FAIR HAVEN: DUNKIN’ GETS SPILLOVER CROWD

The shop would occupy newly renovated space formerly home to Laird’s stationery store. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank nj Fair Haven residents steamed over the possibility of a Dunkin’ Donuts opening in town had to keep a lid on it Tuesday night.

Instead, a three-hour planning board hearing that required a change of venue to accommodate a spillover crowd was dominated by occasionally hostile cross-examination of a traffic consultant by lawyers representing two objectors.

February 20, 2019 - 9:00 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: GREEK FOOD, FLOWERS, ART & HAIR

Mayflowers of Red Bank took over half the Wharf Avenue space long used by Chetkin Framing, which remains next door. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

A new Greek restaurant opens in Red Bank Friday, joining a flower shop that made its debut last week.

This edition of redbankgreen‘s ever-trawling Retail Churn pops in on each for the story, while serving up a bouquet of news about more planned business openings. Read on for details.

February 8, 2019 - 7:30 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: PASTRY, PIZZA AND MORE

Anthony Campitello, with daughters Cristina, left, and Angie, has opened Alfonso’s Pastry Shop in the Broad Street space that was formerly home to Carlo’s Bake Shop. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

Meet the new boss.

Quickly filling a retail space vacated by famed TV ‘Cake Boss’ Buddy Valastro, a new pastry shop opened in Red Bank Wednesday, offering creamy desserts… and some perhaps unexpected savory items. Read More »

January 31, 2019 - 9:15 am | Comments ()

FAIR HAVEN: DUNKIN’ DONUTS BREWS DEBATE

Plans for the former Laird’s Stationery space in Fair Haven have borough residents abuzz. What’s Going On Here? Click ‘read more’ for the answer. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

January 8, 2019 - 12:45 pm | Comments ()

RED BANK: TACOHOLICS TO GET THEIR FIX

Tacoholics plans to covert the storefront at 90 Broad Street to a 27-seat restaurant. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

Another eatery that got its start as a food truck won a green light from the Red Bank planning board Monday night.

January 8, 2019 - 6:30 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: DUNKIN’ PLAN RAISES CONCERNS

The Shell station at Newman Springs Road and Shrewsbury Avenue would be rebuilt with a Dunkin’ Donuts shop on site. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank nj A bid to create a last-chance coffee stop in Red Bank for Parkway-bound commuters got underway at the zoning board Thursday night.

Among the issues: what if it’s really popular?

January 4, 2019 - 8:25 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: CORNER BUILDING SOLD

Vacant more than four years, 1 Broad Street has a new owner. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

This edition of redbankgreen‘s Retail Churn has news of a jewelry shop opening and a long-vacant, high-profile store space changing hands.

December 21, 2018 - 9:20 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: BANK CHURNS OUT, STATIONERY IN

Vicky Li’s new Mini Shop opened Saturday. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

A bank branch closes and two new businesses open in downtown Red Bank.

Read all about it in this edition of redbankgreen‘s Retail Churn.

December 14, 2018 - 9:16 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: SPAGHETTI WITH SANTA

Volunteers at the Salvation Army Corps in Red Bank hosted about a dozen borough senior citizens for a spaghetti-and-meatballs Christmas supper with Santa Claus Tuesday evening.

Assistant Commander Mhairi Sweaton said the post hopes to make the event an annual one and grow the number of attendees, with particular emphasis on hosting seniors who may be shut-ins. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

December 5, 2018 - 6:05 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: PASTRIES TO FILL ‘CAKE BOSS’ SPOT

A Staten Island-based pastry shop plans to set up shop in the former Carlo’s Bake Shop at 86 Broad Street. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

One pastry shop replaces another; work to transform a century-old firehouse into an interior design shop gets underway; a boutique closes; and a gourmet lunch spot in Red Bank’s Riverside Gardens Park pulls down the shutters for the winter.

Read all about it in this edition of redbankgreen‘s Retail Churn.

December 3, 2018 - 8:10 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: GROWING TOURNEY RAISES $15K

A Fair Haven ball carrier looks for an opening against Rumson, and cheerleaders go airborne, below. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

A flag-football tournament that grew out of a pickup game in Little Silver marked its 17th anniversary last Friday with gridiron contests for kids, women and men from eight towns.

Along the way, the event, now held in Red Bank, raised $15,000 for Lunch Break, the social services organization based just a block away.

November 27, 2018 - 12:30 pm | Comments ()

RED BANK: BON JOVI WARMS UP CENTER

Jon Bon Jovi at the ribbon cutting for the Hope & Comfort Warming Center, at 166 Shrewsbury Avenue, below. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

With a surprise snowstorm hinting at the need, a new ‘warming center’ for homeless men opened in Red Bank Thursday.

The warmup act for the ribbon cutting? None other than pop superstar Jon Bon Jovi.

November 16, 2018 - 8:00 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: PORK ROLL, ASIAN EATS & BREWS

John Yarusi in the newly opened Johnny’s Pork Roll & Coffee. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

Red Bank’s ever-changing dining scene continued its rotisserie spin in recent days with three restaurant openings.

Read all about them in edition of redbankgreen‘s Retail Churn.

November 14, 2018 - 11:45 am | Comments ()

SHREWSBURY: SUPERMARKET OPENS

Grocery shoppers on the Greater Red Bank Green will have another sourcing option with the planned opening of a new ShopRite supermarket in Shrewsbury Wednesday morning.

November 14, 2018 - 6:45 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: TACOS, GREEK FOOD, GIFTS & MORE

Tacoholics, which started out as a food truck, plans to open its third restaurant next month, this one at 90 Broad Street. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

We got tacos. We got Greek food. We got a gift shop and a florist.

All the makings of a heaping autumn update to redbankgreen‘s long-running Retail Churn feature. Read on for details.

October 19, 2018 - 9:30 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: RED TANK BUBBLES TO LIFE

John Arcara in the newly completed, 100-seat Red Tank Brewing microbrewery earlier this week. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

Two years from dream to reality, Red Tank Brewing is set to open in the heart of Red Bank Thursday night, the start of a new venture for wedding photographers John and Lovina Arcara.

It may also be the start of a fresh wave of craft suds in town.

October 18, 2018 - 10:00 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: SUNSHINE, OYSTERS & MELANIE

An ideal day of sunshine and early-autumn temperatures drew thousands of foodies and music lovers — including fans of folk singer Melanie, at right — to downtown Red Bank for the ninth annual Guinness Oyster Festival Sunday.

An alumnus of both Red Bank Regional and Woodstock, Melanie played a short set and signed autographs.

As usual, the roving camera of redbankgreen was there to document the merriment. Check out our photos below to see if you or anyone you caught our eye. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

October 1, 2018 - 9:00 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: JON STEWART STAR-POWERS LUNCH

Comedian Jon Stewart brought some star power to lunchtime at the Count Basie Center for the Arts Wednesday.

Read More »

September 26, 2018 - 3:00 pm | Comments ()

RED BANK: PORK ROLL, FRESH OFF THE TRUCK

Johnny’s Pork Roll plans to open in the space last occupied by Fizz at 8A Monmouth Street. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

As live-reported by redbankgreen, Johnny’s Pork Roll & Coffee truck made its debut by risking a summons for doing business where it wasn’t allowed: on the streets of Red Bank.

Now, five years later, John Yarusi’s two-truck enterprise is going legit with a brick-and-mortar stake in the borough’s downtown.

Read all about the plan, and other recent turnover activity, in this edition of redbankgreen‘s Retail Churn.

September 14, 2018 - 6:00 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: RESTAURANT, BOUTIQUE IN CHURN

Jack Pongnoo in the former Readie’s space, where he’s opening a new restaurant. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

Summer doldrums? Not in Red Bank, where storefront turnover continues as busily as ever.

This edition of redbankgreen‘s Retail Churn has the scoops on:

• a new southeast-Asian restaurant coming to Broad Street

• an update on the former Katsin’s Pharmacy space on Shrewsbury Avenue

• a new women’s clothing boutique

• the departure of a vacuum-cleaner shop, and more.

It’s all Churning right around the ‘read more’ corner…

August 23, 2018 - 9:40 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: A SECOND CAREER IN OLD JEANS

Kattya Torres at her Union Special sewing machine. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

After her job as a wireless telecom engineer vanished in a merger, a Red Bank businesswoman has found a second career in eradicating crotch rot.

Ahem: that is to say, the holes that frequently develop in the groin of old jeans some people simply cannot part with.

August 10, 2018 - 10:00 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: TWO D.I.Y. SIGN SHOPS OPEN

Joanna Rapuzzi in her newly opened AR Workshop, at 43A Broad Street. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

Do-it-yourself rustic signmaking is now the latest thing in downtown Red Bank, with the recent openings of two franchised workshops downtown.

August 8, 2018 - 8:00 am | Comments ()

SHREWSBURY: SUPERMARKET MARKETS JOBS

Three office buildings in Shrewsbury have been replaced by a large-scale construction project.

What’s Going On Here? Click ‘read more’ for the answer.

August 7, 2018 - 10:50 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: NO DOLDRUMS FOR TASTEBUDS

Abby Nooney prepares cones with chocolate and sprinkles at Coney Waffles & Ice Cream, which opened last week at 18 Broad Street. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

The doldrums of summer may be upon us, but not in the realm of tastebuds.

The ever-changing food scene in downtown Red Bank continues its evolutionary bustle, as this edition of redbankgreen‘s Retail Churn shows.

August 3, 2018 - 8:00 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: ‘CAKE BOSS’ BAKERY CLOSES

Carlo’s Bake Shop posted a small notice of closing on its door Tuesday or early Wednesday. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

Five years after it was opened by television baking star Buddy Valastro, Carlo’s Bake Shop in Red Bank has closed, redbankgreen has learned.

The unannounced shutdown comes just four months after a new investor in the business said there was no plan to leave town.

August 1, 2018 - 9:30 am | Comments ()