Why Downtown Newark?

When I looked at the corner of Halsey and Branford, I saw opportunity.

I saw Hobby’s Delicatessen, an institution with deep roots in Newark. I saw the Prudential Center nearby, bringing people downtown for games, concerts, and events. I saw residential towers rising and more people choosing to call downtown home.

And I saw a place for Mr. Tod’s.

A corner where someone could stop for coffee on the way to work, have breakfast before class, meet a friend for lunch, or pick up a pie to take home. Those everyday habits are how a café becomes part of a neighborhood.

But my decision went beyond that corner.

I firmly believe no other city in New Jersey offers the combination Newark does. An international airport. Trains connecting people throughout the region. A major port. Universities. Arts, music, and a cultural history with influence far beyond the city limits.

This is New Jersey’s largest city. There is a lot here to build on.

As an entrepreneur, it’s in my nature to seek the path less traveled. I’ve always been willing to see an opportunity for myself and put in the work to pursue it. Downtown Newark appealed to that instinct.

Choosing a location is one decision. Opening the doors every morning and earning people’s business is the work that follows.

Over the past year, that work has meant getting to know the people who live here, work here, study here, and pass through. Learning their routines. Remembering their orders. Giving them a reason to come back—and a place they feel comfortable bringing someone else.

It has also meant dealing with the challenges of running a business downtown. There are things that need attention and things that need to improve. When you invest your money, your time, and your name in a place, you care about what happens outside your front door, too.

I want this corner to thrive. I want more people walking these streets, supporting businesses, and seeing what I saw when I chose Halsey and Branford.

Hobby’s has helped anchor this neighborhood for generations. The Prudential Center draws crowds. New residential buildings bring new neighbors. Businesses like ours have a role in making the blocks between those destinations places where people want to spend time.

That’s what we’re working toward, one customer at a time.

Why downtown Newark?

Because I saw the possibilities here. Because I believe in this city. And because I was willing to put my name on that belief.