Michael Bonney in his store yesterday.
Red Bank News, a mainstay retailer of newspapers, magazines, racing sheets and cigars in downtown Red Bank for at least five decades, is about to become yesterday's news.
Owner Michael Bonney tells redbankgreen he'll be out of the space at 2 Monmouth Street by the end of the month.
The departure marks the end of an enterprise whose wall racks once teemed with glossy magazines, comic books and out-of-town papers — an ink-smudged mirror on a patch of bustling, postwar America.
But the newsstand has been living on borrowed time in recent years. Cigarette and newspaper sales have been plummeting. Six
months after he took over the business in March 2007, Bonney stopped selling magazines
as unprofitable, and planned to reposition the store as a dry goods mini-mart while sticking with cigarettes, lottery tickets and soda. But a lack of capital, and a dearth of foot traffic, doomed the effort, he says.
"My head knew from a business standpoint that it wasn't happening," Bonney says. "But it took my heart a while to accept that."
Red Bank News joins its former next-door neighbor, ME, and the nearby Asher Neiman Gallery as part of
the downtown exodus.
"I'm sorry that it has to be on my watch," Bonney says of the end. "But the business has changed."
Bonney says the decision was not driven by rent issues. His
landlord, Armand Crupi, "has been fair," and tried to accommodate the
store's needs, he says.
With the departure of Red Bank News, it's clear that Monmouth Street isn't immune to the rash of vacancy fever that annually hits the downtown market.
Next door, fashion accessories retailer ME closed last week, as did Asher Neiman Gallery a few doors down.
Red Bank RiverCenter is planning an "economic summit" on January 27 at which a panel of government officials and business owners will field questions and suggestions from the public about ways to make the downtown thrive again.
The event, scheduled for 7p at the Count Basie Theatre, is free and open to the public.
Tell the landlords to lower their rents. I'm sure Armand Crupi is charging him $4000 to $6000 a month.
Something needs to be done to stem the exodus of retail from Red Bank before it becomes the "Dead Bank" of the '80's. In a city full of art and culture, do you mean to tell me that no one can come up with a creative solution to this potentially catastrophic problem?? Get with it, Mayor Menna & Co.! Your neglect of this issue will forever be associated with your terms in office. Do something NOW.
Hold all the "Economic Summits" you like. People aren't shopping in the cutesy crap stores that they have in Red Bank. Think about the last time you needed a sweater, or a pair of underwear, did you think about driving to Red Bank? No, because you CAN'T get a pair of underwear in Red Bank unless the Foodtown still sells men's Fruit of the Looms in a 3 pack. No one is shopping in these silly faux antique furniture stores. Nor are they purchasing "retro dresses, shoes and junky clothes" at these so called botiques. I tried to find a bag of pretzels the other day on Broad Street - no such luck. Pretzels! Out of all the food places. No maybe you're not looking for pretzels, but until someone comes up w/ a business plan that may actually make sense, you're not going to see any new stores spring up along Broad Street. Hey, at least we solved the parking dilemma.
I'm not sure that I've ever seen this place open outside of 9am - 5pm on weekdays. I would certainly be a patron as it is the only store of its kind nearby. If it were open until 10 at night and sold snack foods, I think it would do a lot of business…where else can you go for a bag of chips or candy bar at that time??
As to the town's role, the focus must be shifted away from luxury retailers and back to making Red Bank a destination for ALL kinds of shoppers. Why not encourage a small market? I would love to walk to a fresh produce store in town to do my shopping…and I don't mean a Trader Joe's.
How about something daring - instead of having Red Bank be "revitalized"….why not make it "retrovitalized"…encourage people to come to town with tax abatements for landlords for certain kinds of tenants. Red Bank cannot be a destination town if it is to survive. The bedrock of the town is our residents. Cater to them, harness the town's history, and see it flourish.
Problem in town is greed. Greed on the landlord and the shop keepers! RENTS being to high caused the sale of goods to be sold higher. BUT the mix of the downtown has changed and needs to go back to the mix we once had and worked for so many years. THIS recession is a wake up call for all of us. And for the residents here without business watch how your taxes will skyrocket with all these empty spaces. It needs to be a group effort and put the town in front of our needs because if the town is healthy all will follow
why would the taxes skyrocket? people still own the buildings and pay tax on the building. they aren't abandoned.
Unfortunately, I didn't frequent Bonney's store for two reasons:
- very limited business hours (i.e., not open in the evening)
- he didn't carry Red Bull, my favorite soft drink.
Still, I'm very sorry to see him go. Sad.
I'm sorry to see Mr. Bonney go. Hes a great guy, but as others have said his hours have been limited.
The sad part is seeing another person who tried to do what most people dream of, run their own business, fall by the wayside. It is an element of the economy and I agree with Red Bank Gal.
Places like restoration hardware are just way too overpriced. They were before the economic downturn, but now most prices look downright ridiculous.
Everyone complaining there's no where to buy regular Joe items, Shrewsbury Ave is where it's at. Within a 5 minute walk of my house, there are 5 different places I can buy milk, pretzels, beer, diapers, underwear, etc. And the groceries are mostly all open 7 days a week and late, late late. Stop bellyaching about all the hoity toity ridiculousness and go west!
here's a question… in such crappy economic times why are people still shopping at the grove in shrewsbury? b/c there are anchor chain stores that can stand up against the tough economic times as they are apart of a larger corporation… they can ride the economic storms (and offer great sales) a bit easier than mom/pop. also, keep in mind, in addition to the chain stores, the grove also has a few individually owned stores too (belmondo, glow, that china/fine goods store, pasta fresca) to balance the the retail giants… and the mix seems to work as a business model.
can red bank take some notes from such a business concept? or will red bank hold on to this antiquated concept of only having having mom/pop stores? will red bank loose some of it's integrity/charm if a few more chain stores come to town? honestly, i really don't think so… red bank has to let go of the past when the town was able to support itself with a large number of mom and pop stores…
times change.. honestly how about an old navy (reasonable - almost cheap, clothes), smith and hawkin, ulta, borders/barnes & noble, trader joes (and there is nothing wrong with trader joes - people actually do shop there; and remember a regular market concept didn't work - think back to the market next to broadway grill that lasted maybe 1 year)?
people would come to town to shop b/c red bank would offer a balanced selection of products at different price points… not what we have now where stores just sell tchotchkes or overpriced, luxury items…maybe red bank should look at cranford and westfield too… somehow those towns have successfully combined chain and individually owned stores…
It is amusing that nobody is willing to say that Mr. Bonney ran this business into the ground. When you stock nothing, you sell nothing. Economic downturn or not, this place was doomed by the owner.
@BFrank - Shrewsbury Ave is where it's at? Really? Pick me up a quarter drink while you're at it.
Word up BFrank but are you surprised? Many of the regular posters here are anti-Mexican and racist. Mexican businesses flourish on our side of town because they are open late and are convenient and affordable. Everyone here is always putting down the immigrant population but if everyone downtown worked as hard and stayed open later hours, you'd find your pretzels on Monmouth. You'd probably pay $5 a bag but at least they wouldn't have to mix it up with us untouchables here on the Westside, right?
I would be in Red Bank on a Saturday and see that store closed at 2pm ? A store like that should be open ALL THE TIME.
goodbye red bank….i think its great that that this psuedo-destination is finally being exposed for what it really is…not much of anything special.
Lily -
The people that market the Grove also market downtown Red Bank businesses. It's called Metrovision.
Let me summarize this story:
A store that sold nothing and seemed to never be open, is closing.
Shocking!!!
My wife and I always wondered how the doors were open at all.
One less store in Red Bank selling cigarettes is a good thing - a very good thing! Bonney ought to be ashamed of himself for selling addiction. Good riddance.
So the river center is holding a summit, two of the speakers are councilman Dupont, he of the garbage bag law (while Red Bank was burning,the plastic bag law was of the most concern), by the way thanks for the toll hike), and his illustrious most glorious self, ex (?) Mayor McKenna.
News flash….The horse has bolted out of the barn, someone left the doors WIDE OPEN. While the River centers plan initially had great merits, they have fallen quickly by the way side. River center was to have folded a while ago, but no, we actually gave them raises and allowed it to flourish (?). When oh when oh when will the council learn that we are not the area that they want us to be, we will never be Menlo Park, we will never attract lower businesses because we don't solicit them. Its not rocket science to bring business into Red Bank, we have the means to fulfill all the needs of these offices buildings. YES it does begin with dialog with the owners of these buildings, to bring a competitive rental rate to these property's, it begins with the borough placing fines upon them for having vacant buildings that bring a vision of old dead bank to visitors, and for Christ's sake lower the parking tickets. Blatant rape. PERIOD.
Lowering taxes, ha, were becoming like Asbury Park. Start down at Chestnut street, lets get rid of the parking director and in place put a seasoned worker from the borough, a twenty year plus employee who knows the ins and outs of the town, lets save the salary of the public works director with another seasoned twenty year plus employee who is was trained to run public works (AND WHO IS CERTIFIED TO RUN SUCH). there I have just saved the borough over $100,000. This is not a dig at the director, he has done a very good job,and is a nice man, but his stay was not supposed to be permanent, the right thing for the borough to do if they care at all about saving us money is to is to release him start there. next, could be the health care, it goes on and on.We can save on the vehicle he uses also. Going into the Kathy Horagon situation, with the Webb site, she, I admire very much, and was quite surprised that she jumped in this no bid plan without consulting Grace in the work shop, and that the research just wasn't done correctly, or I believe fairly. we should have I.T. personal in place on that work shop, and proving that was the gentleman who gave all of you an education in the software business last meeting. There are just to many things not privy to the people of Red BANK, and when your spending OUR money, well I think that we all should have just a little say, just because you sit up on that chair does not make any of you Gods or my personal banker Lets start again, do it right, we have our anchor stores, how about soliciting one or two of the stores from Shrewsbury avenue that could entice the Latinos over to the main streets of town, they spend as well you know and once again remember that Obama wont be carrying the election this time. And Bfrank, at 10.00 pm I can get a sandwich, coffee soda, tea, ice cream or even music cds, soccer shirts and cleats on Shrewsbury ave, your 100% correct. Cant get that downtown……Oh well I've rambled enough
The grove is a popular shopping destination for one reason …FREE PARKING !
Good job Gary, did you skip another AA meeting? Since you're blaming the town for everything, why not blame them for the germans bombing Pearl Harbor.
economic summit how bout this question…………… do the rocket scientists who run this town think it was a good idea in the middle of our boom to put meters in , double the tickets , and go friggin crazy with enforcement, and they now want to know what went wrong ! the people have spoken and they are saying shove your tickets up your ass !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Enforcement is a relative thing: $37 parking tickets sure, but a $200 fine for the jerkoffs who constantly drag race down my street (easily going 50 in a 25) is NEVER enforced. I can’t tell you the last time a “traffic” law was enforced – aside from the general harassment of minorities of course – I am talking real dangerous driving, real dangerous drivers (at all times of day & night), in addition to huge delivery trucks (clearly exceeding the 4 ton limit). Why not enforce the real problems & quality of life issues for residents like dangerous situations like this?
Sorry to see Mike go - but as a native who once had a store in this town it doesn't surprise me - the exodus will continue and worse before it gets better - thank God for the internet! who needs a storefront anyway! Good Luck Mike!
worstnightmare….maybe you should go to an AA meeting at least those people acknowledge they have a problem, you on the other hand cant get your head out of your ass long enough to see what's going on. , the town wasn't blamed for anything, MAYBE IF YOU read the post in its entirety instead of wondering where your wife and next fix are you would get it..If the council is the town, then I and many of these posters believe that we are in dire trouble. The answers are at their hands, beginning with lowering the parking tickets. Tiffany's staying is great, WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 29 EMPTY STORE FRONTS? answer that smart mouth. I have been bringing up empty stores for almost 8 months while council are arguing over plastic bags, Webb site designs and the need for wealthy members of council to take free or reduced health care. What about the town? A summit my ass, every time a store becomes vacant on the Westside, its reoccupied with permits, product and staff within two to three weeks. Maybe our Latino population should run the river center, they seem to get the job done. Invite them. Be part of the solution not the problem.
Many people have voiced many useful ideas in these comments. I was surprised to read
negative comments about the Public Works Dept.& its Director. I would praise the dept for the very best service I have received in my 30 yr. residency & home ownership. They maintain their regular garbage & leaf pick up as scheduled & snow removal is done promptly. I have always had prompt response to any calls I have made and any problems were quickly resolved.
I have only kudos for this dept and its administrator, Gary Watason and congratulate Sharon Lee & Arthur Murphy our public utility council representatives for the useful Public Utilities Newsletter.
Morris is right on so many levels its rediculous.
There are more people who are dumber and smarter that know he is right.
Why does this morron hit it right on the head ?
SOIA…you are spot on.
I went into Mr Bonney's store a few times and was amazed at lack of product. If you want to do business you need to have product…sorry to see you go but you didnt need a crystal ball to see this.
also why is this an end of an era? This business sucked and closed time to move on
Red Bank Gal -
It's not "Metrovision;" it's Metrovation. http://www.terranomicsdevelopment.com/east.php
As for the Public Utilities Department, it is beyond me why they can't seem to publish an updated Recycling Schedule on their website:
http://www.redbanknj.org/DPU-recycling_schedule.html
This happens every year like clockwork. Did they NOT know 2009 was coming?
westside latinos hvae money to spend. the rest of us dont't we have to pay taxes, pay for our healthcare and generally are in debt. i think broad street can use some bodegas. the fruit and veggies will be soo fresh
to Gladys Bowden,
This is not and was not a dig at Gary Watson, and Gladys you are correct he is a very nice man indeed. He has done many good things for the borough but after doing all of these right things, setting up what he was supposed to do it is now over. He is a retired police officer that was, and still is well respected in and out of the police department, who is receiving a full pension for his time serving the borough (well deserved), from that position.plus a generous salary of close $100,000. and a borough owned vehicle (Dodge Durango). There are three able bodied certified personal down at Chestnut street with over 70 years of experience running such that can take over at any point public works and the parking directors position, they are certified by the state to run public works (I'm not sure that Gary is yet), which would mean that we do not have T & M certify and rubber (at a cost), stamp his plans. Its a savings cut that will begin to help lower taxes….eventually. And as for the news letter, yes its nice but not really needed.
And Freddy, thanks (I think), for a supportive comment, but if you are to call someone a moron, please spell it correctly, along with the word ridiculous and understand that I most certainly do not fit into either of those definitions. My biggest problem I guess, other than my mouth is that I do care about what's going on in my town, and with ALL of the residents here regardless of race color creed or gender. Sorry if that offends any of you.
Parking is a major issue. Why risk a $37 fine for staying a few minutes too long. I used to shop in Perth Amboy-all it took was one parking ticket, which I beat because the meter was broken (and the cop knew it!) to convince me that it ws not worth the effort. But the morons that run that town just don't get it, just like the politicians in Dead Bank.
Mr. Morris, I do not know whether Gary Watson is nice or not nice nor do I paraticularly care. I did not address that in my comments as it was not relevant & also, I have never met the man so would not know. I said that the dept. was well run & that I appreciated the excellent service I have been receiving since he was in charge of the dept. I also find the newsletter useful.
Mike is a good guy and I wish him the best. He really tried to start a business in our town. Rents are too Much in town, the owners of storefronts have to make judgement calls regarding the prices they are setting for their leases.
I think that history is beginning to repeat itself - for those of you who are new to the Red bank area - Downtown took a beating in the 1970's part in due to a lingering recession and part due to the revitalized Monmouth Mall - that slow down created the "Dead Bank" persona of the 1980's and early 1990's - Well it beginning all over again - the vacancies are reaching the numbers of the 70's and it took 20 years to bring Red bank back to life - so are we looking at a Red bank resurgence by 2025? I think the town needs to Dissolve the "River Center" and start from day one all over again, it has outlived it's purpose to become a quasi-governmental part of the local bureaucracy have landlord pay into a system that does not work is idiotic - Without any NEW and Viable ideas Downtown will be Doomed - take a walk down Broad street and see how alive things are. It's time for some changes - It's a shame that the Town Council only cares about their own well being and not the future of Red Bank. We have obviously learned nothing from the past and History will repeat itself (without some serious intervention)
As a very samll business owner in town, I know how extremely difficult it is to keep a store filled with inventory when there is NO FOOT TRAFFIC. Without shoppers, there is no income.
"It takes courage to abandon yesterday, to give up on things in which you have a vested interest, to change course midstream."
I think it speaks volumes about our society when folks are so easy to judge eachother. I fully appreciate Mikes courage to atleast try and make a go of it. I applaud all the small places trying desperately to survive, especially with frozen credit lines and zero cash flow.
I hope everything works out for you, Mike. I know how hard it is to move forward past something you really worked hard at. Maybe one of the people bashing your efforts would like to open a small market in that space. They can see how easy it is. I believe the landlords contact #'s are on the sign at ME.
I loved talking with Mike, but his store was one of the most depressing parts of REd Bank… I missed the big racks of magazines.. I felt that his store was for lottery or cigarette addicts.
I agree withe WEst side comments. The west side is alive, real, great restaurants, hard working citizens who live and work nearby.
I would rather hang out with a Latino gentleman working his butt off any day over a spoiled teenager buying yet another piece of silver jewelry at Tiffanys.
The latino gentleman are very nice. I pick them up all the time over by the train station. I pay them $9 per hour. They do all my hard work. Good people.
Class warfare,
You hit the nail on the head !
RiverCenter has oulived it's purpose. When their executive director begins appearing before the planning board and espouting more high density residential development around the train station (Transit Village), then you know the fix is in.
If only the "dead brains of Dead Bank" would wake up and realize they are being fleeced by a selective fraterinty (i.e Pringle, McKenna, Menna, DuPont, T&M, Woodmont, Metrovation, etc, etc, etc and the beat goes on.
isnt it funny hat there is only one comment about tiffanys staying and happy with the town and there is over 40 comments bashing the town over a little poorly run makeshift newspaper store calling it quits. it really shows how negative most of the locals are around here , they seem to like old crap and never want to see it leave to make room for change. it must be the same people who are crying over prowns or woolworths. they dont appreciate the real success stories who have endured in a town that is always trying to work against them, these store include garmany , winters furs, coco pari , wisteria, funk and standard , if the shoe fits, lavish kids, jacks music, smoothie king, eye design , agostino,,marc ecko, zebu, buena sera and many others. im sure most of the doom and gloomers writing these negative comments on the future of red bank are going to be in shock when national chains keep opening next to these fine storeowners who brek their asses everyday to keep the lights on and employ so many good people with jobs , the list alone i mentioned must employ over 250 people. so in closing intstead of you negative people writing all this crap about every store either rent one of the storefronts and open your own smallminded vision of a prowns/woolworths or go hang around the turnpike and wait for a fatal car accident so you can rubberneck with the rest of the sickos who love a good trajedy. have a nice life …….. signed a person who cant wait to see a better red bank filled with stores that stay open late and have positive attitudes
take the blame,
Why didn't anyone comment about Tiffany's? Because the people who comment on this site don't care about Tiffany's. I've never been in there, and I can't foresee ever buying anything there.
I think you're right about the generally negative tone on the site, but you overstated your case with your list of stores that "have endured."
Take a look at your list. How many have endured 10 years? Garmany and Jack's have been around a long time. Maybe Funk & Standard has been there 10 years. I would have guessed Zebu, but they only opened in 2001.
The Ecko store's been open maybe 6 months. Prown's and Woolworth's were downtown for maybe 60 years.
Of course we have to adjust to new times, but let us have our reverie. I miss the time when I could buy produce at that Asian market on Broad street. I miss being able to buy a screw or a light bulb downtown.
To Gary,
Do you like the way Shewsbury Ave looks?
The windows have posters all over them, the
filth and garbage on the streets? How many storm drains have you cleaned, Gary.
I am a little sick and tired of people like
you trying to promote the illegal stores.
It is not a good thing.
It is bad enough I have to deal with this
filth on the west side, I would hate this filth and low standard of living brought to Broad St. There are other options to explore.
Quality of life, read what you have just posted, If the stores were or illegal would not the borough have closed them down, and why do they have borough issued licence's upon their walls along with satisfactory health licenses? You make no sense at all. 90% of the stores on broad street have signs adorning their windows ( a lot of them saying 'going out of business or half off' ), once again you make no sense. Clean out storm drains, why on earth would I, We pay the borough taxes to have that done, and yes I do like the way Shrewsbury avenue looks, especially compared to what it was several years ago, hell yes. I do get friendly banter bow and then, I can get a hot drink, Ice cream, buy food for my home, music or clothing. your problem seems to be that they are not of your color or creed. But they spend green, operate stores and restaurants profitably, you just don't want them on the east side…..what a Shame that is
To take the blame … you bashed real locals and mentioned these shops only (out of 120) 13 stores "garmany , winters furs, coco pari , wisteria, funk and standard , if the shoe fits, lavish kids, jacks music, smoothie king, eye design , agostino,,marc ecko, zebu, buena sera" 13 stores 4 of which own their own buildings - No of which currently employee African Americans (one of which has a policy of never employing them. A few of which employee undocumented aliens and your point was?? what - our obviously not from here - or otherwise you would no that the spot where "red bank News" was had been selling papers on that spot for more than 100 years, In you your perfect Red Bank what do we need and more "exclusive" Broad Street the folks I know who shop at Tiffany's go to 57th and 5th ave to shop not downtown Red Bank, what downtown needs is a more "Inclusive" Broad Street. Not this fake "exclusive" BS…Broad Street was always diversified - when I was a kid you could buy anything thing there literally. what can you get now?
Actually 6 of the 13 stores "take the blame" mentioned own their own building and own others as well - so I don't know what the point is in mentioning 13 stores 50% of which are landlords - what was your point again "take the blame"?
"Economic Summit Eh?" RedBank must be the Center of the Empire of political Law Firms Fiefdoms".
Can't wait for the Long Branch Economic World order "Summit"
Sorry to see you go Mike,too bad only the strong are surviving, to the small mom and pops still hanging in their,(Funk and Standard, Smoothie, 4B, Nirvana, Quicksilver, Stoka Boca, If The Shoe Fits, Bees Knees, and Jacks to name a few, hang in there and do what needs to be done, because it can't get much worse! Once these landlords who came in 5 -6 years ago and bought high, and had to rent high, realize they have to drop the rents to a reasonible figure, things will be great, but the problem is letting half of these idiots know that they bought there buildings for way more than what they were even worth! So stay strong, oh and by the way, Mike's rent was only $2400 that in all honesty is not bad at all.
Subject: Red Bank Blessing of the Waters
St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, in conjunction with the Borough of Red Bank will be hosting the second annual Blessing of the Waters of the Navesink on the occasion of the Russian Orthodox Feast of the Epiphany. The procession will leave St Nicholas Church on Pearl Street and Front Street at 12:30 pm on Monday January 19th. It will proceed to the end of Maple Avenue at the Navesink River. It will be escorted by Russian cossacks, laity and clergy. The local chergy will be joined by His Grace Bishop Jerome of Manhattan. This is an annual celebration of the diversity of Red Bank. The public is invited to join in this celebration of Epiphany by the historic Russian Orthodox community of Red Bank.
I thank Mike Bonney and all the other shop owners on Monmouth Street for their help and friendship during my time in Red Bank. I wish them all the best with their businesses. I hope the River Center can bring shoppers back to Red Bank so remaining businesses will continue to succeed in this lovely town. I also hope more Landlords will start to be as fair and helpful to their tenants as Armand Crupi has been with ME.