Tag Archives: coffeehouse

Downtown, Rahway

East Milton musings

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East Milton Avenue looks like it’s been paved and ready for striping. Has anyone else noticed what appear to be video cameras atop the new traffic signals (left) at Main and Fulton streets, along East Milton?

6/27 UPDATE: Nope, they’re not video cameras but sensors to detect traffic patterns and adjust the timing of lights accordingly. Thanks to all who emailed/commented to clarify.

Seems like that’s business as usual these days, according to this recent MSNBC report:

“Even after a damning report by the head of London’s extensive surveillance network and with little evidence that the systems work — police in many cities are trying to add thousands more cameras to their networks.

“Officials in many cities are eager to take advantage of money from state and federal security agencies to install the cameras on street corners and intersections.”

Speaking of East Milton Avenue, is it just me or has it become a virtual wind tunnel on that side of the hotel? I noticed it back in May during Hot Rods & Harleys, and I can’t recall it ever being that windy before the 16-story Carriage City Plaza was erected. Imagine if the “second tower” envisioned across the street ever materializes…

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The coffee shop formerly known as Moca Motion Cafe looks like it’s open for business, although the Moca Motion Cafe signs are still there, in addition to a new Express Cafe sign in the window. Either way, the interior looks awfully similar to what I remember when the previous tenant was there.

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The next reader to subscribe by email to Rahway Rising will be No. 100. That might sound like I’m about to give something away at least something of monetary value — what, my gratitude isn’t enough for you anymore?!? — but I’m not. It’s just a nice round number. It’s been an exciting week, as we hit a new high for daily visits on Tuesday (186) and then again on Wednesday (201).

Thanks to everyone for reading, subscribing, supplying tips of all kinds, and commenting, etc. Keep it all coming, especially suggestions for a new poll question (though it sounds like I’m the only one clamoring for that to return…).

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Station shop expected to open this month

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Welcome to Coffee Shop Awareness Month at Rahway Rising. After last week’s sharp back-and-forth among readers about the new coffee shop in the SkyView development, and the news about a coffeehouse in the Park Square project, NJ Transit expects the former Moca Motion Cafe to be open by the end of June.

The proprietor is in the process of obtaining inspection approvals, according to a spokesman for NJ Transit, and if all goes well, the shop is expected to open by the end of this month. The sign in the window (photo at right) says Express Cafe, but the spokesman indicated it would be called Metro News and Cafe. Let the debates ensue!

It was referenced in last week’s raging Cuppy’s debate, so in case you missed the marigolds spelling out Rahway, here they are. They’re located below the NJ Transit stairs off the northbound platform on Irving Street, near East Cherry (across the street from David Drake).

That’s three straight posts about coffee downtown. I’ll be sure to mix it up a bit more later this week…as long as everyone agrees to cut back on the caffeine…

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Carriage City Plaza, Commercial, Retail

Cuppy’s is coming, Cuppy’s is coming

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It’s not a Starbucks. Forget Panera. And never mind about Atlanta Bread Co. Cuppy’s Coffee, Smoothies & More has signed a lease to become the first retail tenant at Carriage City Plaza. The Fort Walton Beach, Fla.-based national chain doesn’t have much of a presence in New Jersey (or the Northeast), but has locations “coming soon” to East Brunswick, Phillipsburg and Whippany.

In fact, none of the aforementioned coffee franchises were even in the running at Carriage City since the retail space for a coffee shop does not allow for a kitchen. Also, Intercontinental Hotels Group, which operates Hotel Indigo, has an exclusive license agreement with Starbucks, which will be served in the Golden Bean and Phi Lounger, located in the hotel lobby.

Other retail tenants for Carriage City Plaza are expected to be a dry cleaner, salon and day spa, fitness center and a “well-known New Jersey-based restaurant brand.”

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Arts District, Commercial, Downtown, Retail

Park Square in talks with coffee house

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Developers of Park Square are in “serious discussions” with a tea and coffehouse, as well as an optometrist for half the commercial space, according to Eric Harvitt of Landmark Companies.

The first major residential redevelopment project to break ground downtown, Park Square is expected be ready for occupancy by August. It is comprised of 159 luxury rental one- and two-bedroom apartments and 7,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space along Irving Street between Elm and Elizabeth avenues. Since the retail space can be subdivided, the number of tenants will depend on their size.

Construction has begun on the Main Street side of the project, which will mirror the Irving Street side. Formerly home to Cliff Hardware and other properties, including a boarding house on Elm, Park Square broke ground in October 2006.

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It better do my laundry and wash my car too

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I’m no coffee dork — can I be if I only drink it black? — I just want a decent coffeehouse downtown. An $11,000 coffee machine might be a bit much though, don’t you think? Come to think of it, that’s more than I paid for my sweet ride.

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Did you know Rahway ranks 16th among the stations in the NJ Transit system with 3,014 average weekday boardings (not including transfers)? Just a bit of trivia I was interested in the last time I spoke with NJ Transit. A spokesman also mentioned that the Department of Community Affairs approved the lease for a new tenant at the Moca Motion space; now the DCA must OK building permits before the tenant can hire contractors, etc.

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We’re in our fifth month of existence but it’s only been about two months since we started tracking readership with Google Analytics, among others. Last week we surpassed 4,000 visits to the blog (we get almost 100 each weekday) and now have more than 50 readers who subscribe by email. It’s all through word of mouth and mostly stumbling upon us through Internet searches (trust me, I don’t have that many friends and family). Thanks to everyone who’s been interested in this little hobby of mine and to everyone who’s offered their input, suggestions or questions over the last few months.

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New Moca Motion tenant under review

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The vacant Moca Motion Cafe in the train station won’t be filled until sometime this spring. A new five-year lease is signed and being reviewed by the state Department of Community Affairs, according to a spokesman for NJ Transit. The review isn’t expected to be completed for another two to three months, which would mean April or May.

The 1,950-square-foot property is one of the larger retail spaces at NJ Transit stations. The lease starts at $2,450 per month. The previous tenant, which vacated the property after the five-year lease expired last year, paid $2,205 a month.

The spokesman described the incoming tenant as a similar service, a convenience store/coffee shop-type place, and was the only proposal received after NJ Transit put out a Request for Proposals (RFP).

There are an average of more than 3,000 weekday boardings at the Rahway Train Station, according to NJ Transit.

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Downtown, Polls

To 26…and beyond!

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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.

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