The West Side Lofts, as seen from West Front Street. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
In keeping with its resemblance to a stack of shipping containers, Red Bank’s West Side Lofts project is packing them in.
Since opening last spring, all 90 of its residential apartments have been leased. The West Elm furniture and housewares store has opened, taking one of two anchor spots. The second anchor, Triumph Brewing Company, is expected to open its restaurant in coming months.
And to close out the leasing spree, the project’s developer is bringing in two local small businesses, redbankgreen‘s Retail Churn has learned: Freshica’s Juice Bar and Rumson Personal Fitness.
Jessica Dalmedo plans to open her second Freshica’s, this one at the West Side Lofts in Red Bank. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
Each is expected to be open in a space fronting on West Front Street by the start of summer, says Chris Cole, managing partner of the development firm Metrovation.
Freshica’s, which has been run out of a corner of Fairwinds Deli on River Road in Fair Haven for almost four years, specializes in healthy beverages: juices, shakes and smoothies made with fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs. It also makes a peanut-butter-and-jelly-acai bowl, seen on redbankgreen‘s PieHole food page earlier this month.
But the tiny outpost is limited in what it can make and sell so that it doesn’t compete with Fairwinds, owner Jessica Dalmedo tells Churn.
In addition to its signature drinks, the new, 700-square-foot store will carry coffee and some to-go items, said Dalmedo. She’s hoping to hook up with a local bagel supplier. And she may do some prepared lunches and dinners.
“Here, I’ll be able to experiment more,” she said, and it will all be with an eye toward healthy eating. “I’m not bringing in pork roll,” she said.
Growing the business was always in her mind, Dalmedo said. She’d inquired about space in Metrovation’s Shrewsbury shopping center, the Grove, a couple of years back, and was put on a waiting list. More recently Cole, a Freshica’s customer, suggested she take a look at the lofts. She did, and decided it would be “a perfect fit,” she said.
Though there’s no street parking out front, the building has parking for quick visits, and Dalmedo said her employees will be willing to run deliveries out to waiting customers who’ve texted in their orders.
The original Freshica’s will continue to operate at Fairwinds, Dalmedo said.
• Rumson Personal Fitness will take the space between West Elm and Freshica’s, said Cole.
According to its website, owner Danny Weltman established the business with his wife and partner, Darleen, in 2006. It operates a facility on Carton Street in Rumson
Weltman couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday.
