Can Downtown Toms River Be The Next Red Bank?

Ever been to downtown Toms River on a weekend or after 6pm on a weekday?  Ever been to Red Bank on a weekend or after 6pm on a weekday?  If you have then you would know that during the day, both areas are packed with local professionals, students, and municipality employees.  But after the weekend or a work day, downtown Toms River empties out faster than Seaside the day after labor day, and the place becomes a ghost town.  While Red Bank starts a night filled with fun and entertainment at its many bar & restaurant locations.

Due to the lack of retail attractions, once the work day is over; downtown Toms River, unfortunately is out of sight & out of mind.  With the exception of Capone's/Jimmy C's and the newly renovated Baker's Water Street Bar & Grille, the current restaurants and retail shops close for the day no later than 6pm.

Owning a business in the downtown area, on my daily travels I pass mulitple store fronts and business locations that are not filled with tenants.  Is the problem that rent is too high, is it the parking situation discussed in my last blog, or is it simply the lack of draw after 6pm and on the weekends?

Currently, Jimmy C's has a decent nightlife in the downtown area. But that's all that there is to do down here.  The Java Joint used to be packed, but had closed up years ago with different owners trying to bring it back in the past few years, but have failed.  What are people looking for down here? What would bring you downtown?

With all the open store fronts on Main St alone, we can fill these locations with speciality shops, boutiques, outlet stores, gourmet coffee shops, cigar shops, just to name a few. With the new open liquor licenses in Toms River, we can even fill these locations with bars and restaurants to give it a better nightlife.

Next week's topic.  Route 37, what an eye soar!

Frank Vitolo
www.frankvitolo.com