After months of construction and anticipation, MoonShine Modern Supper Club opened two days before Thanskgiving in the old Restaurant MC space on Main Street and is already attracting regulars. Downstairs on Friday night, the bar was hopping while a band set up. Paintings of animals hang on the walls, and near the bar, a group of yellow-green chairs makes for a chic, cozy sitting area when the band wasn't there. Upstairs, the walls and ceiings were painted black, and couples and groups were settling in for dinner and drinks. My husband and I left the kids at home and went for wine and …
After months of planning and a delayed opening because of Hurricane Irene, Red Mango is finally scheduled to open in Millburn today, otherwise known as "Black Friday" because the intense post-Thanksgiving/pre-Christmas shopping rush often pushes businesses into profitability, aka “the black.” Red Mango owners are calling this day Red Friday to capitalize on what will they hope will be the town’s embrace of the new frozen yogurt store downtown. Dave Rothberg, who owns the Red Mango stores in Summit and Millburn, plans to donate 20 percent of the Millburn store’s proceeds on opening day to the…
Flywheel had planned its grand opening for last week but because the power outages, it became more of a soft opening, with people trickling in for spin or a workout at the Flybarre. The trendy New York City-based indoor cycling gym, which has locations in the Hamptons, Chicago and Boca Raton, recently signed a seven-year lease for the old Deborah Gilbert Smith space and the company’s has totally redone the interior. Flywheel will officially celebrate its grand opening on Friday, Nov. 11. Its lobby has lots of black - black sofas, black floor - but also a lot of light from the windows. It …
Almost a month after a raging river of water crashed through downtown, business owners continue to feel the wrath of Irene - even those who haven't yet opened. Frozen yogurt purveyor Red Mango and wood-fired pizza restaurant Locale, which are taking over the front and back of the old Sono Japanese restaurant space between Essex Street and Millburn Avenue, both still plan to open, but with delays. Red Mango, which was scheduled to open in October, may now not open until December or possibly January. “Believe me, I’m more bummed than you are,” says Dave Rothberg, the owner. His landlord, Bruce …
Two and half weeks after Irene swept through town like a notorious party girl leaving others to clean up her mess, downtown businesses are at different stages of recovery. Some like Sapporo and La Pergola managed to reopen the next day after working all day and bringing in lots of bottled water. Almost all the businesses on the ground level had some kind of clean up to do, with lots of mopping up and drying out, as well as expenses associated with the storm. Some are still digging out and plan to open as soon as possible, but the time table varies from business to business. The worst damage …
Remember Restaurant MC, the chic restaurant on Main Street that served such delicious dishes as Angry Lobster, handed you a bag of scones after you paid your bill and offered your dog a bowl of water if you chose to eat on the sidewalk outside? Well, MC closed in the spring of 2010, but Marc Cooperman, the former managing director and a longtime town resident, plans to open up a new restaurant in the Short Hills train station this fall. In roughly 1,200-square-feet of space that was once used as the train station’s baggage room, Cooperman plans to build a brick oven and a full bar. “This room…
Editor's note: This is the first in a series about Millburn and Short Hills businesses called What's in Store. Check back tomorrow for a story on the restaurant opening up this fall at the Short Hills Train Station. The recession and a high unemployment rate in the last few years have been tough on businesses everywhere and downtown Millburn is no exception. But despite the loss of numerous businesses and the nagging feeling among some residents that too many stores have closed leaving empty storefronts, several new stores have recently opened up and new ones like Red Mango frozen yogurt and…
Editor's Note: This is part of a series of business stories kicking off today called What's in Store. Calorie conscious dessert lovers can do a little happy dance: Red Mango is opening in the space between Tinga and Bagel Chateau. David Rothberg and his wife, Jen, who opened the Red Mango in Summit in March, say they are eager to set up shop in Millburn. “We want this be a late night destination that is a safe, bright place to hang out for adults and kids,” says Rothberg, a Short Hills resident who has three children in Millburn's school system. The 1,300 square foot store in Summit has five …
Editor's Note: This is part of a series of business stories kicking off today called What's in Store. Flywheel, the hip, New York City-based indoor cycling gym, which has locations in the Hamptons, Chicago and Boca Raton, recently signed a seven-year lease for the old Deborah Gilbert Smith space and the company’s construction permit was approved in late July. “There’s nothing else like it,” says Peter Nalitt, who owns the Flywheel space, among other buildings downtown. “It has that New York kind of buzz, it will bring tons of people to town and it’s kind of exciting for people" who do indoor …
