99 Cent and up Store to replace Family Buffett

It is the same.  

For the most part the towns share similar restaurant offerings downtown of varying degrees of quality... each with a pub, two each of different varieties of Mexican, Indian (is the one in SO still open?), Italian (Arturo's in Mwd, more in SO with Giorgio's, Boccone South), Pizza (Trat x 2, also in SO Bunnys, Reservoir), Bagels 2 vs 1... Mwd has a decent Thai, SO Ethiopian.  Stony's vs Village Burger.  Coda vs Above (though preferred Above in its earlier iteration).  Two diners vs 1 in Mwd.  Village Coffee vs ?.  Maplewood Deli vs. ?  Able Baker vs Cait & Abby's I guess (though not much of a compare).  Not sure what to do with Sbux and DD.  Lorena's doesn't have a comparison (leaving out Verjus as not downtown, also without compare).  So basically pretty close, but with some differences.

Main differences in towns are look, thoroughfare, and the stores and services, not really the eateries.

If you travel around a bit you will see the same suburban chain stores take over everywhere they are permitted. If you want coffee in Mayfair or Barcelona it is Starbucks. Go shopping on Carnaby Street and it's the same stores as at Short Hills Mall. The only reason Maplewood does not have a Starbucks is we don't permit them (it's still curious to me how this is legal, but it is). 

Actually,  of minor note.  Years ago Starbucks tried to buy our own Village Coffee.  They made an offer that was most

preposterously low for the already in place coffee establishment.   However after doing their own study they determined

that there just was not enough  walk in traffic to justify putting one of their stores in the Village.

Village Coffee would have rejected their offer anyway............they also made preliminary studies of the nail salon building next to the Pub but the results were the same.

LOL...how dare you threaten the Maplewood assumption that Starbucks is dying to be in the Village, and being held off by the barricades of authentic non-chain Brooklyn street cred?

author said:

Actually,  of minor note.  Years ago Starbucks tried to buy our own Village Coffee.  They made an offer that was most

preposterously low for the already in place coffee establishment.   However after doing their own study they determined

that there just was not enough  walk in traffic to justify putting one of their stores in the Village.

Village Coffee would have rejected their offer anyway............they also made preliminary studies of the nail salon building next to the Pub but the results were the same.

Actually I could have matched their low bid offer for the Village Coffee establishment but since I have trouble operating

my one cup Black and Decker coffee maker I thought better of it.

There are dollar stores in Brooklyn too.

South Orange simply has different types of foot traffic downtown from Maplewood, and different types of vehicular traffic because it's centered on two major roads that head to three major interstates--and it has a small university. From the pavement, small convenience stores and small takeout restaurants seems like a good investment. Each town is diverse but their downtowns are diverse in different ways.

While this is BY FAR an over generalization and not totally accurate, it is sometimes said that residents in the area tend to shop west. Meaning, West Orange/Orange/Newark residents like to shop in South Orange, South Orange residents like to shop in Maplewood, Maplewood residents like to shop in Millburn and Millburn residents like to shop at the Short Hills Mall.

Obviously, lots of us shop at lots of places, but I do think that South Orange sees more shoppers from Orange, say, than Maplewood does. I have a number of great regular customers from Orange and Newark, for instance. Personally, I love the diversity of people I get in my shop, from all walks of life. We gets tons of folks from all over the place, which is something I value and would love to see more shops cater to. 

I would love to see some creative uses for the empty storefronts, especially the large Blockbuster space. I'm just not sure that boutique-y retail is the answer as there as limited demand for this.

I've said this before, but I think an amazing children's museum or indoor playspace could be awesome in the Blockbuster location. I don't have the means or skill to put that together, but it would certainly meet a need in our community (because let's be honest, Imagine That is okay but a little...sad) and would also be a perfect fit for the demographic of a lot of folks in town that spend most of our extra time and money on kid stuff!

I'm sure there are plenty of other suggestions for small businesses that could work well and are not strictly retail. Perhaps the new Village President and the SOVCA can encourage some of this creative development. Are there other cool spaces folks can think of in towns as examples - beyond Brooklyn? Places you would actually go on a regular basis?

I'd also like to address the observation by ex-Brooklynites that "our community" doesn't seem to be able to support "cool and hip" businesses.

This is literally comparing apples to oranges (Big Apple, Essex County Oranges.)  The "Community" of Brooklyn according to 2014 census data included 2,621,793 people. So, the same percentage of folks who are cool and hip per person is just going to be more people. I've been to Brooklyn, and if you were going to live exclusively by patronizing the "cool and hip" stores, without buying boring stuff like shampoo and groceries, or going to a laudromat, or sneaking into a dollar store for party supplies, you'd still have to walk past those kinds of stores in your travels. In fact, you might walk 6-8 city blocks past a hundred stores to go from a music store that still sells vinyl to the boutique that has organic beard oils.

The 2010 census data for the entire county of Essex was 783,969. That's less than one third of the population of Brooklyn in the entire county. SO, let's say we have the same per person percentage of "cool and hip" here - mostly ex-Brooklynites, presumably. And lets say the music store that sells vinyl is just as far from the organic beard oil boutique as measured by the hundred of regular stores that just sell shampoo, groceries, or party supplies you have to walk (or in this case drive) past to get from one to the other.

You might have to leave your town to get the cool and hip stuff. Just like back in Brooklyn everything you wanted wasn't on the block where your apartment building was.  And this is the true test of your cool and hip status: you have to find it in the suburbs. You have to explore and talk to people to know about the cool store two towns over. (Didn't you have to do that in Brooklyn too?)

And in defense of South Orange: we have "The Little Shop of Hip Hop." Come on! It doesn't get any more cool and hip than that.

I think this touches on the biggest challenge for SO downtown.  At one spot on the corner of SO Ave and Scotland,  SO Ave is a 5-lane road (if you count the parking lane and the turning lane).  Also, much of SO downtown is on a hill.  Both of these attributes make it a bit more difficult to replicate the look & feel of Maplewood downtown. That's why if i had to make a prediction, it would be that incremental growth in SO downtown will happen on the other side of the tracks (i.e. around Falafaly yours), where SO ave is more narrow and the geography is more flat.  Just a guess..

SouthernBaron said:

South Orange simply has different types of foot traffic downtown from Maplewood, and different types of vehicular traffic because it's centered on two major roads that head to three major interstates--and it has a small university. From the pavement, small convenience stores and small takeout restaurants seems like a good investment. Each town is diverse but their downtowns are diverse in different ways.

to address 2 comments here: As far as something creative for children, I think Messy Artist felt forced out of town, given the space they could get for the money. THe owner took a big risk and moved out to the strip mall on Route 10. Her business immediately sky rocketed. Not the same demographic at all. 

The trouble with the flat side of town is that there are a number of store fronts filled. Let's not forget Ariyoshi. Then there is the eyesore further down toward Church St. I think people tend not to even bother going that far. 

@gerryl just to be clear in my comment, I meant thinking creatively about something for children, not specifically something "creative" for children   I imaginefor a child-centered business to thrive in a smaller community it most likely would need to be open more frequently than classes and drop-ins. That's why I'm thinking playspace or small kids' museum, something that a parent or caregiver can drop in to visit, in addition to parties and the like.

I don't want to get into details that aren't mine to share and nothing is ever definite and sometimes can take a while to manifest, but... I can share what's been put in the minutes of the Village Center Alliance which is public record: The child play space-type business you're talking about has been recruited to South Orange and is interested in opening here. This particular business might not happen (there are always a ton of factors that go into play despite best efforts) but I have hopes. Just know it's being worked on.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! =) 

I'd rather have an organic beard oil boutique.

Just kidding!  (Wink wink emoticon inserted here.)

Or hyperlocal moustache wax!

cupoftea said:

I'd rather have an organic beard oil boutique.

Just kidding!  (Wink wink emoticon inserted here.)

kibbegirl said:

Does anyone know if this is the retail chain of Family Dollar that's going in there or will it be a mom and pop dollar store? Family Dollar's can be attractive and they usually are nicely kept, even in rougher areas. Parking will most likely be on the street which will make it hard to shop.

I know for a fact that there is a Family Dollar on Scotland Road, I stop there most days on my way to Arts Unbound. They have their own parking lot and the only problem I have is making the left turn from the lot onto Scotland RD, it's right at the light at Tremont and Scotland.

 Don't forget that South Orange is more of a "college" town than Maplewood and I think a lot of the stores in South Orange reflect that, but this is just my opinion.

lhmirman said:

@relax - I agree with you 100%. My family and I just moved here from NYC and I want to be able to walk into South Orange and grab a cup a non Starbucks coffee and walk through town and shop.

 In addition to Village Diner, Bonte, Ashley, Chris', DD...there's this.

Somethingz_Fishy said:

While this is BY FAR an over generalization and not totally accurate, it is sometimes said that residents in the area tend to shop west. Meaning, West Orange/Orange/Newark residents like to shop in South Orange, South Orange residents like to shop in Maplewood, Maplewood residents like to shop in Millburn and Millburn residents like to shop at the Short Hills Mall.

Obviously, lots of us shop at lots of places, but I do think that South Orange sees more shoppers from Orange, say, than Maplewood does. I have a number of great regular customers from Orange and Newark, for instance. Personally, I love the diversity of people I get in my shop, from all walks of life. We gets tons of folks from all over the place, which is something I value and would love to see more shops cater to. 

Well, I live in Maplewood and I shop at KALM.  I can't even think of any other kitchen stores anywhere around here that I would go.  Well ... there is Bed, Bath and Beyond and I DO shop there ... but mostly for bed/bath stuff, not kitchen.

I know you've all been wondering.

New and used vinyl is available at Scotties Record shop in Summit:

http://scottisrecordshops.com/

Beard oil is available at J&J Beard Co. in Hackettstown:

http://jjbeardco.storenvy.com/

What's happening with that strip on SOA near Church?  Condos and retail?

I peered into the new store today. It looks like a 99 cent and up store: random stuff like gift bags and cheap toys. It should be fun dragging my preschooler past that place when we walk home. It's all bright colors and plastic crap, her two great loves. 

@Annemarie you had me at gift bags. I'll be very happy to stock up there for cheap

I'm hoping they have Mylar balloons. 

there are mylar balloons hanging in the window