By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
Last spring we posted a series of articles about the planned renovations at #60 Main Avenue (the building with the former Pizza Shoppe). Type in (“60 Main”) into the search box on the top right of this page.
Here is a link to one of those posts:
In the spring we learned that a New York developer, Sackman Co., which was active in Asbury Park was behind the #60 Main Ave project. Subsequently we found out that the project had not moved forward as of about one month ago when we checked at the Mother Ship.
Yesterday, citizen reporter Tom Costantino informed us that two Asbury Park restaurants had closed abruptly. It sounded fishy to us. Sackman, the landlord, said that they closed on October 10.
FISH URBAN RESTAURANT on Mattison Avenue in A. Park is permanently closed. Internet photo.
#60 Main Avenue in Ocean Grove, NJ. Paul Goldfinger photo. © Blogfinger.net.
“Speaking of Asbury Park, we have learned today that two AP restaurants have suddenly shut their doors.
“NJ.com reports: ‘But why Fish Urban Dining and Cibo e Vino, located on Mattison Avenue just off of Cookman Avenue, abruptly shut down is a mystery.’
Today we heard from a commenter named “Rose” who said:
“Sackman Enterprises have been known to be cut-throat in business, in which their plans to renovate have directly impacted their tenants’ businesses. These are the same folks who own 60 Main Ave in Ocean Grove and several other Asbury Park buildings. All of these buildings are either currently under renovation, or planning to be under renovation.
“His Asbury Park tenants who run shops have a month to month lease, so that the business owners can freely close their doors when Sackman impacts their business with their renovations. Sackman’s biggest plans involve building luxury apartments above the ground floor shops/business’s, much like the 60 Main Ave in Ocean Grove, in which the business tenants will soon be directly affected and may have no choice but to close their doors too. Building a third floor for luxury apartments and refacing the Main Avenue building, changing electric, and adding plumbing, while construction is surrounding the building will greatly impact their businesses’ profits.
“A gag order was put on the Asbury Park eateries because their lawyers are involved. The restaurants were pushed out by Sackman.”
News 12 website reports the following:
“A representative for Sackman tells News 12 New Jersey that there are clients already interested in occupying the space left by the two restaurants. News 12 saw several people walk into the building carrying blueprints and speaking with Sackman officials.”
Editor’s note: We normally don’t report on news such as this from A. Park, but there is a connection to Ocean Grove which we had wondered about last spring, so we will follow this story as it pertains to OG. We were especialy interested in the arrival of a high power New York real estate developer who somehow made a wrong turn and landed on our Main Avenue.
Meanwhile, Fish, a restaurant popular with Grovers, will be missed, especially their happy hour with fabulous appetizers. This leaves Bonney Read as the only seafood restaurant on Asbury’s restaurant row.
CAST OF NASHVILLE:
Oh, I’m so sorry to hear about the closing of Cibo e Vino. It was my favorite place to go — loved the small plates.
Latest information suggests that the restaurant owners could not keep up their financial commitments, but this suggestion is not verified. There is also a rumor that a celebrity chef may be interested in one of the locations.
Locals say that both those restaurants have been popular and seemingly successful and that diners who went there this past weekend saw no signs of an imminent closure.