By Nick Norlen, Staff Writer
They sit vacant, their storefront windows either exposing empty interiors or covered with paper and ads for new leases.
But even when interested tenants call to fill Princeton’s available downtown shops, they sometimes still sit empty for months.
In the last few weeks, two more stores — a pair within a stone’s throw on Witherspoon Street — cleared out, joining the handful of vacant borough storefronts nearby.
The original Lisa Jones boutique, at 72 Witherspoon St., was closed with plans to consolidate with the owner’s most recent location at 16 Witherspoon St., which opened in May.
Around the same time, Image Photo owner Edward Jo cleaned out his space after about 20 years in business in town — five at the Witherspoon location and another 15 at 20 Nassau St.
The landlords of both sites expressed hopes to quickly acquire new tenants.
Terra Momo Restaurant Group Co-owner Carlo Momo, whose company leases the former Lisa Jones building, said a new tenant has already signed a lease for the property, effective Feb. 1.
The new shop will carry skateboards and related apparel, which he described as “urban street wear.”
”I think this should be open within 30 days,” he said.
Princeton resident Mark Jeffries, whose family owns the former Image Photo space, said he plans to lease the spot as “quick as I can get it rented.”
”Somebody will come along,” he predicted.
Now working in West Windsor, Mr. Jo said he doesn’t plan to open a store elsewhere.
Citing a “tough market,” he said it became “harder and harder to do business in downtown Princeton with parking and everything.”
He added, “It used to be a mom and pop type of place. But now it’s all Gaps and Banana Republic and those type of stores.”
Similar comments were expressed by Abel Bagel founder and Princeton resident Alfred Kahn after he saw his former store on 30 Witherspoon St. — which he sold in 2000, followed by the building in 2005 — closed last March.
”When I had the store it was a local, hometown old-fashioned store,” he said at the time. “It was almost as if out-of-town people came and took over a store that had been run by local townspeople. … It’s funny, but I’ve seen it happen time and time again in Princeton.”
Though the space still sits vacant, Property Manager Audrey Mocco said her firm is “actually considering several offers at the moment,” including those from bagel stores and small food and coffee shops.
But there’s no definite time frame for a new tenant to set up shop, she said.
The same could likely be said for several other properties in town.
Among the most glaring vacancies in the borough’s downtown is the stretch of storefronts from 80 to 84 Nassau Street, the former sites of Hinkson’s Stationary and the Saladworks eatery.
Andrew Mangone, co-owner of Hinkson’s, which left the space vacant when it relocated to 28 Spring St., said the properties were sold in April, and are being managed by the commercial division of Princeton-based real estate broker N.T. Callaway, whose representatives could not be reached for comment.
Although Hinkson’s co-owner John Roberto announced plans in December 2006 to fill the Saladworks space with a Qdoba Mexican Grill, that project never materialized.
Those vacancies worry Princeton Record Exchange General Manager Jonathon Lambert, as do the pair of vacant shops that share the Tulane Street alley with the record merchant.
”It’s something that I’m concerned about. I’d like a thriving downtown community and us to be part of it,” he said. “It’s a little unsettling that these places are empty.”
After 35 years in business at its 18 South Tulane St. location, John’s Shoe Repair closed in July after the property was sold by Dora Verbeyst, who had already closed Verbeyst French Dry Cleaner.
Landlord Jeff Siegel said last week that the two properties are “ready to fill.”
But as far as who the tenants will be, “we’re just not ready to make any announcement,” he said.
Whoever they are, the Princeton Record Exchange will be there to see them move in.
According to Mr. Lambert, the music shop has signed a lease that would keep the store at its current location for at least 10 years.
”Quite a lot of our customers were very concerned that we were moving,” he said. “We were happy to negotiate and stay.”
Mr. Lambert said he suspects that independent merchants face a number of challenges when attempting to open a new location, including high rents and difficulties with the municipal approval process.
Kathy Morolda, president of Borough Merchants for Princeton and owner of Cranbury Station Gallery said she’s well aware of the hurdles that small businesses face.
Still, the vacancies aren’t “a problem that’s unique to Princeton,” she said. “No one can still believe that I’m in business 15 years. I’ve just found different survival skills, I guess. But that’s what you have to do.”
And even newcomers have succeeded.
After sitting vacant for several months, the former site of The Flower Market — a Chambers Walk shop that closed in June 2006 after 30 years in business — was recently reopened by Natronica, a store featuring art pieces and lamps.
Despite a similarly long vacancy, Michael Pulaski was finally able to open his Booster Juice smoothie shop on Nassau Street after seeing his planned July opening delayed for several months.
A storefront change required an appearance before the Historic Preservation Review Committee, and then there were permits to be sorted out and issues with the store’s proposed trash enclosure, he said.
”The town, it’s not the easiest to build in,” he said, noting that the franchise is his first project. “There was some challenges, but I don’t really have much to compare it to.”
But since the store has opened, business has been good, and an official grand opening is scheduled for Saturday, he said.
