Another post I’ve been meaning to get to for awhile and since we’re halfway through 2015, it’s as good a time as to take a look at commercial openings and closings in and around Rahway:

• In April, Nygel’s American Cuisine took over the space on East Cherry Street that had been vacant since Aromalicious closed in early 2012. The eatery is open Saturdays and Sundays.
• The space formerly occupied by El Quincho, which opened in April 2014 and lasted a few months, has a new banner across its facade proclaiming that Fiesta Cancun, a Mexican restaurant and cantina, is coming soon. I’m told the previous occupant ran into some difficulties in obtaining a liquor license.
• Little Portugal, a personal favorite, recently closed. The Portuguese BBQ had a good run, opening in early 2011 after succeeding The Little Nile in that location. Prior to 2008, the Main Street spot was occupied by a bar, The Back Porch.
• Times of Grace, an art gallery and tattoo studio, relocated from Main Street around the corner to East Milton Avenue, literally from the front of the building  to the back.
• Gino’s Pizzeria & Restaurant on Irving Street closed during the first quarter of the year (I’m hoping to have some more details about this later this summer).
• Diesel Training Grounds & Jiu Jitsu moved from a space along Irving Street to Main Street. That leaves two vacancies now at  the Park Square retail spaces. Another inaugural tenant, Chess Mates, moved to East Cherry Street a few years ago.
• Acceptance Financial took over a long-vacant building at 205 W. Main St. The secondary lender relocated early this year from Metuchen for a larger space.
• At the point of where Central Avenue and Irving and Hamilton streets converge, Rodgers Convenience Stores in April took over a vacant space that previously had been occupied by a bodega-type store.
• Just a few doors to the east, Farmers Insurance moved in, relocating from 1582 Irving St.
• humblyBOLD, a Christian/inspiration T-shirts and apparel shop, opened in January on Irving Street, among the stretch of storefronts across from the Arts Guild. Some folks might remember this space as the former Marcel Truppa Gallery, now several tenants ago, and for a time the offices of Rahway Arts District.
• Outside of downtown, The Flaming Pit opened amid the handful of stores along Madison Hill Road, near Westfield Avenue. And just a few doors down, at the corner, Gio’s Pizza closed after some renovations last year, though a sign in the window says something is coming soon.

By no means is this a comprehensive list, only those that I’ve noted over the last several months, which tends to be in the downtown area. If you’ve noticed any, be it downtown elsewhere, feel free to shoot me a message or comment below.