Must be a Jersey thing. When I was a kid my dad sent me down to the corner store to get his smokes. This went on for many years....
‘This went on for many years. . . ‘
In Queens Village, Long Island, NY, a kid of 12 went on his bike to the local pub and brought back a bucket of suds for a family party. Draft was preferred.
In this same neighborhodd one could get fresh pumpernickle bread and coldcuts from the Jewish deli, crumb cake from the German bakery, visit the Jewish candy and soda store, get produce from the Italian grocer, etc, etc.
Many other ‘ethnic’ shops.
The barber had a back ‘private’ section where women’s hair was done.
Some fathers never shopped at any of these stores - - - not at all unusual, after working all day; performing maintenance on the house and yard on Sat., and attending church on Sunday. When stores were closed . . . except maybe the bakery!
This was the era (’30’s, ‘40’s - even ‘50’s) when kids were always sent on errands with a list. It was not punishment!
Most families had trained their kids to help out.
Expect this was going on all over the country.
Actually, I grew up on Long Island (NY).
But, can you read? Do you have a problem with the English language?
ML/NJ