Black Friday an Opportunity for Hillsborough Shops

Presence of national chains means opportunity for shoppers, local merchants say

Kevin Sweeney’s Bentley's Fine Jewelers is in the shadow of the Kohl’s anchor store in the Hillsborough Promenade shopping center. It’s actually a pretty good place to be heading into the first big holiday shopping weekend, Sweeney said this week. “The crowds don’t thin out after their door-buster specials,” he said. “The parking lot is full all day. We get the spillover.” Sweeney’s store is attached to the Kohl’s, which anchors one end of the sprawling shopping center on Route 206. The proximity increases his own traffic, he said. This year, larger, national retailers are expanding the traditional Black Friday by adding hours on Thanksgiving Day. For smaller retailers, it is a choice of whether to follow the lead of their larger neighbors…

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On The Town

Kidz on the Move Offers Therapy for Special Needs Children

Clinic has been operating since 2001 in Hillsborough.

Children with special needs of all kinds throughout central New Jersey have a place to go to have their needs addressed. The place? Kidz on the Move Pediatric Rehabilitation Center, located right here in Hillsborough. Open since 2001, Kidz on the Move was started by Michele Diaz-LaManna and a business partner who later had to withdraw from the business due to health reasons. However, that turn of events did not stop Diaz-LaManna from continuing on with her calling as a pediatric therapist. “Of (my) 24 years (as a therapist), 23 and a half have been exclusive to pediatrics,” Diaz-LaManna said. “I graduated from Russell Sage College in Troy, NY with a specialty in pediatrics and knew from my freshman year in high school that I wanted to be a…

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On The Town

Pioneer Pet Care Offers Family-Owned Kennel Services

Vince and Pat DeMasi have operated kennel for over three decades.

For over thirty years, Pioneer Pet Care has been operating quietly on East Mountain Road in Hillsborough, specializing in a family-style pet care. Pioneer is owned by Vince and Pat DeMasi, a husband and wife team who oversee the entire operation of the kennel and pet care facility. For over three decades, the DeMasis have kept all of their pet care services in the family, without having once hired outside help. “To my knowledge, we are the only kennel in the area that is strictly owner-operated. We’re not just on premises; we are the only two that actually have the hands-on care,” Pat DeMasi said. “We don’t hire anybody. We’ve had volunteers wanting to come in and walk them, and we appreciate the offer, but we would rather have the hands-…

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On The Town

Shoe Repair Shop Doesn't Stop at Footwear

DiStefano's has been operating since 1986, but handles much more than shoes.

Shoe sales and repair gave DiStefano’s Shoe Repair and Quality Footwear its name, but the shop isn't just about shoes. In the over 25 years owning and operating the shop, store owner Joe DiStefano has seen—and repaired—it all. “We do everything,” said DiStefano. “Orthopedic footwear, handbags and luggage. We shorten belts, (repair) backpacks, baseball gloves. We get some crazy things.” At age 13, DiStefano began his career as an apprentice in a shoe repair stop. DiStefano told Patch that this experience was vital to the success of his future business, as it allowed him to spend long periods of time honing every aspect of the craft. “You’ve got to apprentice for it; you can’t learn it. Same with me; I started when I was 13 years old working…

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Laura Madsen

4:17 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012

DiStefano's is absolutely fantastic. He's done a lot of work for me over the years. Once I had a piece of luggage mutilated at Newark airport and he stitched it right back up. It looked good as new! Two other times I had him replace the heels on expensive boots of mine. The heels he replaced the original ones with were better than the ones I bought the boots with! Not to mention he's sewn new …   more ›

On The Town

Screen Printing Business Built from Scratch

Sincere Legends has been operating in Hillsborough since 2008.

It started with the vision of two 20-somethings—to create their own clothing line. And since 2008, Hillsborough-based Sincere Legends has handled the town's screen printing and other needs. Sincere Legends was founded by West Virginia alums Nick Inghilterra, 26 and Allie Plaskon, 24. The company started while Nick, an advertising major, and Allie, a public relations major, were students at West Virginia University. The duo turned to local screen printing shops to have their early designs—titled "Duck, Duck, Legend," "The Skyline," and "The Hopscotch" – printed until the pair grew tired of relying on outside businesses and decided to purchase screen printing equipment of their own to grow their clothing line. Securing finances was difficult…

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VIDEO: Big Top Fun as Girl Scouts Learn Circus Skills

Local Girl Scouts had a taste of the circus Friday night.

About 75 local Girl Scouts tested their big top skills with help from local business the Circus Place during a night of circus arts at Hillsborough Middle School.

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On The Town

Ins & Outs Decorating Focuses on Customer Needs

Business has been operating since 2007.

When having an interior space renovated, it is important to keep the client’s wants and needs for the end result at heart.  “Renovating a space can and should be a good experience for clients,” Maryjo Eckhard, owner and operator of Hillsborough-based Ins & Outs Decorating said. “It is very important to me to create a welcoming space that reflects each client’s individual taste, style and need.” Since 2007, Eckhard has been doing just that, serving Somerset, Morris and Mercer counties as an interior designer after over 20 years working in advertising and graphic arts. “Wanting a change and always being interested in design, decorating and construction, I decided to go back to school for Interior Design,” said Eckhard about starting Ins & …

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On The Town

Sustainable Company Lets Residents 'Landscape Better'

Hillsborough-owned company creates plans that reduce impact on homes and plants.

With a larger emphasis than ever today on environmental awareness and sustainability, one local landscaper has taken it upon himself to take a more educated approach to his landscaping business. Judd Mandell, the owner and operator of Landscape Better in Hillsborough, is a 24-year veteran of the landscaping industry who started the company in September. His primary goal is to create sustainable landscapes that are done the right way, without too much impact on homes or the plants themselves. “The reason I started a more responsible landscape company is because I believe that proper landscaping lets shrubs and trees have room to grow, and it also keeps home drier,” said Mandell. “I’ve seen so many landscapes gone bad over the past decade …

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Bites Nearby

Surprisingly Good Sushi, Good Bang for the Buck

Somerville restaurant has lots of food choices, good prices.

You could stand on a corner and look around until a restaurant sign draws you in. But we've got a better idea. Each week, Patch picks a great restaurant either in town or nearby that is worth checking out. Here's this week's choice: Yutaka Hibachi Steakhouse Overview: Yutaka is one of the bigger sushi restaurants on Main Street in Somerville, and one of the only ones on that stretch that offers hibachi as well. It's a big restaurant, with the hibachi toward the back, and the sushi tables in the front—comfortable place, good food, nice options. Décor: The restaurant has dark lighting, and is very beautifully decked out in cultural symbols and other pictures and such. There is an actual fountain at the front of the restaurant, and overall it…

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Laura Madsen

4:55 pm on Thursday, January 5, 2012

The food looks really good!   more ›

On The Town

Learning Express to Close This Month

Hillsborough toy store sites Internet sales and economy among reasons the shop will close.

After nine years in Hillsborough, Learning Express Toys will shut its doors Jan. 31, another victim of declining sales and the economic downturn. “Business is down 50 percent,” Owner Rick Grossman said. “It’s the economy. Internet sales too. Automatically, people save 7 percent with the lack of sales tax. Government officials have been silent on that. “I can’t fault people for wanting to save money, and, in this economy, people have needed to save their money,” he added. “People are out of work. They can’t spend as much.” Like many retailers, Learning Express has seen costs rise at the same time as its sales dropped, and an increase in competition from Target, Barnes and Noble and other stores. Still, Grossman avoided raising prices at his…

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Laura Madsen

9:36 am on Thursday, January 5, 2012

Princeton is a hike. Learning Express was always our "go-to" store for birthday party gifts. My daughter was also upset to find out that they are closing.   more ›