RED BANK/MIDDLETOWN: BRIDGE TO NOWHERE

Dec 11, 2015

After serving as the “temporary” Hubbard’s Bridge on West Front Street between Red Bank and Middletown for 11 years, the modular structure had been completely dismantled Thursday. The span, seen during deconstruction in September above right, was replaced earlier this year by a new one at a cost of $21.9 million.

Monmouth County officials have previously said the modular structure may be reassembled elsewhere. (Photos by Trish Russoniello. Click to enlarge)

December 11, 2015 - 8:16 am |

ON THE GREEN: RIDGE ROAD CLOSURES BEGIN

Nov 5, 2015

Overnight closures of a stretch of Ridge Road in Fair Haven, Little Silver and Rumson got underway Wednesday night to allow for repaving work.

The closures, from Bingham Avenue to west of Prospect Avenue, are expected to recur over six nights, weather permitting, except for the weekend. Residents who access their homes from the road are being allowed through, according to local police. (Photo by Trish Russoniello. Click to enlarge)

November 5, 2015 - 7:27 am |

RUMSON: FROMAGERIE SAYS ‘ADIEU’

Oct 6, 2015

Customers found the restaurant closed without notice Monday night. Below right, chef David Burke with chef Pat Trama during post-Sandy relief efforts in Sea Bright. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

Star chef David Burke has closed his Rumson restaurant, Fromagerie.

Callers and visitors to the fine-dining establishment, which Burke acquired nine years ago, were given no reason for the closing in a message posted on the restaurant website Monday.

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October 6, 2015 - 7:39 am |

RED BANK/MIDDLETOWN: BRIDGE DISMANTLED

Sep 17, 2015

Motorists and pedestrians crossing the new Hubbards Bridge on West Front Street between Red Bank and Middletown in recent days have been treated to an unusual sight: the piece-by-piece dismantling of the “temporary” bridge it replaced.

As part of the $21.9 million bridge project, the modular span, which was in place for 11 years, is to be removed by next spring for possible reassembly elsewhere, Monmouth County officials have said. (Photos by John T. Ward and Trish Russoniello. Click to enlarge)

September 17, 2015 - 7:56 am |

HUBBARD’S BRIDGE REOPENS… MOSTLY

Aug 26, 2015

After a two-week closure that slowed traffic to a crawl, the new Hubbards Bridge on West Front Street between Red Bank and Middletown reopened to traffic Wednesday morning.

The closure was required to allow for reconstruction of the intersections on both ends of the spans the Red Bank side is shown above, as seen Tuesday afternoon.

The shutdown was also needed to permit crews to relocate overhead utilities running alongside the old bridge to underneath the new span. That work is still underway, and may require alternating traffic flows Wednesday and Thursday, Red Bank police Chief Darren McConnell tells redbankgreen. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

August 26, 2015 - 8:07 am |

HUBBARD’S BRIDGE CLOSING FOR TWO WEEKS

Aug 7, 2015

The new, not-quite-completed Hubbards Bridge, on West Front Street between Red Bank and Middletown, and the intersections at both ends will be closed to all traffic for two weeks starting Wednesday, August 12, Monmouth County officials announced late Friday.

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August 7, 2015 - 5:08 pm |

HUBBARD’S BRIDGE: NIGHT CLOSING SLATED

Jul 21, 2015

The newly not-quite-completed Hubbards Bridge, on West Front Street between Red Bank and Middletown, will be closed to all traffic beginning at 7:30 p.m. to accommodate utility work, Red Bank police announced Tuesday.

During that time, southbound traffic on Shrewsbury Avenue will be detoured onto Bridge Avenue to bypass the area. Motorists are asked to plan an alternate route or follow the posted detour.

The bridge is scheduled to re-open before the Friday morning rush hour, police said. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

July 21, 2015 - 3:26 pm |

RED BANK & LITTLE SILVER: COMMUTER ALERT

Jun 26, 2015

[Update: This post has been updated to reflect a change in the dates of the closure.] Monmouth County plans closings of Branch Avenue between Hudson Avenue in Red Bank and White Road in Little Silver for two nights beginning Tuesday, local officials said.

The closures, to allow for milling and paving of the road, are to be in effect from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. Parking on Branch will be prohibited during the closings. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

June 26, 2015 - 2:13 pm |

RED BANK: WEST FRONT TO CLOSE OVERNIGHT

Jun 8, 2015

West Front Street in Red Bank will be closed between Maple Avenue and Broad Street Tuesday night beginning at 8 p.m. to enable road repairs between Boathouse Court and Broad, police Chief Darren McConnell tells redbankgreen. Detours will be in effect, and motorists are advised to plan ahead.

The street is expected to reopen by 6 a.m. Wednesday. (Photo by Trish Russoniello. Click to enlarge)

June 8, 2015 - 9:30 am |

CHURN: SUSHI, GOWNS, YOGA & CHOCOLATE

Mar 27, 2015

Toki Japanese Cuisine takes over the former home of the Broadway Grille, at Broad and Monmouth streets. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

This edition of Retail Churn is chock full o’ news, including:

• the opening of a sushi restaurant in the heart of downtown Red Bank

• the closing of a specialty clothing store

• a change of plans for a chocolatier

and more, right around the corner…

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March 27, 2015 - 7:59 am |

RED BANK: LONG-VACANT BUILDING SOLD

Mar 26, 2015

After a seven-year vacancy, 67 Broad Street has a new owner, who says he hopes to have a tenant in by summer. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

A gaping, long-term and somewhat mysterious vacancy in the heart of downtown Red Bank appears to be nearing an end.

Jeweler Joe Romanowski, who owns two stores on Broad Street, has purchased the building at 67 Broad, next door to his Poor Cat Designs boutique, redbankgreen‘s Retail Churn has learned.

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March 26, 2015 - 10:30 am |

CHURN: JEWELERY & CLOTHING SHOPS OPEN

Feb 24, 2015

Jeweler Evan Piscitelli in his new Red Bank shop, Thrill Her Diamonds. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

This edition of Retail Churn offers a belated welcome to a jewelry store that opened in downtown Red Bank in December.

Also in this Churn: a new women’s clothing boutique; a new stock brokerage; and an update on the Red Bank Walgreens.

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February 24, 2015 - 12:00 pm |

RED BANK: MANHATTAN BAGEL CLOSES

Feb 23, 2015

The store, in the City Centre strip mall, was one of 39 to be closed by Manhattan Bagel. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

Regular customers bade goodbye Red Bank’s Manhattan Bagel store as the store fell to a corporate axe Friday.

“Manhattan Bagel has gotten me through a lot of hangovers,” borough resident Aaron Lancaster told redbankgreen‘s Retail Churn as another customer gave an employee a hug. More →

February 23, 2015 - 5:52 am |

CHURN: ROOK, GOTHAM, PLATYPUS, NO APPLE

Dec 22, 2014

Kate Henderson brews one of the first cups at Rook Coffee Roasters Monday morning. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

Closing out a busy year, redbankgreen‘s Retail Churn delivers news of a coffee place and an art-filled nightspot, both in downtown Red Bank, and some churnings in the groves of Shrewsbury, where the perennial rumor of an Apple Computer store is again in the air.

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December 22, 2014 - 7:50 am |

SEA BRIGHT: STREETS INUNDATED AGAIN

Dec 9, 2014

In a scene reminiscent of the early hours of Hurricane Sandy, a paddleboarder made the most of opportunity and took to the streets of Sea Bright Tuesday morning. “The wind is rough,” he told redbankgreen as he worked his way past the Sea Bright Supermarket.

Many of the borough’s side streets were flooded in the convergence of a wind-driven downpour and Shrewsbury River high tide, as were stretches of Ocean Avenue, which remained open to traffic. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

December 9, 2014 - 1:43 pm |

RUMSON: DRIVER RESCUED FROM FLOODING

Dec 9, 2014

A car sits in the center of Waterman Avenue, its emergency lights still flashing, moments after its driver was rescued Tuesday morning. Below, a pickup truck abandoned near the boat ramp on Avenue of Two Rivers. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

One motorist was rescued and another abandoned his inundated truck as the worst flooding to hit Rumson since Hurricane Sandy swamped low-lying areas of Rumson, police Chief Scott Paterson said Tuesday.

Borough police rescued an unidentified female motorist from her car after it became stuck in floodwaters on Waterman Avenue at about 11 a.m. Paterson tells redbankgreen.

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December 9, 2014 - 12:25 pm |

SEA BRIGHT: FLOODS MAY CLOSE OCEAN AVE.

Dec 9, 2014

Sea Bright officials may close Ocean Avenue along the length of the borough due to flooding from Tuesday’s heavy rains, police Chief John Sorrentino tells redbankgreen.

At 9:45 a.m., Ocean Avenue was impassable due to flooding in the 300 block – about halfway between the Rumson and Highlands bridges — as well at the Monmouth Beach border, Sorrentino said.

In addition, side-streets on the Shrewsbury River side of the narrow borough are experiencing “the usual” flooding, he said.

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December 9, 2014 - 9:58 am |

CHURN: BLING, BUBBLE TEA AND BUSTED DEALS

Oct 15, 2014

After just a year and a half, Shore Scoop closes, giving way soon to Chill Bubble Tea at 15 White Street. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

There’s lots to report here in the 200th installment of Retail Churn, as the comings and goings of storefront businesses and restaurants on the greater Red Bank Green is as lively as we’ve seen yet.

Take it past the jump for a thumbnail tour.

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October 15, 2014 - 8:11 am |

RED BANK CHURN: PAINT, CLOTHES & HOT YOGA

Sep 17, 2014

Paint Passion took over a space in the Dublin House alley formerly occupied by a jewelry store/surfboard shop. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD & SUSAN ERICSON

Tucked away in the row of small shops next door to the Dublin House Pub in Red Bank is one of two new boutiques featured in this edition of Retail Churn: a specialty paint store called Paint Passion.

The other, located just across Monmouth Street from the pub, combines two businesses in one: vintage clothing and hot yoga.

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September 17, 2014 - 1:00 pm |

RED BANK: SHOE NO LONGER FITS DOWNTOWN

Aug 18, 2014

With the demise of If the Shoe Fits, Red Bank is losing a business with deep history. (Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

This time next week, one of the longest-running businesses in downtown will turn off the lights one last time.

Footwear retailer If the Shoe Fits is going out of business, ending a run that began in 1846, its owner tells Retail Churn.

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August 18, 2014 - 2:30 pm |

RED BANK: HERITAGE LIQUORS CLEARS OUT

Aug 15, 2014

Building owner Eric Eremita in the doorway of the recently vacated bottle shop at 1 Broad Street. (Photos by Trish Russoniello. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

The ever-fluid mix of stores in downtown Red Bank continues to churn with the disappearance in recent days of Heritage Liquors from the corner of Broad and East Front Streets.

Eric Eremita, a television personality who bought the building from store owner Ktae Sun Pae last November for $700,000, says Pae “left very abruptly” about 10 days ago, taking her inventory of wine, beer and spirits with her.

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August 15, 2014 - 8:00 am |

RED BANK: DINER TO REOPEN AS TOAST

Jul 21, 2014

“Sorry, closed” is all sign in the door tells patrons of the Broadway Diner, where some 40 workers were shocked to learn they’d lost their jobs Monday. Below, workers emptying out the kitchen. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD & SUSAN ERICSON

Red Bank’s Broadway Diner, which closed abruptly Monday morning, will reopen as Toast Red Bank, according to a report in the Asbury Park Sun.

Following renovations, a reopening is expected in about about eight weeks, the Sun reported, quoting Amy Russo, Toast’s founder and the daughter of one of the diner’s owners.

Russo could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon, and an employee at her Asbury Park restaurant said she would probably not comment.

But the sudden closing in Red Bank stunned customers and employees alike.

“I just found out half an hour ago that I don’t have a job anymore,” an employee told a customer who had asked what she’d do now. “Can you imagine?”
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July 21, 2014 - 3:04 pm |

RED BANK: DINER POURS FINAL CUP

Jul 21, 2014

The diner will reopen as a new restaurant, an owner says. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

Red Bank’s Broadway Diner, a gleaming all-night mecca of stainless steel, Formica and neon, has closed.

The Monmouth Street eatery ended an 18-year run owning to the death of one of its owners, Bob Russo, and a restructuring of the business.

By coincidence, Mayor Pasquale Menna and new borough school Superintendent Jared Rumage were the last customers, Menna told redbankgreen.

“We had the last cups of coffee,” he said.

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July 21, 2014 - 10:35 am |

RED BANK: NIRVANA MOVING TO GROVE

Jun 18, 2014

Red Bank clothing store Nirvana is heading south, relocating to the space formerly occupied by McLoone’s Running Store in the Grove at Shrewsbury. A sign at the Grove says the new store will open in September. Repeated attempts to reach Nirvana owner Sunil Amatya about his plans for the 4,000-square-foot White Street building, which he owns, were unsuccessful. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

June 18, 2014 - 11:53 am |

CHURN: YOGA WEAR, BEACH TOUCHES, HAIR

May 27, 2014

Phil Barow, owner of Be Barow, with creative designer Bianca Freda. (Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

This edition of Retail Churn trumpets these new arrivals to downtown Red Bank: a beach-themed home accessories boutique, a women’s workout wear shop, a hair salon and a restaurant.

Opened last month, Candy’s Cottage Coastal Living has settled on Monmouth Street after stays at two locations in Asbury Park and an extended tenancy at Pier Village in Long Branch – two cities that of course compete with Red Bank for foot traffic and consumer spending.

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May 27, 2014 - 8:18 am |