A sign advertising space available inside the building has a new “leased” label. (Photo by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge.)
By BRIAN DONOHUE
The space inside one of Red Bank’s most iconic buildings vacated by the abrupt collapse and bankruptcy of Sickles Market appears to have been rented to a new tenant. But what’s coming to the space is still being kept under wraps for now.
The bottom floor of the century-old former warehouse at the corner of Bridge and Monmouth Streets remains home to Booskerdoo Coffee which operated a small kiosk at Sickles during its three-year run.
Booskerdoo has expanded its footprint inside the building with additional sun-drenched seating – and actually increased its traffic – since Sickles closed abruptly on February 15. “We are not going anywhere,” Booskerdoo manager Aly Turegano said.
But additional space that had been formerly rented to the 8,500 square foot Sickles location and has been boarded up or used for a pair of pop-up art exhibits over the past year seems poised for a makeover.
In recent days, the sign inside the foyer that had previously read “for lease” was pasted over with a “leased” label.
Officials at Metrovation Inc. the developer that redeveloped the long-vacant Anderson Moving and Storage Building at 200 Monmouth Street, declined to divulge what’s in the works or who the lessee is. “We hope to be able to say more soon,” spokesperson Amanda Cheslock told redbankgreen in an email.
Several people familiar with the deal told redbankgreen a new prospective tenant plans to create a market with different vendors operating in the space, as opposed to one single operator as was the case with Sickels.
In a move that stunned customers, the 8,500-square-foot Sickels market in Red Bank abruptly shut down February 15. Less than four weeks later, the 116-year-old Sickles’ farm-based market in Little Silver suffered the same fate. The Sickles family has agricultural roots that trace to the mid-1600s.
Sickles filed for bankruptcy in April after Metrovation which also rented space to the adjacent Bottles by Sickels, a wine and liquor store, evicted the business over $330,000 in unpaid rent.
redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331 or yelling his name loudly as he walks by. Do you value the news coverage provided by redbankgreen? Please become a financial supporter if you haven’t already. Click here to set your own level of monthly or annual contribution.
