Maplewood, NJ

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Maplewood, NJ
Maplewood Starbucks? Borders? Not a chance in
this old-school burg. Theres not
nearly enough room for a Gap or a Restoration
Hardware, says John James, a local architect and
president of the Maplewood Village Alliance.
Another factor is the towns relatively secluded
location. Were a little bit off the beaten
path, says James. Indeed, a visitor driving in
the area isnt likely to find the village without
help from MapQuest. The train station is the
hub of downtown. New Jersey Transits Morris
Essex line whisks commuters to  Penn Station and
back. The station also funnels foot traffic
through the compact shopping district to the
adjacent residential streets. The direct train
to New York really revitalized this town, says
John Meade, owner of St. James Gate, an Irish Pub
on Maplewood Avenue. On the way home from
Manhattan, its natural to stop at Freemans Fish
Market, Jerry Rose florist, or the St. James Gate
for a well-pulled pint. While it looks like its
been there a century, St. James Gate opened just
four years ago, a retirement project for Meade
and a legacy for his five grown kids. Still, it
was built for keeps. The barstools were imported
from Ireland, and the floor is made of wood from
Guinness Brewery kegs in St. James Gate, Dublin.
The bar itself was an eBay special salvaged from
a Passaic joint called the Mambo King. Downtown
remains pleasingly rough around the edges. The
Maplewood Theatre, for example, is one of the few
independent movie houses left anywhere, and what
it lacks in stadium seating it makes up for with
eclectic programminga mix of mainstream hits and
somewhat more arty films. Three pizzas parlors,
the Village Trattoria, Arturos, and the Roman
Gourmet, engage in a friendly competition for the
title of the towns best slice. And the Maple
Leaf Diner remains staunchly old-school, with
Formica and vinyl that look like they date back
to the Eisenhower administration. With its hidden
gems, Maplewood Avenue is best appreciated with
the benefit of a little local knowledge. Its
hardly a destination downtown, which is exactly
why its worth a visit.ALLEN ST. JOHN NJ
Monthly Best Downtowns Article
Ye Olde Kings Market. Anywhere else, a sign like
thishand-painted in Old English script and hung
in front of an upscale supermarketwould be just
another bit of creeping kitsch. But on Maplewood
Avenue, it somehow seems perfectly appropriate.
Maplewoods narrow, curving streets lined with
brick buildings exude European charm. The
structures are no taller than a couple of
stories, giving the district a human scale, with
small retail spaces that have kept the
cookie-cutter chains out.
COVER STORY