Hudson Kia. I still have a key tag from '80 when we bought the T/A, and it shows 905 Communipaw Ave. I also remember 977 Communipaw associated with Pontiac for some reason (maybe in the phone book).

There was Calleremi Pontiac up by my sister in Northern, NJ in Budd Lake, that's still a GMC dealer. There was Scerbo in Parsippany.

Yes, the best division was discontinued . At one time I owned an Olds, a Saturn and three Pontiacs (no more Saturn, sold it in 2012). I had the distinction according to my nephew to own "three discontinued brands".

 

[Ponchoguy]

I used to know of all the Pontiac dealers in NJ back in the day:

Cathcart in Trenton
Queen on 22
Park Pontiac in Jersey City (where my parents bought my '80 Trans Am new, and I just recently found the sales manager that sold us the car--still selling cars 35 years later). This is now DiFeo Chevrolet on Communipaw Ave.
Suburban-Mallon in West Orange
Maxon on 22
Reydel in Edison
Kemper in Bridgewater
Frank's in Lyndhurst (I think it's still a GMC dealer)
Rassas in Red Bank near the train tracks.

Let me bring you up to date..

As we know GM pulled the plug on the best division they had.

I worked at Maxon, now its a Honda store. All 77 bays

Kemper is closed. Not sure what is in the building now, at one time was Kia or some chit.

Franks GMC was bought by Maxon in the early 90's and is now Union Buick GMC, the Buick franchise was in Union, and Maxon bought that, forget the name. They are not owned by the Maxon group.

Rassas aka ratsass, just closed a few years ago and building torn down.

Park has been gone for many years. might have been Big Red at one time.

Reydel not sure what happened with them, maybe bought and under a new name.

Queen City is now Greenbrook Buick GMC and they have expanded. Doing well.

Mallon, wow that's like the pyramids.

Colonial Pontiac in Summit closed the doors 30+ years ago. The most nasty dirty shop i have ever been in.

Barnes Chevrolet in Summit closed years ago and the building is vacant.

Whelan Pontiac in freehold is now Freehold Buick GMC, same old building with a facelift, doing well.

I want to say the old Maxon franchise you're talking about was actually bought by some New Yorkers and became "86th Street Auto Group" or "J.A.M. Auto". I believe the 86th refers to a Brooklyn, NY street which may have been the old Kinney Chevrolet in Bay Ridge/Bensonhurst.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I used to know of all the Pontiac dealers in NJ back in the day:

Cathcart in Trenton
Queen on 22
Park Pontiac in Jersey City (where my parents bought my '80 Trans Am new, and I just recently found the sales manager that sold us the car--still selling cars 35 years later). This is now DiFeo Chevrolet on Communipaw Ave.
Suburban-Mallon in West Orange
Maxon on 22
Reydel in Edison
Kemper in Bridgewater
Frank's in Lyndhurst (I think it's still a GMC dealer)
Rassas in Red Bank near the train tracks.

Let me bring you up to date..

As we know GM pulled the plug on the best division they had.

I worked at Maxon, now its a Honda store. All 77 bays

Kemper is closed. Not sure what is in the building now, at one time was Kia or some chit.

Franks GMC was bought by Maxon in the early 90's and is now Union Buick GMC, the Buick franchise was in Union, and Maxon bought that, forget the name. They are not owned by the Maxon group.

Rassas aka ratsass, just closed a few years ago and building torn down.

Park has been gone for many years. might have been Big Red at one time.

Reydel not sure what happened with them, maybe bought and under a new name.

Queen City is now Greenbrook Buick GMC and they have expanded. Doing well.

Mallon, wow that's like the pyramids.

Colonial Pontiac in Summit closed the doors 30+ years ago. The most nasty dirty shop i have ever been in.

Barnes Chevrolet in Summit closed years ago and the building is vacant.

Whelan Pontiac in freehold is now Freehold Buick GMC, same old building with a facelift, doing well.

Let me update your update.

Barnes (where all our family's Chevys came from including my grandpa's '67 Nova SS, my grandma's '80 Malibu Classic that I now own and the '63 Fuelie Vette my dad took delivery of on his wedding day. I also bought my LS6 454 fron their Parts Department) is now Smythe Volvo.


Tommy

 

[T_R]

I remember Greenbrook electronics. I grew up in Somerville. I can't believe it's still in business.

As for the dealers I remember Queen city and Kemper. I worked for Royal Chevrolet for a long time and they did business with both of them. Royal moved to Rt 22 while I was still there and got sold recently and is now Bridgewater Chevrolet I think. I haven't been back there in a long time. My pension plan from there ended and I got a payout, that's how I found out it was sold.

That area of Jersey has really changed. It's like a whole different place than 20 years ago.

 

[Ponchoguy]

Let me update your update.

Barnes (where all our family's Chevys came from including my grandpa's '67 Nova SS, my grandma's '80 Malibu Classic that I now own and the '63 Fuelie Vette my dad took delivery of on his wedding day. I also bought my LS6 454 fron their Parts Department) is now Smythe Volvo.


Tommy

You had/have Bellavia in Rutherford, Laffin Chevrolet ("Don't Cry, Try Laffin"), down the shore is T&T Coast, there was Florentine Pontiac, I thought Frank's was still there up to until a few years ago, Cerami Pontiac on Rte 17(??), Linden VW/Olds (I still have a coffee mug from there), Maroon on Hamburg Turnpike in Wayne (??), Norman Gale in Parsippany.

I one time got a glovebox pamphlet (still have it) from Favata Buick in Mount Vernon from an '80 Park Ave. The original company that bought the car Stroheim and Roman, I thought was a law firm. Turns out that company is an interior decorator and they did the White House!

Attached is a little way back history! Remember these? This is from my '80 Pontiac Trans Am (still have the car).

 

[Flat-rate]

Let me update your update.

Barnes (where all our family's Chevys came from including my grandpa's '67 Nova SS, my grandma's '80 Malibu Classic that I now own and the '63 Fuelie Vette my dad took delivery of on his wedding day. I also bought my LS6 454 fron their Parts Department) is now Smythe Volvo.


Tommy

Oh good, Smythe had a used car lot across the street. I worked at Barnes when I got out of high school. Smythe has been in Summit forever. do you remember Steidel Buick, old shop was near the train station. My parents bought several Buicks there back in the 60-70's. they merged with Douglas VW. There also was a caddy dealer in Summit, near the magic fountain...

 

[Flat-rate]

I remember Greenbrook electronics. I grew up in Somerville. I can't believe it's still in business.

As for the dealers I remember Queen city and Kemper. I worked for Royal Chevrolet for a long time and they did business with both of them. Royal moved to Rt 22 while I was still there and got sold recently and is now Bridgewater Chevrolet I think. I haven't been back there in a long time. My pension plan from there ended and I got a payout, that's how I found out it was sold.

That area of Jersey has really changed. It's like a whole different place than 20 years ago.

Royal was near the Ford dealer in Bound Brook. It truly is amazing how it's all changed. Seem's like every town had a dealership.

 

[Ponchoguy]

Royal was near the Ford dealer in Bound Brook. It truly is amazing how it's all changed. Seem's like every town had a dealership.

Neighborhood dealers became these mega auto malls and off went the mom and pop dealerships...

 

[Flat-rate]

Neighborhood dealers became these mega auto malls and off went the mom and pop dealerships...

Yeah, there was a big push years back to relocate all the GM stores to a major highway. When I worked at maxon on rt 22, and they had just bought the Gaylin Buick store, all the older customers refused to go there because they did not wan to drive on rt 22. Cannot blame them 22 is a accident waiting to happen!!

 

[Ponchoguy]

That's true!

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Oh good, Smythe had a used car lot across the street. I worked at Barnes when I got out of high school. Smythe has been in Summit forever. do you remember Steidel Buick, old shop was near the train station. My parents bought several Buicks there back in the 60-70's. they merged with Douglas VW. There also was a caddy dealer in Summit, near the magic fountain...

I remember them all. My grandfather that had the Nov SS had a '5X Buick before that. I'm pretty sure it was bought at Steidel.

Tommy

 

[LS6 Tommy]

You had/have Bellavia in Rutherford, Laffin Chevrolet ("Don't Cry, Try Laffin"), down the shore is T&T Coast, there was Florentine Pontiac, I thought Frank's was still there up to until a few years ago, Cerami Pontiac on Rte 17(??), Linden VW/Olds (I still have a coffee mug from there), Maroon on Hamburg Turnpike in Wayne (??), Norman Gale in Parsippany.

I one time got a glovebox pamphlet (still have it) from Favata Buick in Mount Vernon from an '80 Park Ave. The original company that bought the car Stroheim and Roman, I thought was a law firm. Turns out that company is an interior decorator and they did the White House!

Attached is a little way back history! Remember these? This is from my '80 Pontiac Trans Am (still have the car).

Maroon is there, but empty. They got tired of flooding and relocated. They just have some stock parked there now. I go by there twice a day fgoing to and from work, and for the life of me, I don't know where the sign says they relocated to. My good friend is a service writer at Gale. He used to be the service manager at Joyce Honda.

As much as I love the auto service/gas station industry, I'm REALLY glad I'm not in it anymore. It's not what it used to be.


Remember these, too!

Tommy

 

[Ponchoguy]

Maroon is there, but empty. They got tired of flooding and relocated. They just have some stock parked there now. I go by there twice a day fgoing to and from work, and for the life of me, I don't know where the sign says they relocated to. My good friend is a service writer at Gale. He used to be the service manager at Joyce Honda.

As much as I love the auto service/gas station industry, I'm REALLY glad I'm not in it anymore. It's not what it used to be.


Remember these, too!

Tommy

Ah, good old "C" and "D" Strattec blanks. Those are probably for the '80 Malibu you talked about because C and D are '80 model keys (they used to rotate every 4 years.

I have a few more to add:

Downes Pontiac, Matawan
Echlin Pontiac, Morristown (I think)
J&F Oldsmobile (part of that whole Communipaw/DiFeo set up. My '84 Delta 88 is from there). This would be where 1&9 and 440 meet.
Reilly Olds in Westfield.
Leader Buick, Bayonne
There was one in South River, can't remember the name, LOL, but I stripped an '81 Trans Am that was from there according to the build sheet.

I'll think of more. Yes, I remember those key chains....

 

[Ponchoguy]

Maroon is there, but empty. They got tired of flooding and relocated. They just have some stock parked there now. I go by there twice a day fgoing to and from work, and for the life of me, I don't know where the sign says they relocated to. My good friend is a service writer at Gale. He used to be the service manager at Joyce Honda.

As much as I love the auto service/gas station industry, I'm REALLY glad I'm not in it anymore. It's not what it used to be.


Remember these, too!

Tommy

Remember these guys?

 

[Ponchoguy]

Remember these guys?

Oddly enough, that was gotten off a car in a junkyard in the PA Poconos. Typically up there, GM cars are from:

Faulkner-Ciocca (still there, just passed it this week).
Outten Buick-Chevrolet (just saw a car from there last week)
Keich Buick in Tamaqua (gone for several years)
Northern NJ dealers off of Route 80. (depends on the dealer).

 

[Sk8Crash69]

I just found this post, I currently live in the Central NJ and work up in North Jersey but have never heard of this store. From the looks of the pictures you posted this is the kind of store my dad would love to go to and spend hours talking to the counter guy. I am going to start planning the trip now.