Woodbridge Main Street gets boost from Wednesday night events

by Sergio Bichao on Jul 4th | Email

People come to Main Street in Woodbridge on Wednesday for the weekly farmers market and free music concerts. Last week, acclaimed Indian singer Falu performed live. Staff photo: Augusto F. Menezes

WOODBRIDGE, NJ -- If you don't think there's much to do on Main Street, there's a chance you haven't been downtown lately on a Wednesday night.

Every week this summer on the half-mile strip between the municipal building and Amboy Avenue, residents and visitors can shop at a farmers market, attend a free concert or look at classic cars.

The events are part of what's called Woodbridge Wednesday, a full-court press by township officials and local merchants to increase foot traffic along the three blocks and in turn promote the businesses that range from eateries to consignment shops to mom-and-pop carpeting, trophy and sporting goods stores.

For the first time, the farmers market is being held Wednesdays in the middle of the street in heart of the commercial strip near School Street. It was held for its first two years on Saturday mornings in the municipal building parking lot.

Following the farmers market this year is a free outdoor 7:30 p.m. concert headlined by well-known artists.

Once a month in June, July and August the concerts take a break so classic-car enthusiasts can show off their automobiles.

There's evidence the events are starting to work. The first car cruise this year brought more than 100 cars. The concert series that began June 2 has brought about 200 people to Main Street each week for such performers as Dennis Diken of the rock band The Smithereens and Indian singer Falu, who's also performed at the White House and for the Dalai Lama.

“Woodbridge is getting the most positive feedback I've seen in years,” said Sherri Schwartz, who opened up Carpet Maven on Main Street with her husband Leon 20 years ago. “The car shows and the concerts are doing so much. They're bringing people in.”

Woodbridge Wednesdays partly owes its success to the Schwartzs, who started the car show 14 years ago and continue managing it. Township officials say the car cruise's success inspired them to hold more events on Main Street during the summer.

Sherri can trace her family back five generations in Woodbridge and talks about when Main Street had a diner, a movie theater and a Woolworth's. But the business situation is better today than it was 20 years ago, she said.

“When we first opened up we had eight storefronts to choose from. You don't have eight stores now,” she said.

Businesses that can stay open during the concerts and car cruises, such as San Remo Pizza, say sales are up on Wednesday nights.

But the events are also welcomed by business owners who close their shops early.

“I think it's a very good idea. People find out stores are here,” said Nooral Samsudeen, owner of the women's wear Main Street store Goddess Boutique. Samsudeen says she sees fewer people on Main Street than when she opened 11 years ago.

“We have a lot of commuters now,” she said. “They come to the train station but they don't shop downtown. They take the train to go to work, come back and they go home.”

Larry McCullough and his wife used to be among those commuters when they moved into the township in 2001.

“We would get on the train and head into the city,” he said. Now he's a grants officer for the municipal government and helps promote the township's downtown events and the arts.

“We want to get people to come to downtown Woodbridge,” he said. “Local people who may not be aware of what we have to offer, young people home for the summer from college who think there is nothing to do but there is, and get people from out of town.

“The idea is to get their attention: You know, two blocks away there is one of the greatest Indian singers in the world right now. Yeah, for free!”

The Wednesday night events also fit into the township's vision for promoting development through the arts.

Bill Brandenburg of Iselin booked artists like Raul Malo and Janis Ian for the spring and fall Music on Main Street, a paid concert series at the United Methodist Church that started last year. Ticket holders from these concerts came from 145 towns in New Jersey and a few in neighboring states, according to online sales information, McCullough said.

Woodbridge also offers free Monday night concerts in July and August at the Woodbridge High School field featuring Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel and Eagles cover bands.

The Woodbridge Artisan Guild features work by local artists at its gallery on Fulton Street near Main. The Guild was founded in 2008 with a grant from the mayor's arts committee and its doors are open during the farmers markets and concerts.

The farmers market, meanwhile, is a perfect match for the township's environmentally sustainable initiatives, such as Greenable Woodbridge and the Shop Local campaign, officials said.

The township would love to replicate Main Street's success on the township's other “main streets,” such as New Brunswick Avenue in Fords and Inman Avenue in Colonia. Redevelopment plans call for sprucing up Port Reading and local merchants on Oak Tree Road in Iselin have taxed themselves to construct more parking spaces.

“Some of these other roads are in effect highways with heavy traffic” township spokesman John Hagerty said. “Then there is also the issue of parking.” Parking is free and relatively abundant during the day in downtown Woodbridge; that's not so in the other nine sections of the township.

“That's a long-term goal to expand to other parts of town, but there are no plans right now,” McCullough said.