more italian restaurants

any retail store that will stay open on a Friday and Saturday night until 10 or 11!!!

How about we leave behind the old "dry town", and have a brew-pub so we can walk downtown, have a glass of wine or a pint of beer and something to eat?

I agree with Rob. I understand that fellow residents don't want Collingswood to turn into the rowdy stepsister of Manayunk, but I believe it's time to add new energy to Haddon avenue. If tastefully executed, it would bring new life to many existing and new businesses. Craft beer and wine is an awesome idea. The whole "dry" issue causes us to lose possible businesses to neighboring Merchantville, Pennsauken, and Haddon Twp.

I would LOVE to see a small brewpub or at least some place with a beerlist. I would also love to see a one or two screen movie theater, perhaps in the old bank by the library (though I heard that might be turned into a sports museum?)

I think Haddon Avenue could use an early morning cafe. A place to walk up to and grab your coffee, maybe some pastries, bagels, basic breakfast sandwiches. We do already have a great coffee shop down at the other end of Haddon, and of course there is the PopShop for a tasy breakfast, but how about a good cafe- just food and drink, no retail, and just a quick stop before you get going on your daily commute!

Bread store, sporting goods, office supplies

Totally agree with the brewpub. Long overdue. Lets get rid of these antiquated dry laws!

I'd like to see one of those meal assembly places...you know, where you go in and put together meals you can freeze. Everything is already cut up so it is quick and easy and less expensive than dining out!

Brew pub
Burrito joint
live music venue

The town needs something to compliment its current restaurant success. There is not much to do before or after dining in town. A few ideas that I think would make Collingswood a better place to live:
1) brewery/pub
2) Tasting Kitchen- Host local wineries, breweries, and chefs for classes and tastings.
3) Small Theatre would be great
4) Market Place for produce, meats, fish, sandwiches to go. Sarah's Produce is great but that other market has seen better days.

a bagel shop!

Running/sports store....the whole world exercises in knight park but we all have to go to haddonfield for shoes/accessories.

I would love to see a Melting Pot restaurant in Collingswood.

A good Italian bread bakery ---- like the Erlton Bakery, a family-owned bakery that was on Marlton Pike in Camden for over 40 years and in recent years had a retail shop on Haddon Avenue in Collingswood, until the family retired and closed their business. My family really misses the good Italian bread, rolls, peperoni bread, pizza slices, etc., etc. Maybe some good Philly bakery could open a retail shop in Collingswood.

Kevin, a live music venue is a great idea. But, how do you make that work in a dry town?

As far as bars go, BEWARE what you wish for. Residents around PJ Whelihan's can't park (or get out of) their own driveways, and have to deal with loud and lewd behavior of the patrons. So if you live within a block or three of where you want this bar, you had better prepare for people pissing on your roses at 3 a.m. - Oh, they expect higher taxes to pay for the additional police presence, too.

How about a Spanish Tapas restaurant? Currently there isn't one in NJ and our town would be a great place for one! People could grab a quick app before heading to one of our other great restaurants or stay for a casual eating experience. I'm sure there's a great chef out there interested in giving this concept a try here. Alternatively I'd love to see a spot to grab a fruit smoothie or a shake after I run around Knight Park or as I stroll through town.

@ Rob Burrough - so you want an expensive place to keep people like me out of the equation - which means people will come from other places, creating parking problems as I metioned before. And home-brewers can NOT sell their products.

@jon q public - I'm trying to work with what we have - smaller spaces. This type of pub would also help to address your issue of drunk rowdies, and your parking issue. No, home-brewers can't sell their products, but if one was proud enough of his/her work, they could throw a party and give it away. Does pricing at the Pour House keep you out of there? Yes, there are some expensive beers there, but there are also plenty of affordable choices too.

A bar/pub would never happen, there are too many uptight people who make the decisions in Colls that are scared of a good time and the potential of "drunk rowdies," whatever they are. In any event, how about a sporting goods store, like a smaller scaled DICKS/MODELLS type of store? With all of the rec league sporting programs in town, it would give kids a place to purchase sporting goods and keep it "in house." When it's all said and done I am sure most of these storefronts will be restaurants because that's what everyone really needs, another choice for dining on Haddon Ave. Or retail clothing, what's comical is you can go on Haddon Ave and eat whatever you want, but if need a dress shirt or a tie, you're S.O.L.

Rob, I've been thinking along the same track but a different angle that some have alluded to here. If I am correct, an establishment can give away but not sell wine / beer / spirits.

But think of a vineyard tasting room, they charge you for the glass / tasting and then credit the cost of that transaction against an actual purchase of wine should you decide to buy. Technically, you are not buying the wine, they are giving that to you because you bought the glass (and yes, the laws in CA are much friendlier to the wine industry so NJ law may prevent this).

So we have an open tasting room where the vendor changes every week - a vineyard or craft beer producer comes in and sets up shop for one evening or weekend. Reservation only, so you limit the crowd (JQ's point is valid). The price points are higher and the quantity of consumption low, so people are not coming in to get drunk.

In theory, that credit from your tasting "fee" is applied to an ACTUAL purchase of wine / craft off-site or online. So no liquor is bought on premise. Does that work given the laws?

Set up some couches, tables, allow for partnerships with local cheese producers...it's a winner. IMO anyway.

And it doesn't have to be a vineyard or beer producer - Moore Brothers or Canal's or Wine Works could conduct one. So the distributors would be happy.

that's a very interesting concept, I have never seen or experienced it; outside of craft beer expos, where, despite the $85 ticket and limited number of tickets it was STILL a drunken party.

That's the problem with those beer expos - the high ticket price. People want to get their money's worth. Same issues happened at the Atlantic City Beer Expo a few weekends ago. $50 ticket = people trying to drink $50 worth of beer. For a tasting room, I'd expect $5-$10 admission, then sampling from a brewery's line of beers. It could be similar to buying a flight of beers at a brew-pub, 3-5 smaller glasses of different beers. The price is right and nobody gets bombed.

Haha...@John is def anti-fun, anti-crowds, anti-anything that is conducive to having fun...but that's the balance of life, for every person that enjoys life and things that are fun, you need people like @John to not like anything a la John Lithgow in Footloose...

I spoke with an official at borough hall a while back about liquor licenses. Aside from a bunch of old residents who are afraid of colls turning into Camden, the more pertinent reason is the number of consumption licenses allowed by the state - 1 license per 3,000 residents, and 1 retail license per 7,500 residents. That would allow colls to have 4 consumption licenses. Do they allow a combination of licenses based upon the same population? I don't know that answer. But we could definitely get 3 consumption licenses and 1 retail license - perhaps moore brothers would open a location (awesome mom and pop wine place on 130 that deals in specialty wines and other items). That COULD cause an issue or two. It would probably cause the licenses to be expsensive, and it could also create an "us" vs "them" atmosphere in the restaurant row. Or...thinking on a more positive note....it could be just the right balance! I mean, will the world really come to an end if 4 places are able to sell? I think not. The food at all other establishments will still be awesome, and they will still be BYOB. What does everyone think?

Then consider me a calmer, lamer version of Kevin Bacon. I want to have fun, but not death metal at midnight, kegs rolling down the street, people wrecked out of their minds.
I would love a place that would allow me to be spontaneous - "hey, feel like grabbing a beer and a hamburger?"
"Sure! Let's walk down to Haddon Ave, a great new place just opened up where we can sit down and enjoy a freshly poured pint"
We can drink at restaurants now, but you have to plan it out, go to the liquor store outside of town, chill the beer, bring the beer, and pour it into a random glass.

Joe, although you drop some knowledge on the logistics of what goes into a liquor license, with Colls I think the major issue that hinders it from happening is who would get them? I am sure with this one thinks they're entitled, that one has been here longer they should get one, who can grease palms the best, etc. would just result in a big mess. It's like children, if they all cannot have one, than no one gets one. Furthermore, it's all political, and small-town politics are the worst.

Hahaha, @Rob, I don't think you're lame and agree. I think "death metal at midnight and kegs rolling down the street" is a very over embellished sense of what will never occur. Trust me, I hear what you're saying, just find it funny that when you reference booze people get all scared and think that tomorrow Haddon Ave will be a "Greek Row" of some sort...

How about a bicycle shop. It would encourage more riding and help people get things locally.

Maybe I'm a wet blanket, but I think we have plenty of food-related establishments already! (booze or no booze... and for the record, I like Colls dry). I'd like to see some sort of retail that actually thrives, almost regardless of what type it is. The sports store idea seems viable and would fill a void... and would appeal to shoppers of all ages and interests.

I like the food market idea. Not as a competitor to Sarah's Produce, but to sell additional items like bread, milk, lunch meat and other items that Sarah's doesn't offer.
I love to shop in town but I think that our stores miss the mark - I often think of shopping for gifts for people, etc, but outside of two places I can think of that are fairly expensive we don't have much in that category.

I just want to remind all those in favor of tastings and art venues that the town owns and runs three venues that have attempted and failed at these - scottish rites temple, collingswood community center (that abortion next to the fire dept) and the library. All have movie screens, all have stages, and all have special permits to offer wine, beer, & food.

How about a good old fashioned Summer Fair in Knights Park, one that lasts a whole week and offers kiddie rides, a beer garden and a bunch of wheel games. All the May fair craft people could bring thier stuff too! Tents from all the Haddon ave. food places set up for a taste test and maybe some organized races. Do it July 4th week, a day at the fair and fireworks at night.

I'd like somewhere for families/kids/teens. Like an indoor play place and/or very cool arcade. Teens have very few options.

Or a scrapbook/craft place or just more creative, affordable gift shops to encourage people to walk around and browse

A "green" boutique. Featuring local artists / crafts, organic, hand-made, fair trade, etc. Buying gifts locally is really best practice so having more unique shopping ideas would help.

@John Q Public - is this your full-time occupation? Snarking up the Patch?

Bagel joint, please!

I picture a tasting venue that could also host cooking class during the week. Collingswood chefs, for example, could teach how to cook a dish or style of food. The venue could be used for private events as well. The cwood community center hosted a Moore brothers wine tasting last year. The place was packed, everyone
learned a bit about wine, and sampled a variety of wines. If a venue in town educated the guests on wine and or beer, why couldn't we provide tastings under the same premise as the community center?

1) A nice bodega/small grocery that has fresh items that are not expired. A place to do a quick stop for bread and milk. Organic, hopefully!

2)A place for families to hang out. Chestnut Hill has The Little Treehouse-- a family-friendly restaurant, combined with a spacious indoor playground, an early learning center and a fully equipped childrens gym.

3) Trader Joe's as and "anchor" store for Haddon Ave.

4) Retail shops that stay open when the restaurants are open. Re: Arts Plus. Places I will come back to time and time again.

1) Agreed - National Food Market should be replaced or remodeled, but that is not going to happen with the current owners - how many times have they been closed down due to health code violations?!?!
2) We have the Pop Shop for the kiddies
3) Trader Joes? HA - this is NOT Chestnut Hill, or Marlton for that matter (meaning we don't have those kinds of income levels that Trader Joes would consider coming anywhere near us)
4) I also do not understand why the few retailers we have left don't stay open later

Good News - The borough is already in talks with a Trader Joes.

@JQP - since when did Collingswood become so low brow? You make our town sound like we are w bunch of poor rednecks that cannot support a nice place. The incomes are certainly there.

Many of the retailers are not doing the volume they need. The economy stinks righ now, and it doesn't make sense for many retailers to stay open late.

Overall I thank many great points have been made on this thread. Unfortunately supply and demand - and politics - will surely shape the future of our business districts. As long as residents and Collingswood supports get involved and stay involved, hopefully businesses will continue to improve and prosper.

an "old-fashioned" butcher/delicatessen shop

I would like a traditional coffee shop diner (like the space that became tortilla press). Open early and open late.

An independant gaming/comic store. RPGs, collectible game pieces, unique card and board games, manga, etc.

RPG's? dontcha' think rifle/rocket propelled grenades are a little dangerous? :)

Re: liquor; 1 consump/license per 3k pop. gives a town of 14k four such licenses(Mayor Maley always misrepresents that number every single time; I'd blame it on EveryDay Math but he's too old to have been subjected to that); plus the one retail (i.e. liquor store), which could be used to entice Trader Joes. btw, retailers do not look just at the political entity for their market studies, they typically examine radii, either a simple geographical one or a more complex travel-time construct. Usually the primary metric is 3 miles, so higher-income Haddonfield (and parts of Haddon Twp.) would be within what is considered the market area (alas, a bit of Camden, too).
Sell to the highest bidder, who cares who's been here long/longer/longest. Use the proceeds to pay off the BlunderYard we're all on the hook for. The beauty is that it is entirely up to the town (within the law obviously) to set the terms. There can be a minimum bid set. A higher price, along with seller's discretion, will help avoid a shot/beer problem spot. There can be a liquor tax to establish an ongoing revenue stream vs. a one-shot (no pun intended, but I'll take it) pop. Geeze people let's get creative.

Pt. 2
Re: TJ's, the mayor's last comment I heard was "they are concentrating on the south". Sounded like more Maley misdirection and obfuscation, he thinks we don't notice. Alas, my initial attempts to contact their location specialists to verify what we're told by Lord Mayor was for nought as TJ's website has an absolute dearth of contact information. In all my free time I may pursue this line of inquiry to establish if, and how much, we're being lied to on that.

btw, I love JQP's first quip about "more Italian restaurants". Priceless.

Oh yeah, for vacant storefronts (i guess that was the original article before we got all tangentally eh?) I love capitalizing on what we do have going, restaurants and food, so cooking demos, classes, tie in the farmers' market, that's called synergy.

Wasn't there a real nice massage parlor down there ; )