Hoboken community rallies behind coffee shop cut off by construction
Joboken Cafe has seen business drop as ongoing construction work outside its door has cut off the flow of commuters and customers.
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A Hoboken coffee shop next to the PATH station on Hudson Place has seen business drop as ongoing construction work outside its door has cut off the flow of commuters and customers.
Joboken Cafe has spent the past four weeks watching construction close in. Work to upgrade the roadway and replace water mains has shut down Hudson Place and most of the sidewalk in front of the shop.
"At first it was just the noise, the demolition," said general manager Gabriella Cornier. "But then the construction got just as close to this front door, so it definitely disrupted that natural flow of customers."
Cornier said the disruption has had a detrimental impact on business, forcing the shop to reduce staff shifts.
"We have a lot of customers that are commuters," Cornier said. "In their mind, they're trying to get to the PATH or the ferry. If they're not directed to us, it's going to cross their minds to not come by if they're not regulars."
The shop turned to social media to raise awareness of its situation and the posts caught on. They racked up thousands of views and likes. The attention has translated into support from the community.
"We're seeing our regulars, but I'm also seeing a bunch of brand new faces, even within the last three days," Cornier said. "Our sales have increased at least over 100%. A lot of people are mentioning the post, so I just thank them every time they come in."
A spokesperson for the City of Hoboken told News 12 that Mayor Emily Jabbour was at Joboken Cafe last week, where they say she spoke directly with Cornier and sent a message to the owner about the impact of the construction.
They say Jabbour asked the Hoboken Business Alliance to have signage made to help direct foot traffic to the business. Jabbour also met with city staff to discuss the construction timeline.
The work is part of the Hoboken Connect Project, a partnership between the city, LCOR and NJ Transit to replace water mains and upgrade the roadway near the PATH station.
The sidewalk is expected to reopen in early September. Roadway construction on that block segment is expected to be completed by early October.
