The Snack Bar is a new bar concept opening in early fall 2024 at 520 Adams Street in Hoboken. The bar will have two concepts in one building: a classic bar serving food from Otok Bakery, and a two-story, custom-built play space for kids. The inspiration for this space comes from the team’s desire to have a fun spot for multi-generational groups to gather without sacrificing comfort or high-quality food and beverages. Read on for more with The Hoboken Girl’s exclusive conversation with Bill and Maren Schmitt, the team behind incoming business The Snack Bar.
About the Concept
Bill and Maren Schmitt are the team behind Hoboken businesses Schmitty’s, located at 359 1st Street, and Otok Bakery, located at 506 Grand Street. They are also parents of two young children, so they’re on the weekend playdate-and-birthday-party circuit. They kept noticing there wasn’t a good place for multi-generational groups to spend time together. “We were at my nephew’s birthday party and the grandparents didn’t even want to go because it was at a play space with no seating,” Bill said. “We’ve had kids come and hang out at Schmitty’s but that’s not ideal.”
Photo Credit: Bill Schmitt
Bill and Maren, along with sister-in-law Amanda Schmitt started thinking about what kind of space would work for all generations to spend time together. Maren grew up in Germany and said that indoor playspaces where adults can socialize and have drinks while the kids play are common. “When we visit Germany, we’re at a playspace maybe once or twice a week,” she said.
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The space at 520 Adams Street, a long-closed bar, seemed tailor-made for the two-in-one concept that the team had in mind. “The front is a pretty standard bar, with a long wooden bar,” Bill said. “But the back is a big space with 15-foot-high ceilings. It seemed like the perfect fit for a play space.”
Photo Credit: Bill Schmitt
The proposal was approved by the Hoboken Alcoholic Control Board (ABC) at its May 23rd meeting. Now, the team will spend the summer getting the space ready.
What to Expect
A custom-built, two-story jungle gym will be installed in the back half of The Snack Bar. “It will be totally netted so no kid can fall out,” Maren said. She went on to say that the target age range for the play space will be three to eight years old.
The team has also worked with sound engineers to test the range of noise from the facility. “We will add sound mitigating materials to the interior of the space,” Bill said.
“In Hoboken, most people live in an apartment or maybe have a tiny yard. It can be hard to get kids outside,” Bill said. “Especially on rainy days when you can’t go to the park, there are even fewer options. Having a space like this means kids can get their energy out in a safe, clean space.”
Photo Credit: Bill Schmitt
Bill and Maren pointed out that the space’s kid-friendly vibe means parents don’t have to worry if their kid cries or makes too much noise. “It could be someone else’s kid, and the space is for that,” Bill said. “Parents don’t have to be worried or embarrassed about their kid being loud.”
The front half of the space is a classic bar. The team will serve food from Otok Bakery and have a fully stocked bar. “The glassware will be nice, but it will also be shatter-proof,” Bill said. The same high-end coffee and espresso drinks served at Otok will also be available at The Snack Bar.
The team will have birthday party packages, with partial and full rentals of the playspace and food from Otok Bakery. The team is also considering a subscription model to encourage parents to come back without their kids for discounted food and beverages.
Photo Credit: Bill Schmitt
More than anything, Bill and Maren want The Snack Bar to be a place for community. “We want to foster a community among the parents and kids,” they said. “We want people to use our space as a launching pad for other activities, making plans to do other things with parents and families they meet here.”
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The team plans to open in late summer/early fall 2024. Operating hours and other details are still being worked out, and The Hoboken Girl will update this piece when final information is shared.
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