Some merchants think too many downtown stores are closed at night. This photo was taken late Tuesday morning. (Photo by Dustin Racioppi)
By DUSTIN RACIOPPI
Red Bank Mayor Pasquale Menna has ramped up his campaign get downtown business owners to stay open later.
He says the effort did not begin with last week’s Broad Street debut of Urban Outfitters — a clothing and housewares store that’s open from 11a to 9p Monday through Saturday and 11a to 8p on Sundays. But Urban is doing business the right way, Menna says, and he’d like to see more merchants follow suit.
“Retailing has changed, our society has changed and Red Bank is changing,” he said.
Given Red Bank’s amenities, with its bevy of late-night hot spots like bars and entertainment venues, it has always made more sense that many businesses, especially retailers, keep the lights on and the doors open after dark and on Sundays, Menna says.
But examples of missed opportunities to hook visitors are plentiful, he says citing two from last summer, when the Red Bank Jazz & Blues Festival, and later the Taste of Red Bank, drew thousands of visitors who found limited shopping options because stores weren’t open later or on Sunday.
“The businesses that succeed are the ones who are available when people are on the street,” Menna said. “We don’t have the luxury of shoppers out at nine in the morning. It’s a change in our society and sometimes we have to change our business model to keep our competitive edge.”
Menna was beating the drum for later hours at this week’s bimonthly borough council meeting, when he said that Urban’s hours constitute “a message to other stores to please, please stay open at night.”
Naturally, there’s resistance from some of the businesses in the heart of downtown, with owners and managers saying that later hours haven’t, or won’t, make much a difference to their business.
Broad Street’s comic and memorabilia shop, Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash, is among the naysayers.
“We’ve tried it before. It didn’t work for us,” said Michael Zapcic, a clerk. And he doubts that the presence of Urban Outfitters will increase the number of shoppers at Secret Stash. “It’ll make no difference to us. They have a certain clientele and might coincide with ours a little bit. We will open earlier or (stay open) a little later, but they usually get here between ten and six.”
It’s the same story at No Joe’s Cafe, which, up until a few weeks ago stayed open until about 9p during the week, said the shop’s manager, Paul Cali. But he didn’t see the benefit of it, and now it’s open until 6:30p during the week and closes at 4p on Sundays.
Cali expects that Urban will surely increase foot traffic into other shops in the area, but, he said, “I don’t think it will make a huge difference.” Besides, across the street from No Joe’s is Funk and Standard, which actually has later hours than Urban.
“Funk and Standard has been open late for years and it didn’t make much of a difference,” Cali said.
Funk and Standard owner Patti Siciliano disagrees with the notion that greater participation in the open-late effort won’t stir downtown’s economy. Like Menna, she’s an advocate for more businesses keeping later hours, even if it means opening up later in the day.
“The reality is that people have to stay open,” she said. “People come here for pleasure. This is a leisure town. If people stayed open it would be like Saturday night every night.”
Red Bank RiverCenter Executive Director Nancy Adams said that since Urban opened on November 19, it’s time for the local business owners to reconsider their hours. While she understands that it doesn’t fit every business, nor is it feasible for an especially small-staffed one, it can’t hurt now that the retail giant is open on the corner of Broad and West Front streets.
“If, in fact, Urban Outfitters proves to bring that type of customer base, hopefully they’ll make that adjustment,” she said. “It can’t have anything but a positive impact to businesses and potential customers.”
There’s nothing the borough council or RiverCenter can do, though, but push, shout or otherwise prod the business owners to stay open later. In Menna and Adams’ eyes, doing so is a prudent business move that, at the very least, is worth a shot at this point in time.
“Somebody can’t shop if they can’t walk in the door,” Menna said.
I hope Mayor Menna plans to pay for the extra overhead incurred when businesses extend their hours. Additional salary, electricity etc…
Because if the late business doesn’t come in, it’s just additional expense, without recovery. Maybe politicians should stay out of business…
I would think that the store owners have tried to stay open late and decided the sales did not cover the expenses-just not worth it.
If a store owner is stupid enough not to open when customers want to buy something then they do deserve to go out of business.
Nobody is buying a mattress at night when going out to a bar or restaurant for dinner. Nobody is going to get a hair cut at 8 PM on a Friday night. Nobody is openinga checking account or opening a brokerage account at night. That is what red bank is-a working town-9-5 PM and has the occassional restaurant and bar for nightlife.
Menna-Quit trying to turn Red Bank into “Pottersville” on Its a Wonderful Life with all the dance halls, bars and night creatures looming around. I like it nice and peaceful with stores open during the day.
I can see staying open a bit later on Friday, Saturday and perhaps even Sunday. However there’s not enough foot traffic downtown to justify staying open in the evenings on Sunday through Thursday.
I’m thrilled that Urban Outfitters has taken a chance with a store in Red Bank, but I don’t think that they are going to be the Retail Messiah for this town.
I walk home through downtown every night at about 7 or so, and almost everything is shut. I’d shop if things were open, but I spend my money in the city before I get on the train instead, because I know nothing will be open when I get to Red Bank.
I’m only one person and obviously can’t support an entire business district, but it’s kind of depressing now to see everything dark.
Pottersville..? say was that George Bailey who jumped off the oceanic bridge sunday
/m
Well said, taxpayingredbanker. Much was made of staying open later during the 1990s local recovery, but after 20 years it’s safe to say that shop owners have a rough idea of whether staying open until 9:00pm after yet another fried dough festival makes business sense.
Wasn’t it just a year or two ago that Rivercenter was pitching Red Bank as a homeware destination? Few thirty- something drunks, forty-something divorcees, or fifty-something Harley riders stop in to buy a rug or lamp at 8:30 Saturday night.
The Pottersville reference is exactly on point. If our measure of success is “total number of late-night cash transactions” we should pass ordinances encouraging casinos and massage parlors.
Besides, I thought Tiffany’s was our Retail Messiah.
While nobody is likely to open a checking account at 9 PM on Friday night, I might like to get a cup of coffee, or browse some CDs or play some guitars. Even our Foodtown is closed at 9, I find myself racing the clock to buy something in Red Bank. The diner and the 7-11 are the only exceptions.
I might just move back to New York at some point, feel like I’m getting cheated out of my evenings
I appreciate the mayor’s effort. It’s one of those chicken and egg things. Unless most of the stores are not open, nobody will come. The stores don’t want to open because the don’t detect that people will be around. The situation requires a bit of leadership.
My gut says that staying open later won’t mean much to most places bottom line. Extra time to buy an expensive bath sponge….neat. The olive oil at Carter & Cavero kicks ass (try the Meyer Lemon on your green beans or just use Hojiblanca for dipping) but it tastes the same when I buy it on Saturday afternoon.
I can see it during the Holiday season, but not beyond. But I hope I am wrong.
While on the topic of downtown, does anybody know what is going on with Ashes? Again they have lost their smoking permit. It’s like an on going battle and I would love to know the poop. I love the smoke ban, but I also like the unique offering a place and where I can enjoy a quality cigar, have a drink and watch the game.
chris, fyi foodtown closes at 10:00 pm
Yeah business here need to stay open late. There are many of us who moved here in the past few years from the city with our families and we don’t shop here because nothing is open late. It would be nice to see things open when I walk around at night, but it needs to be for the long haul for things to catch on.
Red Bank is a more youth orientated town at night but there are very few retail businesses that cater to that crowd. Outside of bars and restaurants, there are few places that teens and 20-somethings are looking to spend money at past 6PM. Those stores that do seek this crowd are open later (Coco Pari, Urban Outfitters, Jack’s Music) and (I’m assuming) are doing well because of this. I highly doubt Primas Home is losing money if they’re closing at 6. If businesses don’t think it’s a wise choice to be open late because their customers aren’t there, that’s fine.
A place like No Joe’s has a very loyal breakfast/lunch crowd. They’ve got the local office workers coming in multiple times a week. It doesn’t make sense for them to stay open late and compete against the 20 other eateries in Red Bank if they can run a more profitable business focusing on the breakfast/lunch crowd.
Red Bank needs to embrace and attract more national brands and youth targeting retailers so that there are more options in town post six o’clock. Urban Outfitters is just a start. I’ve heard there’s at least one other national apparel retailer actively scouting locations in Monmouth County, including downtown RB storefronts.
Funk and Standard has been keeping late hours since it opened. I often see shoppers in the store late into the evening. Patty has the right idea. If there are people walking around stay open. The customers will come.
Let me get this straight…
Both the Mayor and Rivercenter want to increase patronage of downtown businesses during the evenings, yet the council is set to vote to extend the hours of parking meter enforcement past 6pm? Everyone needs to get on the same page. When Rivercenter wants to increase shopping (during the holidays), meter enforcement is suspended. Why is the Mayor trying to draw shoppers into the town and the council is voting to extend meter enforcement? I can go to Monmouth Mall, shop well into the evening, park for free, and if I end up shopping longer than originally planned- I’m not tagged with a $38 overtime parking ticket.
Mayor and Council- please get on the same page!
I hate malls, but people are there shopping at all hours because they know it’s open. Merchants might have made a brief attempt at it, but the public perception is that Red Bank is closed after 6pm.
I only have off on Sundays and Red Bank is closed, so I end up going to other stores that are open for my purchases. Believe me, I’d rather shop locally than go to the highway stores. Look at the business that The Grove does on Sunday, but shops in Red Bank are shut down.
To the people who just moved here recently from the city and want to shop later… UYou should have done your homework before you moved here.
Don’t expect the world to change because you moved into town.
If you’d rather spend your money in Manhattan, with it’s inflated prices and sales tax, be my guest.
Me on the other hand, left the city 12 years ago and I’ve learned to shop on weekends….
It is ironic that the borough hall is open only 4 days a week and they expect shop owners to work 14 hours a day 7 days a week. Maybe law firms should be open 7 days a week 24 hours a day like 7-11. I am sure they would do well with all the bar fights after midnight and have the opportunity to earn more business if they extended their hours too.
doesn’t matter whether the store are open in the morning,afternoon or midnight-i can’t afford to shop at most of the places anyway.
my wife can’t afford to shop weekly or monthly at coco pari and i can’t afford an oriental rug at either of the 2 places selling them. I don’t have a private broker at Merrill lynch so i don’t go into their place. I can’t afford the stupid ,high prices “doggies in the window “at that Bark avenue place. The only place I can afford is the broadway diner and a beer at brannigans.
let me know where the middle class are to shop on broad street mr. menna-the rich lawyer with a fancy mercedes benz?
I shop at food town and look for coupons. I bring my laundry to the cheapest place for cleaning suits. I like looking at the store stuff and like that they are open but I will not be able to buy shoes for my wife that cost $ 400 bucks plus. Maybe they need to stay open to find the moron at 9 PM drunk off their butt, falling out of Red or Downtown looking for Jimmy Choo Shoes.
Please Mr. Mayor Mensa-attract some stores downtown that us Red Bank residents can shop at.
I wish I could but I can’t shop downtown so who cares if their open or not!
My partner and I had a Penny Candy toys gifts and coffee shop in the mini mall in the 1990’sand did fairly well especially at night when others where closed and people where looking for something to do and buy, people love to buy and impress others when out together or after a few cocktails… I had always stated that if others stayed open at night than it would eventually bring in the “mall” crowd and a more regular crowd… Unfortunatley at the time miss Sharon Rivera was the “Mayoress” of Dead Bank and Miss thing at the Barbizon and the Karate school thought we were a “BAD INFLUENCE” on the pupils and our lease was not renewed…. We in turn moved to West End where a more sophisticated and enlightened crowd became our best friends and we still stayed open till all hours day and night doing what retailers do, and my late grandfather Bill Doc Fogelson (Rumson Pharmacy 1929-1976) taught me “Kiss your customers ass give em what they need anytime day or night” Menna knows that cause Ive known him for 30 years.
fred A Blumberg
the question here is what kind of deal did Menna make with Urban Outfitters…For him to say “They do it the right way” is a slap in the face of all the business owners in town. He knows, and Urban Outfitters knows they need the help of the other business owners to survive, or it will fail. What type of tax insentive did that company get to move to Red Bank..Menna just worried about his empty promises “he made”…
THis is basic economics. Riverview blew this idea out of the water 5 yrs ago when I proposed it at a town council meeting.
The majority of people who come to Red Bank to shop come after work, those who actually work in Red Bank are typically transient.
Why waiste time opening at 10am when your buyer come in at 8 PM after diner. The stores need to look at their sales record on an hourly basis year over year.
economic schmeconomics-still can’t afford jimmy choo shoes at Coco Pari or martini’s at Red whether it is 10 AM or 10 PM. Menna the magician-find some store that we can afford.
Did ya check out the prices at Urban Outfitters for the kids? pretty high if you ask me.
I think I’ll shop in the other more affordable surrounding towns like Eatontown and Middletown
SHOP IN RED BANK NOT THE AVERAGE JOE…USE TO LOVE THE STORES LIKE VOGELS, RUBY LANE, LEARNERS, NATIONAL SHOES, MILES, STEINBACHS, PROWNS ALL GONE AND NO WHERE TO SHOP BUT THE MALLS AND HIGHWAYS…..
I was back in Red Bank a few months ago. Couldn’t wait to get out. The town that I knew and loved made me feel claustrophobic. It felt more like a miniature New York City than the small quiet neat little town it used to be. I’m not sure exactly what happened, or when, but it sure no longer feels like home anymore. What a shame.
@JM
Imagine what the native americans think when they see red bank! Change is inevitable, deal with it. If moved here from the city but that doesn’t mean I shopped at expensive stores I just like things open a little later. I knew they weren’t when I moved here but It would be attractive to me if they were, that’s all.
Actually, there is a more community-positive reason to keep shops open. I have told my teenage kids that they are to avoid Monmouth Mall at all costs (hard to do w/ teens)..we have actually had some fun family evenings including a movie at the White St. theatre, coffee at Starbucks, and browsing the crazy merchandise at Funk N S. This reminds me of growing up in europe, where my aunts and grandparents and I would stroll shops until 9:00, followed by a family get together over coffee/dessert. The kids/elders stuck together more. I would love to see more of this approach to family life..
I totally agree with you “family man”.
I remember when Starbucks opened and was told that the owner of No Ordinary Joe’s was concerned that it would kill his business….yet he closes early and Starbucks is packed when I walk by. Maybe I’m missing something!