| Author | Message | ||
     sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 12936 Registered: 10-2001  |
"In Maplewood, A Smudge on the Jewel" Article is about the changing face of Maplewood Village and our nail salon problem. Quotes from MOL regulars Tom Reingold, Hank Zona and Dan Kaslow and Frederico. Can't believe that Frederico didn't mention the Cafe Sbenois. A rocky start in '05 for him. | ||
| argon_smythe Citizen Username: Argon_smythe Post Number: 495 Registered: 5-2001 |
What problem? I never had a problem finding a nail salon in Maplewood. | ||
| ML Supporter Username: Ml1 Post Number: 2169 Registered: 5-2002  |
I propose that we embrace our changing culture, and adopt a new town slogan: "Maplewood -- NJ's most FABULOUS cuticles!" | ||
| Joe Citizen Username: Gonets Post Number: 598 Registered: 2-2004 |
Sorry. Maplewood village has nothing on downtown Woodbridge, where I lived 3 years ago. In a half mile stretch it is possible to get all ten fingernails manicured with each nail being manicured at a seperate establishment. But we did have a terrific brew pub (marginal food, jerky owner but an excellent brewmaster) with a great Thai place across the street. I'd buy a jug of the porter and take it to the the Thai place for a night out on the town. Plus we had a mayor who would one day become governor to the undying shame of those of us who supported him. | ||
| tjohn Citizen Username: Tjohn Post Number: 2856 Registered: 12-2001  |
I sense some disdain for manicure joints, but evidently there is enough business to sustain them. Who patronizes these places so many love to hate. Must be all out-of-towners. | ||
| Lydia Citizen Username: Lydial Post Number: 829 Registered: 5-2001 |
I didn't read the article, but I did hear that all the businesses in the village received a letter explaining (warning) that the downtown retail stores are in trouble. Things are serious now and the slide can go either way. Sort of on the same subject - don't know if this was covered in another thread, but Starbucks did an extensive study on the viability of our downtown and offered the landlord $4,400/month for the Cornocopia space. However you feel about Starbucks or chains, they've evolved into sort of a upscale retailer "stamp of approval" for towns. Can't say the same for nail salons. The fact that a nail salon can handle $6,000 a month rent suggests to me a lot of problems. It's a little shady. | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 12941 Registered: 10-2001 |
The new nail salon should be boycotted. | ||
| anon Citizen Username: Anon Post Number: 1574 Registered: 6-2002 |
As they say in Hollywood, there is no such thing as bad publicity. | ||
| Lydia Citizen Username: Lydial Post Number: 830 Registered: 5-2001 |
You read my mind S - unless you're being ironic. I had a friend who owned a Nail salon in Irvington - nice guy, but here's how it works: Basically a family and friends operation - get a few licenses with pictures but the board of cosmetology inspectors doesn't know one Asian face from the other. So you have a bunch of legit licenses on the wall and a revolving door of people who do the work. It's a cash biz and the worker is only getting tips, the owner takes in all the up-front money - cash only. Say they do 80 manicures and 30 pedicures a day - $1250 for the owner and tips for the workers. The owner declares $500 and the rest is gravy. $750 in undeclared income - every day. $6,000 a month rent is no problem. A legit employer can't compete because they have unemployment insurance, payroll and so on. Yes, boycott them, because they hurt the town. And shame on the landlord who turned away Starbucks. | ||
| bottomline Citizen Username: Bottomline Post Number: 143 Registered: 8-2003 |
By that logic, shouldn't we boycott all the nail salons? Why should the most recent nail salon and its landlord be the only targets of our dissatisfaction? | ||
| SoOrLady Citizen Username: Soorlady Post Number: 1646 Registered: 9-2003 |
I have to agree with bottomline. What if the new place is good or better than the existing salons? Garubo's & Chelsea won't be hurt, Kims seems to have a loyal following. If the town can't sustain an additional nail salon, my guess would be that it will come down to the new place & The Nail House. Let the better facility win. Our town inspectors should pay close attention to Lydia's concerns. I DO think it's a shame that what I perceive as the premiere retail location in town is a nail place. But I suppose I can't fault Warren & Elliott for getting what they can out of the space. | ||
| Dave Moderator Username: Dave Post Number: 4947 Registered: 4-1998  |
In terms of identifying Asians, perhaps this link will help inspectors: http://www.alllooksame.com I also encourage a close inspection of Samurai Sushi, upon its arrival: http://www.dyske.com/default.asp?view_id=786 | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 12942 Registered: 10-2001 |
I was not being ironic. I think that adding another nail salon in town is a friggin disaster. Not only does this move not add any new products or services, but it further dilutes the ability of existing businesses to remain viable. While some may view that as good (is Kim's next shop to close?) or as part of the normal business cycle, we should all recognize that entering into a game of musical shoppes severely reduces the attractiveness of the Village and thus the general community. Let's pray that Richard Roberts stays on long term instead of becoming a Nail Mega Mart. | ||
| Bobkat Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 7167 Registered: 5-2001 |
Lydia - I was under the impression that nail salons didn't require cosmotology licenses and that was the attraction for new immigrants. Has this changed in the last couple of years? As far as Richard Roberts is concerned their long term viability depends on how long a lease they have. Several years ago I heard from another merchant that they originally wanted to open in Millburn/Short Hills, but found the rents too high. I also heard that they were surprised at how well the Maplewood store has done, but that may just be rumor. To some degree the high rents in the downtown area are a classic supply and demand situation. A good first step would be to get the Post Office moved to Springfield Avenue and convert the building to retail, which I know the Town is working on. Also, I believe that the new economic development plan discusses mixed use development along Dunnell by the police station and this might help to keep rents at a more reasonable level. | ||
| Lydia Citizen Username: Lydial Post Number: 832 Registered: 5-2001 |
Bobkat, Nail Salons require licenses, but they require fewer "hours" and a different practical test than the hair cutting licenses. I think it's 800 hours instead of 1600 hours. Bottomline, Kims Nails is here already, so they should stay. But do you ever wonder how they can charge $20 for a pedicure, plus pay rent, minimum wage, insurance, taxes, PSE & G, etc., the answer is, it's likely they have to cut corners to provide services so inexpensively. In most cases, if someone provides a service or sells goods at ridiculously low prices - someone is getting exploited. OK, so now we have a business that can somehow pony up $6,000 a month and it seems a lot of posters are just shrugging and chalking it up to good old capitalism. I'm with S - this is terrible for Maplewood. I wish I got manicures so I could boycott them -- I guess this is a good time to start getting weekly manicures officially so now I can stop. OK - boycott is on. | ||
| lizzyr Citizen Username: Lizzyr Post Number: 159 Registered: 5-2001 |
can someone post a link to this article - I can't fnd it. | ||
| Taylor M Citizen Username: Anotherusername Post Number: 247 Registered: 8-2004 |
Are they really getting over SIX GRAND for rent? | ||
| eliz Supporter Username: Eliz Post Number: 942 Registered: 5-2001 |
I think it's a real shame that the landlord passed on Starbucks for a nail salon. I also think it's short sighted. Starbucks would be here for the long term - it's a guaranteed rent for them with almost 0% chance of turnover. It would also be good for the town that served them so well for years. | ||
| Soda Supporter Username: Soda Post Number: 2305 Registered: 5-2001  |
Lydia: Your revealing post about the real workings of these places was certainly news to me. Did the "Times" article get into the "back-story" on the issue the way that you did? If not, did it offer any real insights into why the problem might be endemic to, say... South Orange as well? -s. BTW: Since we seem to be discussing what may potentially amount to an INS issue here, shouldn't the local governments be taking a more active interest? At the risk of sounding less than totally inclusive, open, and embracing of every newly-arrived potential citizen employed by these salons, I think that Lydia's scenario (if true) presents a scary economic problem which needs to be addressed. Municipal governments, though under considerable public pressure to see that store vacancies are minimized, must also look to the long-term viability of our downtowns. Maybe rent controls need to be discussed. Maybe landlords have been given too much slack for too long. ...Or maybe Greed Is Good, and The Market will solve our problems on its own... | ||
| Joan Supporter Username: Joancrystal Post Number: 4684 Registered: 5-2001 |
I agree with Soda. If Lydia's description of the operation of most, if not all, nail salons is accurate, then this raises a concern which needs to be addressed by our police and health departments as well as by any economic development planning which is done for the Village area. In the 20+ years I have lived in Maplewood, I have seen a major shift from the basic shopping necessities offered in the Village to a street with an increasing number of restaurants, hair/nail salons, art/antiques/home decorating stores and others which don't go as far to meet the day-to-day needs of our town's population but which none the less seem to guarantee filled store fronts and upstairs spaces, even if an increasing number are loking to subdivide the space into smaller entities so as to meet the rent. The real problem will come when the cost of doing business in the Village rises to the point that prospective business owners of any kind can't or won't pay the rents being demanded for Village properties. As we are discussing the redevelopment plan for Maplewood, perhaps we should look to transfering the Village function to Springfield Avenue, where the rents are lower and letting the service-related businesses with the lower overhead costs take over the Village. |
