Readers are pleased that downtown traffic is going two ways now, but not very happy about all the Stop signs. It seems they’re not nearly as upset as some merchants about the loss of street parking.
Category Archives: Polls
The Waiting Room by a mile
So did everyone go to Hot Rods and Harleys on Saturday? As you can see, my friend Batman stopped by for the festivities. Between Friday’s monsoon and Sunday’s gray skies and rain, we really lucked out with the weather.
Concerts and comedy
For the second straight time, our poll ended in a tie, with two options garnering a strong majority of the votes.
“What would you like to see at the Union County Performing Arts Center?”
Concerts, 36 percent (9/25)
Standup comedy, 36 percent (9/25)
Plays/musicals, 16 percent (4/25)
Movies, 8 percent (2/25)
Other, 4 percent (1/25)
The last poll also finished in a tie, and there was no word on what that “Other” vote might have been. Feel free to use the comments section to fill us in.
It was interesting that “standup comedy” finished first considering the plans to create a black box theater and performing arts space down the street, that’s always been talked about for a comedy club. The question also remains, what kind of concernts might people want to attend? There’s been no shortage of Paul Anka or Dar Williams at the arts center over the years; is that filling a need, or are people looking for something else? Interesting that plays/musicals only garnered four votes, as the center’s expansion included making more space for larger productions (as well as adding air conditioning for year-round use). Personally, I love when old-school movies that you’d never see on the big screen anywhere else, like Easy Rider or Citizen Kane, are screened at the UCAC.
The arts center likely will reopen next month following a year-long, $6-million expansion by the county. The 1928 facility will have an “updated” name, adding “performing” to its moniker. Check out the new poll question to the right, as well as the new option to subscribe to the blog via email.
Pizza Pizza
It was a photo finish in this week’s Rahway Rising poll! “Who has the best pizza in Rahway?” yielded yet another new record for most votes cast with 30, up from 26 in the last poll.
Since it’s not a scientific poll of any kind, this is again assuming no one sat up at night (or got up early for that matter) manipulating it.
While there was no clear majority for any one establishment, some final-day votes pushed two places over the 50-percent mark combined.
Michelino’s, 27 percent (8/30)
Nancy’s Townhouse, 27 percent (8/30)
Other, 23 percent (7/30)
Adam’s, 7 percent (2/30)
Gino’s, 7 percent (2/30)
Ted’s, 7 percent (2/30)
Tony’s, 3 percent (1/30)
It was clear at least two pizzerias were ahead of the pack. Unfortunately, it’s anyone’s guess whether those seven Other votes were for one pizzeria or multiple pizzerias, as I haven’t figured out how to allow write-in votes in the poll, and no one took me up on my suggestion to post their Others in the comments section of blog entries. Regardless, it was another exciting poll for us here at RR, leaving us to wonder whether we should have included even more pizzerias in the poll, i.e., Rahway Pizza, Papa Vito. Perhaps we’ll have a runoff election later in the year, a virtual grudge match to decide once and for all.
Check out the new poll about the Union County Performing Arts Center, which will be reopening next month after a $6-million expansion. As always, RR is open to suggestions for any future poll questions.
Downtown Options, Part Two
With my coffee shop rant out of the way, welcome to Part II on the most recent poll results, which had grocery/specialty food store garnering 44 percent of the vote, ahead of brewpub/bar/restaurant, 32 percent, and coffeehouse/bagel shop, 20 percent.
To 26…and beyond!
Happy New Year! 2008 is off like a rocket as it’s been another record-breaking week for Rahway Rising. Everyone here (read: me) is thrilled and just trying to keep up. The blog poll has reached new heights yet again, a marked 25-percent increase in the number of votes cast from the last poll, jumping from 20 to 25 (Assuming everyone voted once and did not stuff the virtual ballot box, which wouldn’t be hard to do, but would impugn one’s voting integrity). On to the results…
“What would you like to see downtown?”
Grocery/specialty food store 44% (11/25)
Brewpub-style bar/restaurant 32% (8/25)
Coffeehouse/bagel shop 20% (5/25)
Other 4% (1/25)
Clothing 0% (0/25)
While none of the options garnered a majority, surprisingly (at least to me), there appeared a clear winner in grocery/specialty food store, a decisive 12 percent more than brewpub-style bar/restaurant. Poll results also might indicate that I was running low on options after that. The showing from “Clothing” was embarrassing, and might very well be banned from any future polls indefinitely, and “Other” was there in hopes that readers might get a little crazy with the comments section and go outside the box. To be fair, I think everyone’s got their fill of the Gap or comparable options at nearby malls or neighboring downtowns.
As for grocery/specialty food store, I know there’ s no room for a giant supermarket downtown, but there’s been talk of a Trader Joe’s-type store for the proposed Town Center project at City Hall. There are a few bodegas or glorified convenience stores, but apparently poll readers want another option when it comes to groceries.
Coffeehouse/bagel shop had a more than respectable 20-percent contingent, but judging from my conversations with people who live or are familiar with downtown, I expected it to challenge brewpub for the top spot. If there’s one takeaway in those discussions, it’s that a coffeehouse/bagel shop/coffee shop/cafe should be a gold mine downtown, or Rahway at least should be able to support more options. Never mind that you can’t find a decent bagel anywhere near downtown.
A coffeehouse might also address another complaint/concern common about downtown: there are just not many options when you’re out getting your Sunday paper. Is it that there isn’t enough foot traffic to support such an enterprise, or is it that the option isn’t there, and thus, foot traffic doesn’t follow (a.k.a., The old chicken or the egg)? If recent experience is any indication, perhaps it’s that the foot traffic isn’t here yet.
Moca Motion Cafe, in the train station, is a prime location but has been vacant for months (or is it already a year?). NJ Transit holds the lease on the space, which is perhaps too big if it’s only going to be a commuter coffee joint as opposed to a lounge/cafe. Reggie’s Roast (Main Street, at the end of East Cherry), was new, clean and pretty, but no one was ever in there (and it was more of a wholesale operation anyway, with the city pushing for the retail aspect). American Jubilee (89 E. Cherry, now an art gallery) was an absolute delight. More of a bakery/dessert place, it had the cozy vibe that many coffeehouses aim for (and brownies to die for), but one reason might have been that it could barely seat a dozen people. Both have been gone a few years already. Personally, I think the best coffee place was the old Eat To the Beat Cafe when it was on the corner of East Cherry and Irving (where The Lofts are), before it moved further in on East Cherry and changed its name to Beat Cafe (where A Taste of Portugal bakery and cafe is now). Taste is a good start, but with hundreds of new residences — and more coming — one would think downtown could support more options. What do you think?
Now that I’ve got my coffeehouse rant, there’s not much room for my brewpub/restaurant rant. I’ll save it for another time; stay tuned later in the week for Part II on the poll results.
Surveying the future
In case you’ve somehow missed all the signs around downtown, check out the survey that the Rahway Center Partnership is conducting. As it says on the site, “Participate in the future of downtown Rahway.” The survey only takes about 12 minutes to complete and you’ll notice a direct link in the Local Links section, to the right.
In the spirit of the Rahway survey, check out the latest poll question.
As for the last poll, it was overwhelming in favor of video surveillance as long as it makes the area safer, with 15 of 20 votes (75 percent), compared to just three against (15 percent), and two (10 percent) who said it doesn’t matter to them.
Thanks to all who voted, and set a new Rahway Rising poll record, with 20 votes cast!…compared to 14 in the inaugural poll last month.