February 4
...serving up your daily dish.
Sure, it doesn't come as a complete surprise, but a letter this week in the Montclair Times spoke with finality about the exodus of Over the Rainbow from Church Street...
Over the Rainbow Shop in Montclair is not for everyone, nowadays, anyway. But in its time, it was as popular as a store could get in Montclair.
Originally known as The Clairmont Health Store, it changed its name when moving to Church Street, offering a casual family-type atmosphere with lots of good conversation.
Rainbow offers everything from soup to nuts at affordable prices. It was one of the few shops left in the central business district linked with the past.
We have struggled for a long time, but we could see the end coming with the new upscale trend and much higher rents in town.
It is difficult to say good-bye, but we have no choice.
BOB FARINA
Montclair
The writer is the owner of Over the Rainbow
Now, the big question -- who's coming in?
February 4, 2006 in Comings and Goings | Permalink
Why the YUPPIES are coming.
Gone forever is the Montclair that once was.
Posted by: Franklin | Feb 4, 2006 11:00:19 AM
Why the YUPPIES are coming!
The Rainbow and Judy Garland are now history and gone forever is the Montclair that once was.
I don't think we're in Kansas anymore!
Posted by: Franklin | Feb 4, 2006 11:02:36 AM
The yuppies came & went
Gen x'ers are calling the shots now.
Hang up your hat and move to the rocking chair
like Armstrong and Teagarden.
The times, they are a changin' and they're not
looking any better.
Posted by: PAZnj (AMiL) | Feb 4, 2006 12:48:08 PM
"Over The Rainbow" was a bit suspicious though, I really didn't trust the food, and nothing seemed clean. It seriously needed a good dusting, and the man that worked there needed a good shave and a makeover possibly. It was so ironic, none of the health food actually looked healthy,because everything was so dirty. It was quite unappetizing.I'm sorry to say it, but I look forward to something new and different.
-Margot
Posted by: Margot | Feb 4, 2006 2:55:53 PM
agreed. a very odd place. sold used clothing in their 'dairy' section. no joke.
Posted by: ralph | Feb 4, 2006 3:02:32 PM
A troll shoe store?
I know it's a specialty product, but we have so many trolls that you'd think it would be very profitable
Posted by: Still in the dark | Feb 4, 2006 3:14:12 PM
trolls don't wear shoes...we have large calloused feet protected by matted hair. Now, where is my precious?
Posted by: The Iceman (8T) | Feb 4, 2006 4:07:25 PM
What can run but never walks,
has a mouth but never talks,
has a head but never weeps,
has a bed but never sleeps?
Posted by: Still in the dark | Feb 4, 2006 4:28:05 PM
I'm with Margot. Periodically I would go in to Rainbow, but I always left without buying anything because everything looked as if it had been sitting there forever. But I have a question. How does a store that sells just cookies and coffee pay the rising rents on Church Street?
Posted by: Jessica | Feb 4, 2006 5:17:18 PM
Precious, precious, precious!" Gollum cried.
"My Precious! O my Precious!"
And with that, even as his eyes were lifted up to gloat on his prize,
he stepped too far, toppled, wavered for a moment on the brink,
and then with a shriek he fell.
Out of the depths came his last wail Precious, and he was gone.
Maybe he should have been wearing SHOES!
Posted by: Still in the dark | Feb 4, 2006 5:36:01 PM
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
from the ashes a fire shall be woken,
Alight from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken:
The crownless again shall be king.
-- J R R Tolkien
I loved those books----
Posted by: cstarling | Feb 4, 2006 5:51:54 PM
I bought vegetarian chili there once and it was ice cold, which really ticked me off. I mean, really, how hard is it to keep hot food hot and cold food cold?
And you could grow cobwebs waiting for service there.
Posted by: Miss Martta (8T) | Feb 4, 2006 9:32:22 PM
Bring back the Class reunion restaurant with Stash O'laughlin at the piano. R.I.P.
Posted by: PAZnj (AMiL) | Feb 4, 2006 9:40:23 PM
is anyone else as brokenhearted as i am that flannery's corner is closing down? the owner is retiring. i loved buying art supplies there. everything is now 50% off. there are still some goodies to be found--i got some cotman and winsor newton water color tubes, some beautiful brushes, water color and sketch pads, markers, pastels, and more.
Posted by: i'm fran, dammit | Feb 5, 2006 1:02:33 AM
Fran in a world full of AC Moore and Rag Shops, I always wondered-how long they would last?-but while they did I would find myself going there-and not even because I am vaguely an "artist" but because it was a place that made you want to be an "artist" not Martha Stewart. Myself and my little one will miss driving past their window displays. And buying construction paper there. I will miss their flag flying, a marker that after a long day or week on the GS parkway, we always knew we were blocks from home.
Posted by: cstarling | Feb 5, 2006 8:15:08 AM
"The Colander Colisseum," a new club store (memberships are $345 a year) where you can buy outrageously expensive kitchen gadgets that don't work any better than their $7.95 generic counterparts, but they sure look good on your marble and granite counter tops. Such items as the Platinum Garlic Press ($695), the Italian Leather Caviar Jar Opener ($199.95), and the Hand-Tatted Flemish Lace Pot Holders (not for use on hot objects) at only $225 lead the list of goodies at this new emporium for those who thrive on wretched excess.
Posted by: Conan the Grammarian | Feb 5, 2006 9:23:43 AM
