Rutherford downtown vacancies (Hasbrouck Heights, East Rutherford: sales, house, to buy)

[obstruent]

I live in East Rutherford near the Rutherford border, and part of why I moved to this area was because Park Ave in Rutherford is so cute. Lately, it seems like there are so many storefront vacancies though!

Does anyone know anything about what stores and restaurants have recently closed down, and what might be going in their place? Anyone know when the Mambo Tea House and the new Mediterranean restaurant are going to open? Or where the Cuban place will be when it comes back? Thanks for any insider info you might have!

[EEEPNJ]

Originally Posted by obstruent

I live in East Rutherford near the Rutherford border, and part of why I moved to this area was because Park Ave in Rutherford is so cute. Lately, it seems like there are so many storefront vacancies though!

Does anyone know anything about what stores and restaurants have recently closed down, and what might be going in their place? Anyone know when the Mambo Tea House and the new Mediterranean restaurant are going to open? Or where the Cuban place will be when it comes back? Thanks for any insider info you might have!

Did you like the Cuban place?

You are RIGHT there are a ton of empty stores now. NY Pizzaria was bought by another person, but that fell through and it's sitting vacant. Enigar was sold and is supposedly going to open under another owner. Blend Cafe closed and the new owner bought it back in 12-07 and it is still vacant. There are a bunch of stores across from the Village Gourmet that are empty for a long time.... it is beginning to look like a ghost town. I heard a Korean place may be opening wher Cuba Libre was, but I'm not sure about that....

Rutherford is a very hard town to do business in these days. I know quite a few of the restaurant owners and most have sales down, way down. The economy is crappy and people are cutting back...the older, more established businesses can hopefully survive that, but the newer start ups can not. I was talking to a few owners the other night and they said they profits are DOWN.

Couple that with the fact that the town is IMPOSSIBLE. Really, they are too much. I am all for permits and safety, but they make it very very hard to get open and do business. That's one of the reasons the NY place said forget it and one of the big reasons the Cuban place closed after being delayed for so long in opening.

I agree, one of the nicest things about Rutherord is its "downtown" and it is disappearing.

[Alex07860]

Are we talking about "Cafe Cafe"? cause I didn't know they closed down. and yes downtown Rutherford is looking a bit weird w/ all the closed store fronts.

[EEEPNJ]

Originally Posted by Alex07860

Are we talking about "Cafe Cafe"? cause I didn't know they closed down. and yes downtown Rutherford is looking a bit weird w/ all the closed store fronts.

No Cafe Cafe is still there, it's Cafe Cuba that closed.

[kungfulou]

taxes in Rutherford are outrageous though a "bargain" compared to other parts of the county. shops can't survive there...

[itznin]

I am looking to buy a house in Rutherford and I'm wondering if it becomes more of a ghost town there if it will destroy the home values in the area. The tax increases have already forced a lot of people out of the town. 10-12k taxes for a 420-500k home is outragous....

[EEEPNJ]

Originally Posted by itznin

I am looking to buy a house in Rutherford and I'm wondering if it becomes more of a ghost town there if it will destroy the home values in the area. The tax increases have already forced a lot of people out of the town. 10-12k taxes for a 420-500k home is outragous....

I agree.. their taxes are very high, even for Bergen. And the town is not the same quality as others... the home values may go down but the proximity to the city will always make it desirable. But no one can really predict the market.

[itznin]

Yeah I agree there is no predicting or timing the market... I just don't want to make a bad move and buy into a town that #1 has a tax problem (33% increase in the past 2 years or something like that) and #2 aside from proximity to NYC the best asset of the town (park ave) becomes a ghost town...

On a higher note at least the schools are good

[EEEPNJ]

Originally Posted by itznin

Yeah I agree there is no predicting or timing the market... I just don't want to make a bad move and buy into a town that #1 has a tax problem (33% increase in the past 2 years or something like that) and #2 aside from proximity to NYC the best asset of the town (park ave) becomes a ghost town...

On a higher note at least the schools are good

The schools are ok - not great. It is a "blue ribbon" district, but look at the #'s on greatschools, they are not great, just ok. That said, I would say that Rutherford and Hasbrouck Heights are the better school districts in Southern Bergen County

[itznin]

Yeah my choice of towns to live in are 1. Rutherford 2. Heights 3. Wood Ridge

My whole home search is based in these three towns.... I'm having a hard time finding what I want in the location I want it.