Hoboken's General Lumber Honored For Longtime Community Service

HOBOKEN, NJ — Nearly 90 years after it first opened for business in Hoboken, a local, family-owned lumber company is being recognized for being a staple of the community and for serving its neighbors well.

General Lumber, which has been operating since the 1930s before being purchased by a long family 52 years ago, was recognized Friday by Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla with a ceremonial street renaming at 2nd Street and Clinton Street. As part of the celebration, a street sign reading, ‘General Lumber Way’ was unveiled, marking the business’s longtime standing as a member of the city's business community.

Owners Esther and Donald Grauso participated in Friday’s ceremony, more than five decades after Esther Grauso’s father, Paul Lopes, and Robert Drasheff purchased General Lumber in 1967. The current owners took over the business in 1986 and have successfully kept it running since as the lumber company has been instrumental in helping the city rebuilding buildings and homes after hurricanes, fires and other natural disasters.

More recently, the business has assisted in providing lumber and other building supplies in the construction of parklets and street eateries for local businesses.

“General Lumber has been, and will continue to be a staple of our community,” Bhalla said in a news release. “Esther, Donald and their staff represent the very best of Hoboken, as a family-owned business that has gone above and beyond to literally build up our mile square into the great place it is today.”

The Lopes family immigrated to the United States from Italy in the early 1900s, with three generations of family that have been born and raised in Hoboken. Two of Esther Grauso’s three children, Jenna and Jessica, live in Hoboken. Jenna is currently a kindergarten teacher at Brandt School, while Jessica is a real estate agent.

“For over 50 years, General Lumber has been a mainstay of Hoboken residents and families," Esther Grauso said in a statement thanking the city for recognizing's the family business's commitment to the city. "We have been, and always will be there for the community during times of need and look forward to many more years of serving the people of Hoboken.”