Thursday, October 1, 2026
For nearly a century, Morton’s Official Camp Outfitter has been a familiar stop for families preparing for summer — a place where campers pick out trunks, duffels and gear before heading off to sleep away camp.
This year, the Cedarhurst retailer is celebrating its 95th anniversary, marking three generations of family ownership and decades of connection with the community.
The business traces its roots to founder Morton Silverman, who established the store with a simple goal: provide families with quality camp gear at reasonable prices. Over time, that approach helped the store become a trusted destination for generations of customers.
“My father started it,” said Mel Silverman, Morton’s son. “I worked there to learn the business, and then Steven took over and learned to run it. Because of Steven, it’s been a very successful operation.”
In the early years, the store built its reputation on competitive pricing and customer service — a strategy that resonated with families in the Five Towns.
“The popularity came from the idea of selling things at lower prices,” Mel said. “The prices in the Five Towns were too high, so the idea was to run discounts. Big businesses do the same thing today, we just did it on a smaller scale.”
Over time, the business became a staple in the community, particularly for families preparing their children for summer camp.
Today, the store is run by Steven Silverman, the founder’s grandson, who represents the third generation guiding the family business.
“It means that I’m steering the ship,” Steven said. “Morton’s is a third-generation business, and I feel like I’ve taken it in a good direction and kept it relevant in the community.”
That sense of continuity began early for him. Like many family businesses, the next generation learned the ropes by working in the store from a young age.
“My grandfather and my father had a very strong work ethic,” Steven said. “They always felt it was our responsibility as kids to work in the business, even when we didn’t know what we were doing.”
After graduating from college, Steven initially pursued other opportunities, working in the computer systems and entertainment industries before returning to the family store. Joining the business full time meant working closely with his father, Jerry, something that occasionally led to spirited debates but also valuable lessons.
“My father had really good instincts,” Steven added. “He was very disciplined and very smart. I learned a lot from him, especially about maintaining quality and always carrying the best items for customers.”
Over the decades, Morton’s has built strong relationships with families throughout the community. Many customers who once came in as campers now return as parents — and even grandparents — bringing their own children to prepare for summer.
“It’s almost like a family when you walk in,” Steven said. “We know our customers, we know their kids, and sometimes we know multiple generations of their families. That’s a good feeling.”
Chris McGrath, 67, who lived in Inwood and graduated from Lawrence High School, worked there from 11th grade throughout law school.
“I worked for Morton himself and Steven’s father Jerry,” McGrath said. “My favorite part was working for a family. Steven’s father Jerry cared about you as much as he would any employee.”
McGrath said one of his fondest memories is Jerry telling him to go home and study for his math test even though the store was packed.
“What other boss would do that,” he said. “There was nobody like him. I attribute a lot of my success as a lawyer to working with him, he taught me how to work with people and was a great role model for anybody who worked there.”
For the Silverman family, reaching 95 years in business is both a milestone and a source of pride.
“There’s a lot of pride in being part of something that’s lasted this long,” Mel said. “You feel, in your own way, that you’re part of something important
