Zaitooni Lebanese Cuisine is closed. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By Brian Donohue
A “Chelsea market” style food market gets the ok to open in the former Sickles market space in Red Bank. A cherished Lebanese deli closes and an organic lunch spot is up for sale.
This is a hard to swallow edition of Retail Churn if you’re a vegetarian or semi vegetarian. Or if you’re a vegetarian who likes an occasional steak at the old Danny’s steakhouse.
There’s lots of changes, as usual, and some promised changes that haven’t happened. Read all about ’em in redbankgreen‘s Retail Churn.
A clearer picture is emerging of what’s planned for the space inside the iconic Anderson Building at 200 Monmouth Street vacated by Sickles Market after its implosion and bankruptcy. Redbankgreen reported last month the 8,000 plus square foot space had been leased, with building owners Metrovation East mum on what was coming.
Red Bank building department records show the borough approved an application for an 8,300 square foot “Chelsea Market” style food market in the first floor of the century old Anderson Building at 200 Monmouth Street.
The name of the applicant or market operator is left blank on the filings, signed by Chris Cole, owner of Metrovation East. The description sounds similar to what Sickles operated there:
“ 8,289sf market that will sell specialty foods, including, but not limited to grab and go meals, quesadillas (as example), meats, cheeses, seafood, fruits and vegetables, etc. as well as ancillary products typical to a specialty market (ex, flowers). The existing Booskerdoo Coffee will stay in place and be a subleasee of the new market tenant in similar way that it existed in the Sickles Market.”
“This prospective operation will act similarly to how Sickles operated and to how a `Chelsea Market` is merchandised and operated” the application reads. No mention of chicken pot pies we loved from Sickles, but our fingers are crossed.
redbankgreen learned the project is being headed by Chris Viola, founder and CEO of the Culture Collective Hospitality Group. Despite the approvals from the borough, there’s no formal announcement or plans being unveiled as of yet. Viola said in late November the project remains in a “holding pattern” due to complicated issues surrounding the Sickles bankruptcy case.
- The Lebanese deli Zaitooni has closed up its shop at 11 Mechanic Street, a tough turn of events for local falafelphiles.
In 2021, owner Fred Messihi told redbankgreen the shop had been hit hard by Broadwalk, the seasonal pedestrian plaza that includes Broad Street and the portion of Mechanic Street where the deli sits. Attempts to reach him were unsuccessful.
- The owners of Good Life Organic Kitchen at 60 Broad Street are packing up Good Life in search of an even better life in another state.
They are selling the franchise and moving, according to a Facebook post and an online for sale listing. High school sweethearts Anita and Melvin Pearce opened the business in 2021. They are asking $400,000 for the turnkey business with a listing that reads “Seize the opportunity to own Good Life Organic Kitchen, a highly-rated superfood bar and café located in the heart of Downtown Red Bank, NJ. This turnkey business comes with a dedicated customer base, a strong social media following of over 3,000+ followers, and a stellar reputation.”
- The owner of Spicy Thai Bistro at 21 Monmouth Street received borough approvals in August to open an Asian food market next door at 19 Monmouth Street, but an employee of Spicy Thai said he’s dropped those plans. The windows are papered over with work being done inside, but no new plans have been filed.
It’s one of the churniest addresses in an ever-churning town. The storefront was the previous home of Gems Boutique and, before that, City Barn Country Penthouse. Before that, the space was the home to Carter & Cavero, an olive oil shop.
- Meanwhile, the mystery over what is going on with the darkened and closed down Danny’s Steakhouse continues to garner a healthy share of WTF posts on social media.
A statement made to a redbankgreen reporter by a manager of Danny’s Steak House that the place would re-open following a summer renovation seems to have been baloney.
The place appears untouched since signs were placed in the window and on the restaurant’s Instagram page July 24 promising a post-summer rehab and a manager said they were just pausing operations for renovations. There’s been no visible activity at the site since. And now, there’s a lien on the property.
Paramus Plumbing Mechanical LLC placed a construction lien on the property, owned by Dovv Properties LLC for $26,000 in unpaid bills for work done on the building, Monmouth County court records show.
The restaurant was sold to restarauteur and club owner Kyle O’Brien in March 2022.
O’Brien’s LinkedIn page lists him as the owner of several downtown New York City eateries, including The Garret and Hotel Chantelle in Manhattan and Williamsburg Pizza in Brooklyn. The building is owned by Dove Properties, LLC, based in Mahwah, with a registered agent listed as Albert Diprizito, of Clark Township.
Attempts to reach O’Brien through social media and messages sent to The Garret have been unsuccessful.
redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] 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.
