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.

SUBWAY CAFÉ TO ROLL INTO RED BANK

subway-2The 28-seat sandwich shop will feature 14 seats of semi-enclosed dining where there’s now an alcove, at center above. Below, a concept drawing of a Subway Café, though not in the layout planned for Red Bank. (Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

subway1Red Bank’s aversion to national fast-food outlets is about to get a new test, this time by the 35,473-store Subway chain.

A franchiser won approval from the borough planning board Monday night to build a 28-seat Subway at 60 Broad Street, in a long-vacant space between the Red Bank Nail Salon and Hip & Humble Home furnishings.

But in a town where McDonald’s, Cold Stone ice cream and others have failed, Subway plans to make it by changing up its usual approach.

Ojas Patel, who will build and own the shop, says this one will be a “café” version of Subway, one that’s now found only in three other locations nationwide: at the Pentagon, the Smithsonian museum and the University of Maryland.

Patel, who owns Subway shops in Middlesex Borough, Monroe Township and Princeton Junction, described the café in terms of decor: exposed stone and brick, stucco, muted earth tones – details that will make it “not monolithic, not just another Subway,” said attorney Armen Macomber. The menu will be the same as at other stores in the chain.

It wall also feature an architectural element not seen elsewhere in town. What’s now an entry alcove with curving display windows and a center doorway will be torn out, with he door repositioned to the right. To the left will be a semi-enclosed recess, set off from the street by a low fence, with tables and seating for up to 14 in warm weather. During the winter, the tables and chairs will be removed, though a permanent bench will remain.

Some members of the board hesitated over the bench, recalling days when homeless people and partiers out on a bender used to sleep in store entryways. But they were assured by Patel that the space would be monitored overnight by security cameras.

The main sticking point for the board was parking: the shop has no spaces out front, owing to a yellow curb, and just a few spots in a rear lot that’s not accessible to customers. Still, the board unanimously granted a parking variance, provided that building owner Michael Morgan create a dedicated handicapped-user’s spot when he rebuilds the lot, an obligation he’s required to meet by next July 15.

The board also approved a request for a food use in the space, which had most recently been an eyewear store.

Patel tells redbankgreen he expects to open in the spring.

Remember: Nothing makes a Red Bank friend happier than to hear "I saw you on Red Bank Green!"
Partyline
RED TRUCKS AT RED ROCK
A small dishwasher fire at Red Rock Tap and Grill was put out quickly by firefighters overnight, causing minimal damage. Red Bank Fire Depar ...
CREATIVE COVER UP
The windows of Pearl Street Consignment on Monmouth Street were smashed when a driver crashed their car through them injuring an employee la ...
THEY’RE BACK!
Ospreys returned to the skies over Red Bank this week for the first time since they migrated to warmer climes in late fall. With temperature ...
SPRING IS SPRUNG
RED BANK: Spring 2024 arrives on the Greater Red Bank Green with the vernal equinox at 11:06 p.m. Tuesday.
RED BANK’S FINEST – AND NEWEST
Red Bank Police Officer Eliot Ramos was sworn in as the force’s newest patrolman Thursday, and if you’re doing a double take thinkin ...
EASTER EGG MAYHEM AT THE PARK
An errant whistle spurred an unexpectedly early start to the Spring Egg Hunt on Sunday, which had been scheduled to begin at eggsactly 11am ...
PRESEASON DOCKWORK
RED BANK: With winter winding down, marina gets ready for boating season with some dockwork on our beautiful Navesink River.
CORNED BEEF AND DISCO FRIES?
It’s Friday, and smart Lent-observing Leprechauns know the pot of gold at the end of Red Bank’s rainbow is actually the deliciou ...
SURFBOARD DITCHED
It’s a violation of etiquette in surfing to ditch your board.  (it could hit another surfer and hurt them). But someone appears to ha ...
ELSIE, TAKE ME WITH YOU!
Soaked by pouring rain with the temperature hovering in the low 40’s, this sign in the window of Elsie’s Subs on Monmouth Street ...
WALK THIS WAY
PARTYLINE: Before-and-afters of a sidewalk cleanup on West Street.
SOGGY NOTION
RED BANK: Breezeway sculpture captured the mood downtown as heavy rains fell Saturday morning.
HOME DELIVERY
RED BANK: After a subdivision, an instant house rises on a new Catherine Street lot.
COMMUNITY PROFILES
For Black History Month, Red Bank's Community Engagement and Equity Advisory Committee has been running a series of local profiles on Facebo ...
HEARTY FAREWELL FOR HARDY
RED BANK: Council to honor DPU supervisor Rich Hardy, who retired recently after almost 39 years of keeping things running.
HOMEBOUND? READ ON…
RED BANK: Can't get to the public library? It's now offering free delivery and pickups for homebound borough residents.
TAMING A BEAST OF A WEEK
RED BANK: After the second snowfall of the week, a borough family finds the perfect use for it – a Godzilla snow sculpture.
RED BANK: LIBRARY CLOSED, BUT THE HILL’S OPEN
RED BANK: Though the library was closed by a snowstorm, kids got to enjoy the riverfront property's steep slope Tuesday.
LIGHT(HOUSE) MAKEOVER
This year, getting ready for spring means a midwinter makeover for Strollo's Lighthouse in Red Bank.
TODAY: LOCAL PUPPY COMPETES ON ANIMAL PLANET’S “PUPPY BOWL”
Red Bank’s very own rescue puppy, Biscuit, is set to compete in Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl this Sunday, February 11, at 2 PM. Th ...