Tag Archives: Kataluma Chai

Aromalicious cafe up for sale

Aromalicious, we hardly knew ya. The Portuguese pastry shop opened for business just around the start of 2011 and barely lasted a year. A few weeks ago, a sign on the front door indicated the shop was closed for vacation and more recently a “Business for Sale” sign has graced the storefront at  85 E. Cherry St.

Across the street, it appears a clothing store has opened, next to the Cherry Street Farmer’s Market, and further up the street, a beauty supply shop has taken over the space at 43 E. Cherry St. that was occupied by Pet Essentials, which moved around the corner to the former Kataluma Chai space on Main Street.

Retail comings and goings

The Zoning Board of Adjustment had too few members in attendance to vote on the St. Mary’s application tonight, so let’s catch up a few comings and goings in recent weeks when it comes to retail spaces:

* Main Shoe Repair, at the corner of Main and East Cherry streets, closed today. It occupied the location for less than two years, opening in the spring of 2009 and at the time replacing a salon.

* A pet spa is expecting to fill the former Kataluma Chai at 1470 Main St., by sometime in March. Kataluma was in the space from October 2009 to September 2010. Thanks to a reader who submitted the photo at right.

* The Zen Martial Arts and Meditation Center of Rahway recently opened on Main Street, between the Rahway Art Hive and Main Street Barber Shop.

There’s been some scuttlebutt about a few others but I haven’t been able to confirm them yet.

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Patria Restaurant and Mixology Lounge opened in December, replacing the former El Bodegon restaurant on West Main Street. I haven’t had a chance to visit yet and haven’t heard much about it, but there seems to be plenty of curiosity judging by search activity on the web. Normally, there are a few keyword searches that turn up in our blog results several times a week. The most popular usually are Carriage City Plaza or Sky View, maybe a few times a day. Keyword searches for Patria or El Bodegon, however, routinely reach a dozen a day or more, far higher than anything else we’ve seen in the past.

Kataluma Chai closes up shop

Kataluma Chai Company closed as of Sunday, lasting less than a year at its Main Street location. The coffeehouse opened in October 2009 at 1470 Main St., subleasing about 650 square feet from the neighboring Niece’s Pieces, at the corner of Main and Lewis streets.

An announcement was posted in the windows of Kataluma Chai on Sunday (click image below to enlarge):

Dear Customers,
We regret to inform you that Kataluma Chai officially closed its doors on Sunday, September 26th. We appreciate all of the support you have given us over the past year. It has been our pleasure to serve you, and as an new business in downtown Rahway, we thank you for your warm welcome. We hope that you will continue to support local businesses during these tough economic times. Thank you again for your support.

Sincerely,
Kataluma Chai Owners
sales@katalumachainj.com

Catching up on tenant turnover

There’s been a bit of turnover in some downtown spaces the last few months, particularly along East Cherry Street.

Continue reading Catching up on tenant turnover

Kataluma Chai opens next month

Kataluma Chai Company will open next month with a grand opening weekend Oct. 16-18 when patrons can get a free cup of chai latte or free scoop of ice cream during the opening weekend. A ribbon cutting ceremony is slated for Oct. 14.

The gourmet tea cafe at 1470 Main St. will offer chai teas, coffee and bagels, breakfast pastries, and desserts, in addition to free Wi-Fi and study areas. (I don’t know about you but I think we could use some decent bagels within walking distance of downtown.) The cafe is leasing about 650 square feet from the adjacent Niece’s Pieces.

It’s the first Kataluma Chai on the East Coast, with existing locations in Lakewood, Colo. and Silverdale, Wash. Rahway residents Aisha Thomas-Petit and Danielle Etienne decided to open the cafe after a visit to Colorado.