It’s the dream of every commercial project and municipal official in the state: a Starbucks.
A store means more than just access to coffee — many see it as an affirmation that their community or project is a prime place for development. Starbucks may seemingly be ubiquitous in the landscape, but it is very selective about where it opens a location.
Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis sure sees it that way — and said as much at the grand opening Monday of the new location in the Harbor View Marketplace.
“On behalf of the city of Bayonne, I would like to welcome Starbucks to our community,” Davis said. “The decision by Starbucks to locate here demonstrates that Bayonne is a desirable market in the metropolitan area.
“We are happy that Bayonne is providing Starbucks with one of its carefully chosen locations.”
Located at 26 Goldsborough Drive, just off of Route 440, Starbucks is the newest business to open at Harbor View Marketplace, the new shopping center at the Military Ocean Terminal that is delivering 240,000 square feet of retail space to the Bayonne Waterfront.
It joins Costco Bayonne, a 157,000-square-foot store and 18-pump Costco gas station that opened last March. Other businesses slated to open soon include LA Fitness, Lidl grocery, CVS Pharmacy and Posh Nails & Beauty Lounge.
Joe Forgione, founder and principal of JMF Properties, said the location is an example of how development can impact a municipality.
“This is a perfect example of what can happen when the city and a developer work together toward a common goal,” he said. “The city of Bayonne, under the leadership of Mayor Davis, has been instrumental in helping us deliver businesses like Costco and Starbucks to the community in a timely manner.
“Starbucks is an excellent fit for the retail mix we are curating here with our partner RD Management, and we believe they will be very successful in this location.”
Richard Birdoff, principal and president of RD Management, shared in the optimism.
“We’re thrilled to have Starbucks as part of the diverse mix of national tenants at Harbor View Marketplace,” he said. “We, alongside JMF Properties, believe this live-work-play development will become a top-tier destination and fulfill the lifestyle needs of the Bayonne community.”
The store is open for both walk-in and drive-thru customers.
