As always, we’re here to cover the local news and bring you a weekly roundup of everything you might have missed in Hoboken + Jersey City. Catch up on all there is to know as far as Hudson County news, including the following headlines: $7M grant to improve pedestrian safety in Journal Square; NJ bans TikTok from state government devices; Jersey City ranks 5th for bagel lovers; and so much more. Keep reading for all the news you missed this week in Hoboken, Jersey City, + beyond.
Impractical Jokers Filmed at Hudson Hall This Week
This just in: Hudson Hall, located at 364 Marin Boulevard in Jersey City, was the site of filming for an episode of Impractical Jokers on January 12th. If you’re not familiar, it’s a comedy series where some episodes have a celebrity guest. This week, however, the series is filming at the Jersey City bar. Click here to read about what we know about the filming of Impractical Jokers, the happy hour, and past celeb sightings at Hudson Hall in Jersey City.
Jersey City Ranks 5th for Bagel Lovers
With an overall score of 43.56, Jersey City has been named the 5th best spot in the country for bagel lovers, per Lawn Love. As the second most bagel accessible city, Jersey City has the most bagel shops per square mile second only to San Francisco which came in 1st. New York City ranked 1st in popularity but 22nd in quality.
NJ Bans TikTok From Government Devices
New Jersey is officially the latest state to ban TikTok app from state government devices, per NJ.com. On Monday, January 9th, Governor Murphy announced that TikTok, along with other high-risk software + services from Chinese and Russian companies should be deleted from state government devices due to cybersecurity concerns.
Crumbl Cookie to Open in Jersey City
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According to @hdsid_jc, a new location of Crumbl Cookie may be opening next to Shake Shack on Grove Street in Jersey City. Crumbl Cookie recently opened an outpost in Manhattan in the Upper East Side and has over 600 locations nationwide.
Mystery Couple Secretly Pays for Kid’s Birthday Party at Napoli’s
On Wednesday, local resident Melissa Hill took to the Hoboken Mommies Facebook group to share a heartwarming anecdote starring Napoli’s, a two-year-old’s birthday party, and the generosity of a mystery couple. Click here for all the details.
Powerflow Yoga Closes Hoboken Location
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In an email sent to members earlier this week, Powerflow Yoga announced that it will be closing its Hoboken location this February. According to the email, operating the Hoboken outpost is “no longer viable” for the yoga studio. Though other area locations remain open, including Jersey City, Powerflow Yoga expressed gratitude for the support from students + the community.
Hoboken + Jersey City Score Perfectly on LGBTQ+ Inclusivity
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s annual Municipal Equality Index evaluated hundreds of cities nationwide on inclusivity measures. Five New Jersey cities ranked perfectly — including Hoboken + Jersey City. According to Patch, this is the 11th annual report released in partnership with The Equality Federation Institute.
Weehawken Bans Short-Term Rentals Including AirBnB
Weehawken has officially enacted a ban on short-term rentals like AirBnB. The law limits short-term rentals to a minimum of 30 days. Previously, property owners could list short-term rentals as long as they secured an annual permit. According to Jersey Digs, the community called into question the quality of life specifically when it comes to rowdy guests and parties.
NY Waterway Captains Honored 14th Anniversary of Hudson River Rescue
On Thursday, January 12th Captains Vincent Lombardi and Mohamed Gouda honored the 14th anniversary of the “Miracle on the Hudson” in which NY waterway ferries saved 143 people after their plane landed in the Hudson River. According to a press release, the rescue of US Airways Flight 1549 was the most successful marine rescue in aviation history. The two captains marked the day during a press conference at Port Imperial Ferry Terminal in Weehawken.
Alfalfa Applies to Expand to Downton Hoboken Location
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Local favorite Alfalfa, located at 1110 Washington Street in Hoboken, recently applied to expand its current location to a second shop in Hoboken. According to Jersey Digs, the property at 150 Newark Street was previously occupied by Ma’s Gourmet Market and may become available soon. The Subdivision and Site Plan Committee of Hoboken will hear the proposal during the next meeting on Tuesday, January 17th.
Hudson County Democratic Organization Announces Endorsements for June Primary
Early this week the Hudson County Democratic Organization announced its endorsements for the upcoming June Democratic primary for the 32nd and 33rd District legislative seats. According to Patch, the winners in June will advance to November elections. District 32 includes Hoboken and parts of Jersey City. District 33 includes Union City, North Bergen, West New York, Weehawken, Secaucus, and Guttenberg.
New Restaurant + Wine Bar Coming to Former Dubliner Space in Hoboken
It’s been over two years since the beloved Hoboken spot, The Dubliner, closed its doors at 96 River Street. We now know who the new owners are and what the vision is for the space. The new owners plan to open the space in spring 2023, but The Hoboken Girl was able to chat exclusively with the team behind the new restaurant — which will be called Metropolis — and learn more about what’s to come. Click here for what we know.
$7M Grant to Enhance Pedestrian Safety in Journal Square
A $7.2 million federal grant will go toward improving pedestrian safety measures along a busy Jersey City intersection of Kennedy Boulevard in Journal Square. According to NJ.com, improvements will include replacing all traffic signal equipment, ADA compliant push buttons, and image detection at all intersections. The streets will be repaved and a high-friction surface will be installed on Sip Avenue, Tonnelle Avenue, and Bergen Avenue.
Ron Perlman Was in Hoboken Last Week
From a Robert De Niro thriller being shot in Jersey City to recurring zombie appearances at the Hoboken station for a Walking Dead spin-off, Hudson County saw no shortage of film crews in 2022 — and it seems to not be slowing down in 2023 either. HG got an insider scoop that this weekend award-winning actor Ron Perlman was spotted in Hoboken, enjoying brunch at Halifax + walking along the waterfront (celebrities really are just like us). We did a little digging to find that Ron has returned to The Mile Square to continue filming his upcoming movie Day of The Fight, a boxing drama co-starring Joe Pesci — which we first reported back in December. Click here for everything we know.
Uptown Hoboken Starbucks to Close for Renovations for 1 Month
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The uptown Hoboken location of Starbucks will close from Monday, February 13th to Monday, March 13th for renovations. According to Patch, signs in the shop say the cafe will open in March with a new look.
Hoboken PATH to WTC Delayed Tuesday After Suspicious Package Found at The Oculus
According to NBC, a pressure cooker was found on the last car of a Newark PATH train at the World Trade Center about 40 minutes ago. The NYPD just gave an official all-clear to the area. The NYPD Bomb Squad arrived on the scene to investigate the situation. The Oculus was promptly evacuated + law enforcement urged the public to avoid the area until it was declared safe. As of now, it’s unclear how the mysterious package arrived in the train car, but law enforcement confirmed the package was on the train for at least an hour before discovered, per NBC. Click here for more about the incident.
Monroe Street Closed Tuesday While Crews Repair Fire Line
On Tuesday, January 10th one block in western Hoboken was closed to traffic while crews repaired a fire line, per Patch. The six-inch fire line was located at Monroe Street from Second to Third Streets. Water was unavailable to one building while the repairs were made.
Local Hoboken Eye Doctor Relocates to Bloomfield Street
This week Myoptics moved from 322 Washington Street to a new location at 109 Bloomfield Street. According to signage in the window, the Myoptics team + phone number will remain the same, just with new, state-of-the-art equipment.
Bourke Street Bakery is Now Open in Jersey City
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Bourke Street Bakery officially opened its Jersey City location on December 3rd and The Hoboken Girl was ready. Since the signs were first posted under The Hendrix apartments, we’ve been anxiously waiting for this Australian bakery to open. Bourke Street Bakery lives up to the hype and we are so excited to bring this spot to your attention. Click here for our full review of the new Bourke Street Bakery and to discover what you can’t miss on the menu.
Surreal Creamery Possibly Opening in Uptown Hoboken
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Signage in the display window of 1122 Washington Street would suggest that Surreal Creamery is expanding from its locations in New York, Westfield, and New Brunswick to a new outpost in uptown Hoboken. According to Patch, the new location will feature the same menu as the current locations which include bubble teas, shakes, and “Floteas”.
City of Hoboken to Install Anti-Flooding Measures in Uptown
In partnership with North Hudson Sewerage, The City of Hoboken plans to start upgrading portions of uptown Madison Street in an effort to reduce flooding. 275 feet of electrical duct will be relocated and water mains will be upgraded + expanded.
Babco Building Service Workers Announce Labor Strike
On Monday, January 9th, Babco Building Service workers in Jersey City announced a strike in response to the company’s alleged unfair labor practices over the past year. The company fired Javier Amador in 2021 allegedly in connection with his union organizing efforts + work to enforce standard wages.
Aspen Prime Medspa Opens in Downtown Hoboken
There’s a new medspa on the scene in Hoboken, and it’s kicking off 2023 in the space above the old Spa Diner. The team at Aspen Prime Medspa is located at 74 Hudson Street in Hoboken. The local medspa provides full-service anti-aging services including botox + fillers, facial treatments, body sculpting, and laser hair removal, as well as augmentation services customized to meet your individual beauty goals. Click here to read about why we’re obsessed with the self-esteem boosting services + get 20% off all services when you mention ‘Hoboken Girl’.
Hoboken Clique Reopens With the New Owners
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Back in November, it was announced that a Mile Square favorite would be closing its doors — Hoboken Clique. This unique children’s store is known for its specialization in ‘tween’-wear, and first opened in November 2018. Now, a few weeks later, we got the news that the spot would not be closing anymore. Instead, Nicole Hamilton and Dara Warjanka are the new owners — two Mile Square moms who are focused on keeping Hoboken Clique true to its roots with some new additions. We had the chance to talk to the new owners of this Hoboken spot and hear all about their plans to take over the space — which is having its grand reopening today, January 13th, 2023. Click here to read about Nicole and Dara as well as what’s next for Hoboken Clique.
Jersey City Council Approves $2.1M for Social Services Center Renovations
The Jersey City Council recently approved a $2.1 million grant that will go towards renovations at a local social services center, per NJ.com. Hudson Gardens, located at 514 Newark Avenue in Jersey City, provides meals, laundry facilities, and showers for those who are experiencing homelessness.
Framebridge Now Open in Hoboken
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As of Friday, January 13th, custom framing business Framebridge is now open at 507 Washington Street in Hoboken. According Jersey Digs, the ground floor retail space hasn’t been occupied since a fire in 2016. Framebridge currently has 15 locations with the most recent additions in Brooklyn + Manhattan.
Pump Pilates Opens New Studio by Hoboken PATH
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Pump Pilates is now open in Downtown Hoboken at 40 Hudson Place on the second floor. Reformer Pilates can help improve and maintain overall physical fitness – leading to greater strength, flexibility and balance. According to the email, grand opening packages are available exclusively at the PATH location.
LUPE Fund, Inc. Rings Opening Bell at NYSE
On Monday, January 9th the LUPE Fund, Inc., a New Jersey-based nonprofit organization, rang The Opening Bell® at the New York Stock Exchange in honor of its 20th anniversary. The LUPE Fund, Inc. aims to educate, empower, and engage Latinas to promote leadership and civic engagement.
