By Sunayana Prabhu
RED BANK – Downtown Red Bank is heading into the holiday shopping season with renewed momentum as more than 22 businesses have opened in town since the beginning of the year, according to Mairin Bennett, executive director of the borough’s promotional agency RiverCenter.
Bennett has been tracking the influx of businesses since Jan. 1. “We’ve had over 22 businesses that I’ve been able to track coming in,” she said. That only includes retailers in the Special Improvement District (SID), she noted. The SID comprises the downtown business district, mainly on and off Broad Street, which is now home to a diverse mix of national brands and regional retail anchor stores.
Brooks Brothers Arrives
Among the most significant openings is Brooks Brothers, which filled the former Chase Bank building after a long vacancy.
“That’s a 5,252-square-foot retail location,” Bennett said. “We’re very excited to have that, and with that attraction of a national chain lease, that signifies confidence in Red Bank.”
She added that the retailer was “attracted to the Broadwalk,” noting that RiverCenter’s events and pedestrian programming have helped draw new investment. Prior to opening in Red Bank, Brooks Brothers was a longtime lessee at the Grove in Shrewsbury.
Red Bank borough administrator Jim Gant agrees that Broadwalk, the seasonal pedestrian plaza that takes over Broad Street every summer, has been a draw for new businesses, despite some pushback.
“By increasing foot traffic, extending the amount of time visitors spend downtown, and creating a vibrant, welcoming destination, Broadwalk has elevated the visibility of our local businesses and helped inspire continued investment in the downtown district,” he said.
In addition to Brooks Brothers, Bennett confirmed that other national or multilocation brands are entering the district.
“Insomnia Cookies has signed the lease,” she said. “King Baby is a jewelry store on Broad Street, they have only seven locations in the country.”
Independent Shops, Relocations in the Mix
Some existing Red Bank businesses also upgraded to more prominent storefronts. “In 2025, we’ve been able to have new locations for existing businesses, such as Leonardo’s (jewelers), Shore Gamers, Toyutopia, moving to more prominent areas because they wanted to be on Broadwalk,” Bennett said.
She described the Anderson Market on the West Side as “a tremendous success,” and the recent opening of Street Kitchen Pub at 5 Broad St., operated by the owners of The Proving Ground restaurant in Atlantic Highlands.
“They catered their restaurant or bar to be part of Broadwalk, so they have the garage doors open, which will be a great addition in 2026 for the summer,” she said.
Other recent openings include Robertella Boutique on Front Street, Jersey Cookie Girl on Mechanic Street, a sports medicine and chiropractic treatment center called RSM Sports Medicine in the former Red Bank Sleep Shop space on Maple Avenue, Jazz Arts Project, a music conservatory which opened on White Street this past weekend, Build & Brew on White Street, and boujiefire, the candle store on Monmouth Street.
“With the new restaurants and entertainment, we’re actually able to change how people come to Red Bank,” Bennett said. “They’re staying here longer, increasing the likelihood of cross-shopping.” Instead of “just coming here for dinner,” Bennett explained, “now they’re doing dinner, dessert, a show at the Basie, for example, and also being able to shop at retail stores.”
She said RiverCenter is “very excited” about the mix of strong independent operators and select national names.
Long-Term Fits
Bennett said RiverCenter’s strategy prioritizes matching businesses with the right property owners to ensure stability.
“I almost call it like a dating game,” she said. “We find the perfect match, a perfect business with the perfect property owner. Instead of just getting a tenant, we’re actually looking for longevity and success.”
Bennett explained that long-term leases help stabilize rents and reduce frequent turnover.
“A one-year lease doesn’t really do anything for the downtown,” she said.
At the beginning of 2025, “people were saying there’s a lot of vacancies, but that was a false impression,” Bennett said, because there were a lot of signed leases that were building their stores. “We’ve been able to fill a lot of those vacancies.”
Additionally, she said a strong downtown helps the local economy by boosting property values.
RiverCenter’s Role
Bennett said RiverCenter played a direct role in attracting new businesses through targeted outreach and promotional efforts. “We did it on buses, on trains, and we even did it on a plane to market Red Bank.”
The district also upgraded its streetscapes. “When you make the streetscapes attractive, you attract people to visit – but also people who want to open up their stores here.”
For new owners navigating their first permits and paperwork, Bennett said RiverCenter serves as a guide.
“It can be overwhelming,” she said. “We hold your hand. We tell you where to go for a sign permit, who to talk to, what you need before you open. We really try to get them comfortable and then thriving.”
Also important has been the borough’s renewed internal collaboration, Gant said. “Our building department staff and office of community development have worked hard to streamline communication, improve coordination, and ensure that new and existing businesses receive timely, consistent guidance that is friendly and helpful. This has fostered a more supportive, solutions-oriented environment for entrepreneurs.”
Holiday Season Outlook
Bennett said this year’s pre-holiday business openings are already boosting activity downtown.
“To have more of a variety that is more attractive to the customers, will have a larger flow of foot traffic,” she said. “A lot of these businesses have really put in the time to actually open before the holiday season.”
She said foot traffic typically increases after Christmas rather than before it.
“The week after Christmas is actually more traffic than the week before Christmas,” she said. “It’s a couple thousand – everyone’s home from school or work, and that’s when people get their gift certificates and want to come out and shop.”
Bennett said the strong year of business growth sets the stage for more recruitment and economic activity in the coming year.
“We’re excited for the 2026 season,” she said. “With their great success, we’ll be able to attract even more businesses and boost the economic vitality in the downtown.”
The article originally appeared in the December 4 – 10, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
