I am in Cranford- how sad is it to see it close?
I also used to love the Uptown Peddler on Alden and was soo bummed when that closed a few years back. I also think that our town is killing the businesses in our town with the 1hr parking meters. Don't even get me started on that garage they built, the elevators don't even work and I have a bad knee, so to climb the stairs is not an option. I'm so off topic now.
Anyway- hi neighbor!

How funny is this? Yes, downtown is a mess. Too many empty stores, too many nail salons and tanning salons, etc. Also too many comparisons to Westfield, Chatham, etc. Somebody needs to get a clue. There ARE some wonderful shops, but they're far and few between the junk. Some people do have good intentions I think, but they just get bullied around. Too much politics as well.

Well, nice to know I have a neighbor here. Where abouts do you live? North? South?

I'm off South Ave. in Centennial Village area. THANK GOD they are improving the store fronts over here, it was a total mess when I moved here 6 years ago. But the downtown is such a mess- I feel like getting more involved, and going to some of the town meetings, but I have a 3 and 5 year old and #3 on the way AND I work too. Makes you wonder why all those retail spaces were filled in Garwood across from Shoprite, and all the stores over here are empty. There must be something wrong with the politics in this town.

Interesting. I have a 6 1/2 and a 4 year old. I live in the area behind Hillside Avenue School (my son is in first grade there, my daughter will go to kindergarten there next year). It is nice that they are fixing up the area on Centennial. My husband has lived in Cranford his entire life. His family is still here as well. He works in town and we know first hand about the politics. My father in law worked for the town as well. And since we have recently had work done on our house, I can tell you more and more about politics as well, aside from my husband's job. You can watch the town meetings on TV35. And I hear you...I'm trying to get more involved in my son's school but with work, a younger child, home, and all the other things...it's so hard.

Those shops across from Shoprite did go up fast...and they're filled already? Wow.

HA! My daughter will be starting kindergarten at Hillside next year also. What a small world! My husband used to rent office space in town as well, his small HVAC business folded when the building burned down- I'm sure you know which building I am talking about, because it is still an empty lot. After that happened we learned a little bit about how the politics work in this area. I really love this town and the homes and the people, I just wish the downtown could thrive.
I'll have to look for petite women next year and ask them if they are five foot zero to figure out who you are-LOL

Oh my that is too funny. My daughter will be going to afternoon kindergarten...she'll be at the Methodist Church on Walnut & Lincoln during the morning hours.

I'm sorry to hear about your husband's business. Lets just say my husband tried to save that building. I remember that night well. My good friend cuts hair at the Mane event (2 doors down from where the fire was)...and she had called me to see if I knew if the store was involved...thankfully it wasn't.

Lots of nice decent people in town, but as with every town, there are also some not so nice, small minded people, and unfortnately some of them are at city hall.

Yes, I am 5' tall...I admit it!

I'm going to butt in for a bit. I used to live not far from Cranford in the Sleepy Hollow section of Plainfield. My son went to St. Michael's catholic school so I know the areas you are referencing pretty well. When the Shoprite in Garwood was mentioned, I smiled as I remember passing it everyday.

Anyway, just wanted to say hello to my fellow Jersey Girls! I now live in Ohio but NJ and NY will always be my home.

Hi deb- from your joisy girls!

Hi Deb:

Sleepy Hollow is a beautiful area..been to many a GREAT garage sale over there! My kids were baptized at St. Michael's and my son goes there for CCD now.

Jersey misses you!

Hi Polly and Fivefootzero! I miss you guys too! The garage sales in SleepyHollow were great. I'm hoping to find a similar neighborhood here in Oh. My son loved St. Michael's and did really well there. Come spring, I may reach out to you both for pictures of Forsythia and Azaleas. Now that I know longer live in NJ, I have a real and true appreciation for why NJ is called the Garden State.

Deb-
I live in a really old home in Cranford that once had prize winning azaleas. The people on my street tell me how it was once a showcase and people would actually walk down the street to admire the PO's gardening skills. We bought the house about 1 1/2 years ago from the estate. The elderly couple were unable to keep up with the grounds for about 10 years prior to us buying the house. We chopped them down low in hopes they come back, and they seem to have grown quite a bit since then. I'm hoping for nice blooms this spring so I'll send you a pic if I get them.

And fivefootzero- I'm only 5'2''- I'm vertically challenged and proud of it

Polly, Cranford has some beautiful old homes, lucky you. If you chopped them down, I'm sure they will come back better than ever. I can't wait until spring and I'll keep my fingers crossed as well that you get some nice blooms. Thanks so much!

Just saying hello! I used to live in Fanwood, right off of South St near the Friendly's. I really miss the great small towns there! We moved from there to the Seattle area 4 years ago and while we love it here I do miss living in a walk to town, small town parades, halloween contest and summer movies in the park.... Every once and a while I check out hte Union Cnty forum on NJ.com and I see lots of discussion lately about stores closing; sad.
Cathie

Hi from NJ- Cathie!

Deb- my old home is probably not what you're picturing. I agree that Cranford has beautiful old homes, it's what made the DH and I move there in the first place. But my old home is a true fixer-upper, and it will be years before we get it to where we want it- time and money constraints. Someone in the '50's decided to panel all the walls and cut all the trim and windowsills (what a sin!!). We found 7 boarded up windows, and a fireplace behind the paneling. They also tiled over the wood floors in 2 of the bedrooms. The outside is dreary gray asbestos shingle- the original stained wood shingles are underneath, but in this economy who knows when we will get to that. I still consider myself lucky that we have a home in a nice town with a lot of charm to raise my children. I agree it is really nice to be able to walk to town, attend parades and the halloween contests and participate in other activities the community has to offer.
Fivefootzero- Hopefully my daughter will be in morning kindergarten so she can go to aftercare at her nursery school on the days I'm working. I'll have to look for you when she gets to first grade-LOL

Hi Cathie! my friend still lives in Fanwood and I remember Friendly's. The surrounding towns of Fanwood, Garwood, Cranford, parts of Plainfield have so much to offer.

Polly, my my! I'm going to say that you have a labor of love and over time, you and your family will make it your own. I also hear you about the economy and a charming town.

Cathie, what's it like in Seattle?