Maplewood NJ Maplewood Starbucks Borders Not a chance

Maplewood, NJ Maplewood Starbucks? Borders? Not a chance in this old-school burg. Ye Olde King’s Market. Anywhere else, a sign like this—hand-painted in Old English script and hung in front of an upscale supermarket— would be just another bit of creeping kitsch. But on Maplewood Avenue, it somehow seems perfectly appropriate. Maplewood’s 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 cookiecutter chains out. “There’s 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 town’s relatively secluded location. “We’re a little bit off the beaten path, ” says James. Indeed, a visitor driving in the area isn’t likely to find the village without help from Map. Quest. The train station is the hub of downtown. New Jersey Transit’s 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, it’s natural to stop at Freeman’s Fish Market, Jerry Rose florist, or the St. James Gate for a well-pulled pint. While it looks like it’s 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 e. Bay 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 programming—a mix of mainstream hits and somewhat more arty films. Three pizzas parlors, the Village Trattoria, Arturo’s, and the Roman Gourmet, engage in a friendly competition for the title of the town’s best slice. And the Maple Leaf Diner remains staunchly oldschool, 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. It’s hardly a destination downtown, which is exactly why it’s worth a visit. —ALLEN ST. JOHN NJ Monthly Best Downtowns Article COVER STORY