Friday, April 5, 2013
A historic diner, which many wanted to move and preserve, got no help from Town Hall in more than 16 months of trying.
It looks like Mayor John McCormac has gotten his wish. Mom's Diner, the classic 1950s diner on Route 1 in Avenel, is about to fall to the wrecking ball. The diner and the neighboring Gem Motel are both being bulldozed to make way for a 4,1888 sq. ft. Wawa convenience store and gas station with six islands. On Thursday, most of the Gem Motel was gone, while the improvements added over the decades to Mom's Diner revealed the original details of the stainless steel structure. Over the entrance was a clock, long hidden by the facade added to the roofline in an effort to modernize the exterior. The clock hands were frozen just short of 3:00. When the mayor first announced the Wawa incursion into Woodbridge back in November, 2011, there were …
Monday, December 17, 2012
The classic 1950s diner in the Avenel section of Woodbridge may be on the verge of oblivion.
It's been a year since the news that Mom's Diner, a classic 1950s style diner, was going to be demolished to make room for a convenience store and gas station. Despite dozens of inquiries made to save the diner from the wrecking ball, it looks like it may be too late. A temporary fence was erected last week around the stainless steel structure, located on Route 1 in Avenel, and it looks like construction workers have begun disassembling the diner. The distinctive "Mom's Diner" sign was already gone. Potential purchasers of the diner, which sits next to the now-shuttered Gem Motel, have shown a keen interest in the diner for its historic value. Some would-be buyers have made calls from as far away as Massachusetts, hoping to move the …
Thursday, November 1, 2012
The urge for fuel of all kinds brought people from the township - and others miles away - out in search of gasoline and electricity.
Whether you were fueling your car or trying to fill a gas can to feed a thirsty generator, it was a nightmare throughout central New Jersey in the wake of no electricity from Hurricane Sandy. Gas lines snaked up and down Route 9 and Route 1, and anywhere you could find a gas station that was open, had electricity to pump gas, and had enough supplies to feed customers who desperately needed fuel. Gas consumers from the southern part of the state made their way to Woodbridge in search of fuel. Some people were so desperate and had come such a long way that when they got into a line, some of them ran out of gas before they got to their turn in line. The gas lines brought out Woodbridge police to keep order and keep the lines moving. People …
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Now's the time to fill 'er up as Wawa and Hess duke it out over gasoline prices - and drivers reap the rewards.
When Wawa moved into Fords this month, it brought more with it than a tasty sub and a good cup of coffee. It brought competition when it opened up the gas pumps. That has caused an impromptu price war between Wawa, located at the intersection of King George Road and Route 9 South, and nearby Hess. Two Hess stations, both within the shadow of the mammouth Hess Building and on the north and southbound sides of Route 9, are battling Wawa for who has the best price. Within days, gasoline prices in the vicinity of Route 9 were at levels not seen for ages. As of noon Sunday, Wawa's price for regular gas was $3.37 a gallon. Down the road, both Hess stations undercut the convenience retailer at $3.35 a gallon. Sunday travelers were lined up at …
Are you filling up your tank while the price dips in the gasoline wars?
Now is the time to get in your jalopy at head on down to Route 9. Newcomer Wawa with their gas stations and both Hess Stations on the north and southbound side of the roadway are conducting an all-out price war - and consumers are benefitting from the battle. Hess so far is winning. Both gas stations were two cents lower than Wawa on Sunday, with Hess punching in at $3.35 a gallon. By Monday night, the Hess price was down again to $3.33, as Wawa matched their older price. Have you taken advantage of the gas price war? Take the poll and tell us what you think about gas prices dropping. And while you're at it, check Patch's gasoline price widget! Follow Woodbridge Patch on Facebook, Twitter and sign up for the daily newsletter.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Don't close your eyes, or a store will transform itself before your eyes.
Three Woodbridge stores are in the process of opening, closing, and in one case, moving next door for bigger headquarters. Electronics Expo's Woodbridge store is in the process of closing. A store associate said they were "transferring their operations to their Wayne store." The store, located at the Crosspointe Center, closed up quickly after a "going out of business" sale. A sign pasted on the door recently said, "We Are Closed. Go to Our Union Store," and then gave the address and phone number. On a brighter note, Five Below - a store geared towards teens and pre-teens where every sells for five bucks and under - is moving into the bigger, empty store left when Destination Baby closed up shop. It's right next to its current location at…
Friday, October 19, 2012
Despite people who want to move a classic 1940s diner, part of New Jersey's history, Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac wants to bulldoze it.
It was a big moment in Woodbridge a week ago when the convenience store Wawa chain returned to the township since the late 1990s. They opened a convenience store and gas station in the Fords section of Woodbridge on October 12, and Mayor John McCormac helped make it all happen through the town's Redevelopment Agency. But the Wawa effort was to be only the first in Woodbridge. When Wawa announced earlier this year during the groundbreaking for the Fords store that they also intended on opening another outlet - also with a gas station - in Avenel, that entailed knocking down an old motel and diner. Mom's Diner in Avenel is a classic 1940s glittering steel diner that was in excellent, unchanged condition. It was on the market for $20,000, …
Monday, October 15, 2012
Wawa officials and store associates, a floor show, a hoagie-building contest and a chicken dance - what more could you want?
Woodbridge residents who remember with longing the days of when Wawa had a presence in the township will have to wait no longer. The first of two Wawa stores due to be opened in Woodbridge had its grand opening on Friday. The first store, located at Route 9 and King George Road in Fords, held festivities that included a show of Wawa store associates holding signs celebrating markers in the store's history and a hoagie-building contest between Hopelawn firefighters and the Woodbridge Police. The piece de resistance, though, was the performance of the chicken dance - renamed the goose dance - starring Wawa employees and Wally Goose, the convenience store's mascot. Wawa officials and Mayor John McCormac showed up to mark the opening. "We go …
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
The new convenience store is marking its return to Woodbridge - this time, in Fords, and with a gas station.
It's official: this Friday, Wawa will be marking its return to Woodbridge with the grand opening of a new store in the Fords section of the township. The combination store and gas station is located near the intersection of Route 9 and King George Road, across from the old Syms store. The festivities begin at 10 am on October 12, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Wawa’s Chief Financial Officer Jim Morey, Wally Goose, the store's mascot, and Mayor John McCormac. Immediately following will be a hoagie-building competition between members of the Woodbridge Police Department and and the Hopelawn Fire Squad. Each team will be challenged to build as many hoagies as they can in three minutes. Wawa will make donations to the charities of …
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Despite a rainy start, officials for the convenenience store and township administrators helped launch the construction of a new Wawa on Monday.
One of two new Wawa convenience stores came a shovel closer to fruition on Monday, when a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Wawa convenience store and a neighboring Aldi Foods supermarket took place in the Woodbridge. The ceremony at the site, located at the intersection of King Georges Post Road and Route 9 at an old car dealership, marked the beginning of redevelopment for the area. Joining Mayor John McCormac at the ceremony were corporate executives from Wawa, Aldi Foods, and Delco Development. "I am excited to be part of the rejuvenation process in Woodbridge and to be able to serve the customers here in Woodbridge," said Jim Shortall, director of Store Operations for Wawa in New Jersey. "This will be the first Wawa…
40.536201
-74.298299
555 King Georges Rd, Woodbridge, NJ
Near the site of the new Wawa/Aldi complex.
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Tom Maras
10:31 am on Tuesday, April 9, 2013
An icon has come down, but its departure has given rise to a lot of local history. Some of the posts have been both informative and interesting. Thanks to all for sharing. more ›