8/29/2008 Update:

I get so many emails about Empire Fitness, that it’s almost too much to post. But here’s one sent to Hoboken411 this morning:

“I am a member at Empire Fitness on Washington St. Their hours M-F are 5:00 - 11:30pm (10:00 pm) Friday. This whole week, they failed to open on time. I am not talking about 10-15 minutes late, I am talking about hours. For example today, I got there at 6:45 am, and no one got there to open the place until 7:10 am. Speaking to others inside the gym, this has been going on all week (I can only account for Wednesday and today). The more frustrating part is that the gym does not acknowledge that there is a problem, or does not even seem to offer any sort of apology. I am locked in for a year, so I have little recourse. I just thought a blurb on your site about it would be a good idea so they are held somewhat accountable.”

See other fruity reports, including the “Ripoff Report” after the jump…

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click here..

8/29/2008 Update:

Construction is moving quickly at the upcoming strip mall on 14th and Adams.

Please for the love of god, provide us with “Change” and make sure no Starbucks ends up there!

8/7/2008:

This is going up adjacent to the Clearview Cinemas which is in the early stages of construction.

Strip Mall coming together

After a slow start, the new uptown strip mall on 14th and Adams is chugging along nicely.

There will be approximately 15,000 Sq. Ft. of retail space available, and supposedly already includes a bank, liquor store and coffee shop (hopefully Dunkin’ Donuts or Chock Full of Nuts. So sick of the Starbucks already!)

Also included are around 50 parking spots as well. Which is nice, because it’ll give an opportunity for commuters to stop by on the way to or from work.

What about the craptastic roads?

Earlier in the year, both Mayor Roberts and Environmental Services Director Joe Peluso said that some of the city’s horrific roads (most of them are horrible) are on the list for being repaired this year.

Peluso said that nearly half a million dollars would be used to repair various streets around town this year, including 13th Street, which both the theater and this new strip mall are located. Additional streets on the list were, (parts of) Fourth Street, Sixth Street, Jefferson Street and Garden Street.

Whether these repairs happen in our lifetime this year remains to be seen.

8/28/2008 Update:

One of the agents said:

“We are open for business. We had a one month restructuring period so the office was temporarily closed. We were still actively selling and managing during that period though. Now we are Focusing mainly on investment type properties, rentals and property management. We still do condo sales and rentals of course. At Elite Brokers Property Management LLC we are trying to differentiate ourselves from all the other shops in town.”

4/30/2008 Update:

Not sure what the deal is here, but all of last week, the place was closed. Another doomed business?

Description - Real estate agents
Website - www.hobokenelite.com
Address - 162 1st St, Hoboken, NJ 07030
Telephone - 201-656-2422

8/26/2008:

Back in July, I posted a reader mail for “who has the best laundry delivery service?” Well, that got only a few comments and only one Hoboken place was recommended, Apple Cleaners.

However, I discovered a new laundry specialty service: Zippy Cleaners.

Zippy Cleaners

Zippy Cleaners originally started in Jersey City, and now they’re branching out into Hoboken. Zippy offers standard wash & fold service, dry cleaning, bedding and more. You place your order online, schedule your pick-up and delivery and the rest is automatic. They even give you a couple sturdy laundry bags to start you out.

For wash & fold, they charge by the bag ($14.99) and each bag can hold up to about 18lbs. (effective cost $0.85 per lb.)

Delivery service usually takes 2-3 days, and I got mine back in two. I found that the drivers were very efficient and were sure to call you in advance to prepare you for both the pick up and delivery. The drivers I had were friendly, courteous and professional.

Since I had gone away the previous weekend, I didn’t have time to do my own. Plus, I had special requirements for certain bags (i.e., cold wash, etc. - since I’ve been eating too much pizza lately). You can call or email Zippy and they’ll make the appropriate notes to your account for future washes.

When I got the delivery back, I was pleasantly surprised. The clothes were nice and clean, had a fresh scent to them, and properly folded. Good job, Zippy!

Special Offer for Hoboken411 Readers

Afterward, I notified Zippy of the positive results, that I was responsible for Hoboken411 and was going to review them. To show their appreciation, they are offering a special deal for all the Hoboken411 readers (which is great considering the current economy):

Two free laundered shirts!
If you place an order with Zippy, just mention that you heard about them via Hoboken411 (in the comment section) and they’ll launder two shirts at no charge for all orders over $12.00. It can’t hurt to try them now, right?

Although I usually have time to do my own wash (and live on the same block as my favorite laundromat), I’ll certainly use Zippy again when I’m in a bind. Professional, quality service is well appreciated these days!

8/26/2008 Review:

A week or two ago, I had mentioned I wanted to review the place along with someone who had a “fetish” for cupcakes. That review happened last week:

Cupcake showdown: Sweet vs. Carlo’s

Hoboken411 reader “DietCokeGal” and myself visited Sweet last Friday afternoon.

In order to have some kind of baseline comparison, I also picked up a couple of these famous cupcakes from Carlo’s Bake Shop as well.

For starters, Sweet primarily focuses on what owner Angela says they do best: cupcakes. In addition to various-sized cupcakes, they also sell brownies, cookies, cheesecake, full-sized cakes and delicious coffee & espresso. Speaking of their coffee, it may have been one of the best cups I’ve had in Hoboken in a while. They sell Kitten Coffee, which in my opinion was very smooth, not bitter, and quite robust. I was wired for hours later.

Read the rest of the review and side-by-side comparison after the jump!

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8/25/2008:

Finally got around to creating a new listing, in place of the old Creative Little Monsters.

If you want to sign up, fall sessions start September 15th. Here’s what new owner Sally Robertson has to say about Creative Groove Studio!

Vibrant energy and community vibe

“The Creative Groove Studio offers children’s classes for babies to 10 year olds in music, latin dance, bilingual classes (English/Spanish), stand up comedy, intro to improv and more. We also offer children’s birthday parties.

I founded a pre-school Latin Dance and Spanish Language program (Bailemos-Let’s Dance) four years ago in Hoboken. I rented space at Creative Little Monsters to teach those classes. I took over the lease in January when the owners of Creative Little Monsters closed the coloring book store.”

Description: Dance instruction for both children and adults.
Address: 1200 Park Ave., Hoboken, NJ 07030
Phone: 917-922-1061
Web: www.creativegroovestudio.com
Email: sally@creativegroovestudio.com

8/25/2008:

The old Cup Joint has a new name: Backyards Bistro.

As one Hoboken411 reader said: “It seems they’ve changed their menu, and added a bunch of burgers and paninis.”

After sampling some items during their “soft opening,” a few folks at DC’s Tavern next door said the food was “acceptable” and noted that they’ve apparently improved Macaroni & Cheese by adding some bleu cheese, scallions and bacon to the mix. While another said the sausage & peppers was pretty good, but a bit costly. He did add, however, that it was enough for two meals.

Anyone else try?

Description - Restaurant serving American cuisine & breakfast. BYOB. Previously called The Cup Joint.
Services - Breakfast, Sandwiches, Burgers, Paninis. entrees, pasta, beverages. Take Out, Dine In, Delivery, Catering
Website - TBD
Address - 732 Jefferson St, Hoboken, NJ 07030
Telephone - 201-222-2660

8/21/2008:

With CrossFit opening up in downtown Hoboken a couple months ago, I finally got around to adding them to the directory!

Read all about it, and check out the Hoboken411 video below. Welcome to Hoboken, CrossFit!

What is CrossFit?

CrossFit is the principal strength and conditioning program for many police academies and tactical operations teams, military special operations units, champion martial artists, and hundreds of other elite and professional athletes worldwide.

We also publish the CrossFit Journal, designed to support the CrossFit community detailing the theory, techniques, and practice d by our coaches in our gym, in essence bringing your garage or gym into ours, making you a part of the CrossFit family.

Description: High intensity workout program combining the best of strength training, aerobics and endurance. Suitable for all ages, shapes and forms.
Location: 38 Jackson St., Hoboken, NJ 07030
Website: www.crossfithoboken.com
Email: eddie@crossfithoboken.com or craig@crossfithoboken.com

8/19/2008 Update & Taste Test:

We’re getting very close to having our very own delicious Five Guys Burgers & Fries!

Sneak Peek

Last weekend, I stopped by the Absecon location. The place was buzzing with customers, and orders were flying out the door. Much to my surprise, the burgers were out of this world! (I had cheese, onions, pickles & jalapenos) The fries on the other hand, while fresh cut potatoes, were just a tad too oily and could have been a bit more “well done.”

But I still can’t wait to have these burgers around the block! Hopefully the prices are in line with the other locations (I doubt it…)

Sizes & Calories

One thing to note: They have two burger sizes: Regular and Little. I thought it was literally the size of the burger. But keep in mind a regular burger is TWO burgers (i.e., a “double”) and the little is just a “single.” I still shoveled the double burger down with ease.

You can check their nutrition facts here.

A single plain burger is 540 calories with no toppings or condiments. Add 280 for a double. So a bacon cheeseburger will clock in at just about 1000 calories! Holy moly!

Who else has had a burger from Five Guys recently?

SEE PREVIOUS UPDATES AFTER THE JUMP…

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8/18/2008 Doomed Report:

As several Hoboken411 readers mentioned a few days ago, Exit Hoboken Realty has “Exited” Hoboken, and gets filed in the “Doomed” category (at least their 620 Washington Street location.)

According to Exit Realty’s Website, they’re “growing!”

Does anyone know if this (what seems to be an MLM company) is moving to one of the countless other empty storefronts in Hoboken (or the doomed Cupo Real Estate spot)?

Exit Realty: 2006-2008

See how the spot looked before, and during their tenure at this midtown location after the jump..

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