The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
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Westwood NJ, good news for shoppers on the go! Making a quick stop in downtown Westwood, NJ, just got a whole lot easier. Borough officials have launched a new “Grab and Go” pilot program offering free, short-term parking to draw more customers to the bustling business district.
Continue reading Westwood Rolls Out FREE 10-Minute Downtown Parking
photo courtesy of Paramu Mayor Chris DiPiazza
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Paramus NJ, Shoppers were left scrambling on Tuesday afternoon as the popular Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus abruptly closed its doors. The reason? A major water issue that has forced the mall to shut down for the rest of the evening.
Continue reading Shoppers Evacuated: Garden State Plaza Shuts Down Due to Water Issue
Seasonal fluctuations can present both opportunities and challenges for businesses. Industries such as retail, warehousing, agriculture, and logistics often experience significant changes in demand during specific times of the year. Forklift rentals have become an invaluable resource for managing these peaks efficiently, enabling businesses to maintain productivity without overcommitting to permanent assets.
Continue reading The Role of Forklift Rentals in Supporting Seasonal Business Demands
In today’s very competitive retail scope, success is no longer about putting the right product on the shelf. Instead, customers want experiences (experiences that elicit emotion, get curious, and leave a lasting impression on customers). Gone are the days when regular retail spaces could be transformed into extraordinary shopping destinations with mere innovation, creativity and deep insight of customer behavior. With dynamic design, contemporary store fixtures and immersive retail displays, retailers can convert everyday shopping trips into epic experiences.
Continue reading The Transformation of Ordinary Retail Spaces to Extraordinary Shopping Experiences
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Trenton NJ, Congressman Van Drew voiced strong opposition to tax hikes proposed by the New Jersey Policy Perspective, warning that the suggested measures would make the state less affordable and drive more residents to leave the state. The think tank’s report calls for reversing a prior tax cut, which brought New Jersey’s sales tax rate down from 7% to 6.625% and would expand the scope of sales tax to include professional services such as attorneys and accountants.
What types of businesses benefit the most from outsourcing their warehousing needs? 3PL or Third-party logistics warehousing provides cost-effective, efficient storage and distribution for companies of all sizes. Many industries use these services to streamline operations and improve customer satisfaction. Let us explore the sectors that benefit most from third-party logistics warehousing.
Continue reading Who Benefits from Third-Party Logistics Warehousing? Key Business Sectors to Know
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Paramus NJ, Paramus Plaza, a 153,494-square-foot retail center located on Route 17 South, has been sold for $36.8 million to DRA Advisors and First Mile, an affiliate of Crown Acquisitions, Cushman & Wakefield announced on Wednesday.
Continue reading Paramus Plaza Sold for $36.8 Million to DRA Advisors and First Mile
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Paramus NJ, Eighty-six percent of U.S. retailers who hire temporary workers for the holiday shopping season are short-staffed in 2021, according to a new survey by ResumeBuilder.com, which asked 1,250 retail store owners and managers how difficult it was to hire temporary staff amid a tight labor market. They also asked what measures they took to incentivize reluctant workers to join their teams temporarily.
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Paramus NJ, Department store chain Lord & Taylor is closing two dozen stores for good including 3 in New Jersey as it continues to search for a buyer to restructure under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and keep its business alive. Deals will be up to 40% off, the company said Thursday morning, as it released a complete list of those shops set to liquidate.
Village of Ridgewood Curbside Ordinance Proposal
Good afternoon,
At last night’s Council meeting, we introduced the basic ordinance for curbside pick-up, Ord. 3805, along with the ordinance that sets the fee at $100 per week, Ord. 3807. I attach them both here together
with the maps that Chief Luthcke and Sgt. Chuck drew up to show where the reserved spots could potentially be. In rough outline, businesses can join together with residents to underwrite a full day spot(s), pay
for 6 days, but the spot(s) would be reserved for 7 days as Grab & Go 15-minute parking that would be free to customers in cars. An occupant would have to remain in the vehicle, and idling would be limited to no
more than 3 minutes. Kathryn Schmidt and Paul Vagianos called in to stress the need for flexibility, to say that the program must be affordable, and that a half-day program would be more workable. Chief
Luthcke commented that requiring people to stay in the car excludes certain people unnecessarily. Mayor Knudsen said the CBD functions all day; therefore, to accommodate residents at risk for COVID-19, the reserved spots should be all day. Councilman Sedon said he would favor 4:00 to 9:00 p.m., but for now we should get this done. I also stated my support for passing these ordinances and amending them later if necessary, noting that 15-minute meters shouldn’t be moved.
Continue reading Village of Ridgewood Curbside Pick Up Ordinance Proposal
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Ridgewood NJ, “Welcome Back to Ridgewood, NJ” event – This event will run through the summer season. – Monday through Friday, all retail businesses are able to place their products on tables outside of their business (once they obtain a permit from the Village). All food places are permitted to have outdoor dining (once they obtain a permit from the Village). Food is also available for pickup at the dining establishments. Beginning at 10:00 a.m. Saturday through 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, the Central Business District from North Walnut Street to Broad Street will be closed to vehicular traffic along East Ridgewood Avenue, including the side streets of Oak Street, Prospect Street, and Chestnut Street, which will create a pedestrian mall.
Continue reading Ridgewood’s Central Business District Hosts “Welcome Back to Ridgewood”
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Trenton NJ, Governor Phil Murphy today signed Executive Order No. 163, which requires individuals to wear face coverings in outdoor public spaces when it is not practicable to socially distance and keep a six-foot distance from others, excluding immediate family members, caretakers, household members, or romantic partners, except where doing so would inhibit that individual’s health, where the individual is under two years of age, or in situations where individuals cannot feasibly wear a face covering, such as when eating or drinking at outdoor dining areas.
photos by Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, a reader asked , “Do you think that the Village had intelligence that there would be a protest like this and that’s why they cancelled the CBD restaurant mall ?” It does appear to be the case and the Village can be commended for taking action to ensure the safety of residents ,businesses and protesters ,but it does raise some issues as to why the Central Business District continues to get the shaft from the Village. Will Ridgewood CBD continue its comeback attempt to once again be a viable post pandemic downtown or will shoppers and dinners flee and not return do to protests and unrest ?
Continue reading Did Protesters Drive Away Shoppers and Dinners and Will they Return to Ridgewood
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hackensack NJ, Sears has been in a death spiral for years and that demise has been accelerated by COVID19. Sears has recently initiated “Store Closing Sales” in 20 of its remaining locations and that number continues to grow by the week. and day. Liquidation sales have begun with the 88 year old Hackensack store in line for shut down.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Paramus NJ, GNC Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: GNC) , a leading global health and wellness brand, today announced that the Company, certain of its North American entities, certain of its secured lenders, and key stakeholders have reached an agreement to pursue a dual-path process that will allow the Company to restructure its balance sheet and accelerate its business strategy through Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.
GNC and all of its subsidiaries remain open for business. Consumers will continue to have access to their favorite products, as well as new, innovative brand solutions to meet their wellness goals wherever GNC products are sold. GNC continues to serve consumers through its retail stores in many areas and is offering safe and convenient curbside pick-up at shopping plaza locations.
The Company also continues to provide solutions for its customers anytime at GNC.com.
Continue reading GNC Files for Bankruptcy expects to close 800 to 1,200 stores
