Skip to content

A town square for an unsquare town

redbankgreen

Standing for the vitality of Red Bank, its community, and the fun we have together.

NEW RUMSON MARKET, SAME OLD FEEL

rumson-marketFormer Rumson Market owner Bill Alcaro, left, chats with new owner Jerry St-Cyr Thursday at the newly-renovated landmark. (Photo by Dustin Racioppi; click to enlarge)

By DUSTIN RACIOPPI

It had been nearly a year since Bill Alcaro stepped foot inside Rumson Market Place, the East River Road business he owned for 22 years until back surgery forced him to sell it.

When he left, it still had old refrigerators and creaky wood floors. It was, as borough resident Terry Schaefer Severance put it, “a classic old Rumson neighborhood market.”

On Thursday, when Alcaro walked in for a cup of coffee, he saw the old neighborhood market revitalized — new refrigerators, new floors and all.

“Place looks great,” he said. “It’s beautiful.”

Questions loomed what would happen to the market after Alcaro sold it, but they’re answered now: the Rumson Market is back in business, with an updated look but the same small-town feel.

nick-lovarcoButcher Nick LoVarco gets meaty at Rumson Market. (Photo by Dustin Racioppi; click to enlarge)

“We’re so thrilled they kept it” as a grocery and butcher shop, Schaefer Severance said.

The possibility was there, of course, to go in a completely different direction, co-owner Jerry St-Cyr said.

His business partner Craig Cummings had bought the building from Alcaro, and brought St-Cyr on board to gut and renovate the place. The two weren’t sure what they were going to do with the space until somebody offered to rent it and use it as a store and market.

“Then Craig and I said, wait a minute. Why don’t we do that?” St-Cyr said.

So they set out to replicate what Rumson Market had already established in the neighborhood. They hired Alcaro’s old butcher, Nick LoVarco, and started ordering the products the market was known for: prime meats and gourmet food. They put in all new refrigerators, laid down shiny new wood floors and set up a section for high-end oils and sauces.

“The place needed to be remodeled,” Alcaro said. “You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”

It took about nine months, but the market is ready to go now, and the community has responded.

A handful of locals came in Thursday and said they were both surprised and impressed at the new look of the store. Schaefer Severance said she was worried what might have come of the renovation, but was thoroughly pleased with what she found when she passed through the doorway.

“It just had a wonderful feel in here,” she said. “It still does. Just updated.”

The market will hold a grand opening from 6 to 9p Saturday.

Remember: Nothing makes a Red Bank friend happier than to hear "I saw you on Red Bank Green!"
redbankgreen Classics
Partyline
HOLIDAY EXPRESS KICKS OFF SEASON
Holiday Express rolled into Red Bank on Saturday to celebrate the start of the holiday season at Lunch Break, the nonprofit that provides me ...
WINTERIZING WALK
With rowing season now over, Navesink River Rowing member Trish Russoniello and her husband, John Ward, carried her 25-foot rowing shell to ...
COUNT GETS MURAL TREATMENT
A new mural honoring Count Basie facing the Borough Hall parking lot on Monmouth Street. (photo by Partyline contributor Boris Kofman)   ...
TRUMP FAN VICTORY STROLL
A Donald Trump supporter went for a stroll down Broad Street Wednesday morning in a celebration of his win over Vice President Kamala Harris ...
ON ELECTION DAY, REAL FOG TOO
Commuters wait for their train to emerge from the fog in Red Bank on Election Day 2024.
SUNDAY AT LUCIDA
Artist talk at Galerie Lucida with owner and curator Michael Mazzeo and the photographer and co-curator Gerald Slota. Sunday afternoon, Nove ...
REMODEL HALLOWEEN
  Despite undertaking an amazing renovation, the Red Bank family that lives at this home at South Street and Pinkney would not miss out ...
Spooky Celebrations on South Street
Happy Halloween – South Street Style. –Original before GPT– Happy Halloween-South Street Style.
MARIGOLDS FOR DAY OF THE DEAD
Marigolds were the most popular item at Floreria La Orquidea at 192 Shrewsbury Avenue over the past few days as folks bought up the flowers ...
TRICK OR TREAT DJ
A DJ rocks Deforrest Avenue from the front porch of Edgar and Carly Deronde as trick or treaters flock to the street on Halloween night. (ph ...
HALLOWEEN HAIRCUT
Rigo's barber shop on Shrewsbury Avenue always goes all out. Luis Lego gets a Halloween haircut.
T-REX ON RIVER STREET
Looks like a T-Rex is amuck on River Street (photo by Partyline contributor Chris Havens)  
Mysterious Creatures Parade Around Red Bank Charter School
Lots of strange creatures, like this green dragon, emerged from the Red Bank Charter School this morning and paraded around town! (photo by ...
HALLOWEEN SUNRISE
Halloween sunrise over the Navesink River.
SALON CELEBRATES TEN YEARS
Red Bank's L Studio salon throws a bash for its tenth anniversary.
ICE BOAT JACK O’ LANTERN
The ice boat emblazoned Red Bank borough seal in jack o’lantern form, at the jack o’ lantern drop at Riverside Gardens Park Thur ...
NEW MURAL TAKES SHAPE
The leaves aren’t the only thing getting a splash of color this Fall. On Shrewsbury Avenue, a vibrant mural is in process, adorning bo ...
Spectacular Autumn Sunset at Warwick Gardens
Autumn Sunset in Red Bank – Warwick Gardens on Pinckney Avenue. (photo by Partyline contributor Adam Kaplan)
EYES ON YOU
Huge eyeballs in a front yard in Red Bank. (photo by Partyline contributor Jeff Frieri)
VIDEO: RED BANK HALLOWEEN PARADE