Dear Editor:
There are few pleasures as simple as enjoying a frothy latte in a favorite corner coffee shop or enjoying a fine meal at an outdoor café in the spring. Few places provide as many opportunities for these simple pleasures as Hoboken. Yet, as the economic recession deepens, the fear that many of our favorite Hoboken cafes and restaurants may close becomes a stark reality. No one person can buy enough lattes to keep Starbucks brewing coffee.
Preserving Hoboken’s character means ensuring Hoboken’s local businesses have plenty of customers. The boutiques along Washington St., the restaurants on Sinatra Drive and yes, even the local Starbucks all thrive here because there has been and continues to be new development.
More residents leads to more customers for the shops, restaurants and cafes that make Hoboken such a great place to live.
Imagine a Sunday morning without any place for brunch or imagine rushing to the Path without any place to feed your caffeine addition, or a rainy Wednesday night without any place to deliver food?
Hoboken needs to find ways to maximize its vacant and underutilized land. Redeveloping empty industrial land will bring more customers to our favorite businesses. Office workers will order lunches from local restaurants. These new customers will help protect local jobs and the small businesses that make Hoboken a special place. These businesses will also give Hoboken residents a place to work.
Tom Blanche