June 17
...serving up your daily dish.
Here's hoping the movement to rename Montclair's South End Business District has been firmly squashed. From yesterday's Montclair Times, attendees at a neighborhood meeting on June 9 gave voice to the majority opinion of many residents: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
"We're worried about a name change...let's worry about getting rid of the riffraff," said Karen Holt, a Linden Avenue resident.
In an informal vote, the "Historic South End Business District" garnered the most raised hands; no attendees voted for Montclair South Business District. Folks at the meeting would likely slap the hand of NJ.com's Christopher Castellani, who writes this following a visit to Smokey's BBQ in the South End:
This was the second time I've been to the south end of Montclair since I moved here in 2000. The first time was when I got lost trying to find a short cut to West Orange. Let's face it, there really is no reason to go down there.
Folks waiting hungrily for Woods Dairyland to reopen disagree...
June 17, 2005 in Only in Montclair | Permalink
Shame on Christopher Castellani.
Choppy's Cleaners is the best in town IMHO. And the folks South End Hardware are great. Will be even better when the ice cream place re-opens.
Next to Tao Yuen Chuen (B'field), the Jamaican place is my son's favorite 'fast food' place.
And guess what folks? I've never had a problem finding a parking spot.
.
Posted by: Pam | Jun 17, 2005 9:58:53 AM
So I guess Lower Montclair is out of the question, then...
Posted by: conan the grammarian | Jun 17, 2005 11:13:14 AM
Yes, the hardware store is a nice throwback with great advice and the smell of twine. I have also given business to the very friendly and helpful florist. Further down Orange Rd there is a fine nursery where I bought some shrubs. And once in a while I get some beer at the liquor store! Sounds like snooty Christopher Castellani should just stay in whitey-ville.
Posted by: Person of Interest | Jun 17, 2005 11:29:19 AM
Which "riff" is she "raffering" to? I can't believe that in this day and age, someone would actually make a remark like that to a reporter.
Posted by: Miss Martta | Jun 17, 2005 11:49:07 AM
I thought anything south of Watchung Avenue counted as Lower Montclair. I've been telling people that's where I live for years.
Posted by: Lisa | Jun 17, 2005 1:27:54 PM
I happen to live in "Upper" Montclair, but I wouldn't be caught dead with the pretentious U word on my stationary. Lower Montclair though has a nice underdog feel to it.
Posted by: walleroo | Jun 17, 2005 1:36:44 PM
I know many people who are from the South End,I never met anyone from "Montclair South".
The South End community is one of those things that makes Montclair Montclair. It contributes to the diversity that makes Montclair attractive to interracial families like mine.
It is also an important part of Montclair's history. For instance, many of the children who were the plantifs in the Rice case (which eventualy resulted in the creation of the magnet school system.) still live in the South End. Their kids went to school with my kids.
The name of this community should not be erased.
Posted by: Bitpusher | Jun 17, 2005 7:01:22 PM
As long as nobody calls it "Downer Montclair", which my daughter once dubbed it, as in "Mommy, do we live in Downer Montclair?"
Posted by: latebloomer | Jun 17, 2005 7:39:56 PM
Forget about the geography, forget about the inter racial (sp) mix. It is a neighborhood! It is convient for those who live around there and don't want to deal with traffic and crowds. I left the area 3 years ago but still patronize those stores...people actually talk to you! It is a slice of Main Street in a town that is increasingly becoming jaded. Who cares what it is called? The most important thing is that it is there!
Posted by: Beth | Jun 17, 2005 7:49:09 PM
07042 is Montclair. 07043 is Upper Montclair. Big deal. Why get so upset about it?
Posted by: Bitpusher | Jun 17, 2005 9:25:54 PM
Here's a bit of upper/lower trivia.
When my wife and I moved to this area, we rented the second floor of a multi-family on the corner of Watchung and Valley until we sold our house down South.
The first floor is in Montclair, while the second floor is in Upper Montclair.
It's good to be easily amused...
Posted by: Walter | Jun 18, 2005 8:43:46 AM
It must be nice to have nothing to worry about except trying to make your snotty piece of crap town sound snootier . Montclair is the most overated town in the history of NJ and all the pretentious high brows living in it belong in CA with all the other cool aiders
Posted by: zRediculi | Jul 3, 2009 10:11:35 AM
