I would welcome a Woolworths type store again which offers an assortment of everyday needs. Also, any discounted type stores for specific clothing. How about a fun arcade for children of all ages.

We need retail! Desperately. Enough bars and restaurants already... oh and PLEASE not another bank.

One of the main reasons I accepted a job in Morristown 9 years ago was the availability of retail shopping. Now that Epstein's has closed, as well as the majority of other stores, unless you want a meal or go to the bank, there really is nothing here. I'm sorry, but Century 21 has not taken the place of those retailers that were here previously. As an aside - downtowns that have retail shopping and free parking are thriving! I wouldn't say Morristown is doing that.

Have to agree with Laurie Burkhardt. Morristown is missing the boat. We need retail desperately! The town of Westfield is thriving- why don't we follow their lead?

How about a book store... seems strange that a cultural center like Morristown doesn't have one...

As someone that has lived in the town for 26 years and whose family owned a business in town for the first 18 of those years, the sentiment that retail and greater abundance of cheap (preferable free) parking is needed. This town when i grew up was like Madison and Chatham, lots of great small businesses, however, now there are very few small businesses that are unique to Morristown.

Also there used to be 2 book shops one in the building adjacent to the Library, but they sold to the library and the other was Barnes and Noble on the green. Both neither could survive past 2000, if my memory is correct.

I really really want a vegetarian restaurant or someplace veggie friendly!

No more banks, drug stores or bars.
Would like a hardware store, and a non-chain coffee shop with lots of comfortable seating and eclectic speakers.
Would like the Green removed and replaced with a parking lot (ok, kidding). Actually, would like the HQ Plaza brick outdoor plaza turned into a green park. No one likes sitting in that brick oven in the summer or ice wind tunnel in the winter.

A Hallmark card store

Good Afternoon,
It’s good to read that so many Patch readers care about Morristown’s business community. Morristown Partnership retains the services of a nationally recognized Retail Recruitment Consultant, DANTH, who created a comprehensive report in which a retail revitalization strategy and action plan were formulated for downtown Morristown.

This report is intended to assist existing businesses, prospective entrepreneurs, governmental officials, realtors, property owners, developers, educators, business counselors, and others in the community as they engage in activities related to the economic well being and growth of Downtown Morristown. The full text can be found on our website: http://morristown-nj.org/features2.html?id=1310497852
We encourage you to take a minute to read this section: TWO WAYS OF LOOKING AT DOWNTOWN MORRISTOWN’S RETAIL MIX -- AND THE FUTURE (pp.36 &37)
(due to character restrictions on the comments box we are unable to provide the excerpt here)
Since its inception in 1994, Morristown Partnership has assisted in recruiting and connecting viable businesses with downtown stakeholders. Should Patch readers have suggestions and/or contact information for any prospective retailer you feel would thrive in Morristown do not hesitate to email us at webmaster@morristown-nj.org.

Think Local, Shop Morristown! Thank you.
Morristown Partnership
www.morristown-nj.org

I will certainly throw my two cents in for a bookstore here in town. I'm not picky regarding local or chain, it would be nice just to have one to browse around in. Before anyone says it "although i love the library, it just isn't the same as having a retail book store".

We need a card store, a gift shop, and a LuLu Lemon!

Agreed with the other commentators about the need for a bookstore and other affordable shopping in town. I was in Maplewood Village for the first time yesterday and it was great seeing so many locally-owned, independent shops - especially Words. Morristown needs more of those and NOT five new steakhouses, pizza shops and frozen yogurt joints. There seems to be a startling lack of creativity in whomever approves business plans for our town. A live music venue would be fantastic too!

We need a bookshop or two and absolutely NO MORE BANKS

We need at least one book shop, if not more and ABSOLUTELY NO MORE BANKS. I would like to see half the banks removed

I would like to see a bookstore & our movie theatre turn into IMAX movie theatre...

We need variety. That about sums up this blog.

There is a great used book store down Ridgedale (Old Book Shop) right by the jail. But I do wish I could get a good gyro or a quality cigar when walking around town - both are lacking

Morristown has a nasty little problem with redundancy that I would like to see remedied for sure. Cut it out already with the same restaurant/bank/bar pattern that seems to clone itself upon every street. And 3 upcoming froyo place on top of the Creamery and Cold Stone?! Dear Lord, is no one in the Chamber of Commerce worried about gratuitous competition? I'd love to see Morristown become some sort of Red Bank or even a Milburn. It used to have charming elements ( oh how I miss Epsteins) but now its just some Pastiche of yuppyville but not even in a good way. Although I did just say no more restaurants, I'd love to see a great breakfast joint ( the Diner is just NOT cutting it) along with a Bookstore/coffee shop that supports local bands (take up where Cafe Arabica left off but without the potential for shenanigans), a juice bar/ wellness type place, affordable retailers and maybe even a kitschy little thrift store. I'd love an independent theater that Chatham or Montclair but that might be too much to ask for. Also if someone could just invest some money in the Speedwell Ave area to unify those parts of town, it would be great. A salsa spot open to both yuppy youth and the growing immigrant population would be super awesome

bars, banks, and restaurants are the businesses that are able to survive because of their profit margin. a bookstore will not survive in morristown! blame it on banks whom offer to pay a high rent which makes other landlords realize that they too can charge high rents.

I'd definitely like to see a Greek restaurant also a Middle Eastern place to get felafel and gyros. There were rumblings of both coming to town but pulled out.

Also, to John's point, The Grapeful Palate has been great to my wife and I on suggesting not just great wines but also really reasonably-priced wines. Definitely worth checking out.

Variety is the spice of downtowns!! Free parking would be a big draw as well.

Some very good ideas here. (Salsa Spot, Greek Restaurant) I would recommend reading the Revitalization Strategy and Action Plan posted previously by the MPll Ave.. It is most informative. One area which is of great concern to me is linking Speedwell Avenue businesses with local hotels.The Morristown Latino community offers so much culture and I don't feel we take advantage of the restaurants and other businesses in that area of town.
Some of my other thoughts: Revitalize the Train Station Mall in order to attract more buyers/renters for the new residential area(which seems to not be attracting many people). In as far as restaurants, we certainly have that 'niche' covered well! (Besides the Greek restaurant). New businesses will not thrive unless prices in square footage is reduced for smaller retailers to afford the space so card shops and the like will not succeed however new types of businesses in the entertainment niche can succeed if thought out carefully. A billiard hall would be an asset to the area. (Non-alchohol and no betting obviously) but this type of entertainment can be a big draw. Another thought is to continue to strengthen the Green. It seems that the homeless have once again taken it over and the benches smell of urine and young teens are selling drugs. Unless an event is taking place, the Green doesn't offer much. Developing a Boche Ball and Horseshoes game area allows for outdoor entertainment and a connection to other cultural type activities.

There isn't a spot for adults to go to hear live music and sit with a coffee/tea/dessert after dinner in town. Particularly would love a real jazz club. I love walking in Morristown - do so at least once a day, but the evening is a loss for those folks over 40 who are not interested in "hooking up" and drinking to oblivion. I agree with others about a good wine venue (I drive to Montclair for that) and a good bookstore (I drive to Mendham for that). I also think that it would be fun to have a safe place for teens to go.

Would love to see more retail - no more restaurants, bars, banks, ice cream/yogurt or salons/spas! If another restaurant has to come in, how about healthy, veggie, farm to table?

a mexican restaurant! A blue moon would do great and more retail!

Years ago I could do all of my holiday shoppping without leaving Morristown, grab a snack or a meal, and feel safe wherever I walked. That's the Morristown I'd like to see again. The green is a fabulous asset and activites like yesterday's jazz performances are perfect and bring lots of people to town. Sustainability is about balance. Town planners need to keep that in mind.

I am the Morristown Council's voting member of the Board of the Morristown Partnership this year. I urge everyone who has commented to do what I do - visit your favorite retailers in other downtowns, and talk to them about expanding to a new Morristown location. Great targets: Savory Spice Shop on Broad Street, and The Farmhouse Store, East Broad Street - both in Westfield. Sages' Pages in Chatham/Madison.... That said, longtime Westfield retailers I spoke with lamented that every retailer that leave is replaced by a restaurant. In Madison, former retail spaces are now occupied by realtors, consultants and a kids' art party workshop - not new retail. The unmatched selection, competitive pricing and door-to-door convenience of shopping online means that brick and mortar retailers have to be at the very top of their game to make a living. Those that are, do, and we love them for it. And Kendra - YES to a "Cinnamon Snail" outpost here in Morristown! Councilwoman Rebecca Feldman

I'd like to see a new age bookstore - that sells books, funky stuff, incense, rocks, etc. Denville has one, I think Morristown would be a good place for one.

A really great night club with a range of dance music on different nights -- everything from 50s to present day tunes + nights for salsa, tango, etc. There was a time when Motown had tons of places to dance -- what happened?

We need better vegetarian food! Very few places have relatively limited vegetarian selections, even fewer of which are above and beyond the typical rice and beans. Even The Office, which used to have a pretty excellent build your own burger with a veggie burger option, recently changed its menu and no longer offers veggie burgers. If you're vegan, forget it. Your best bet is the Health Food Shoppe deli, which is great, but doesn't offer much as far as going out for dinner and a drink goes.

I agree that we could use a more standard music venue. The places that have music rarely support touring acts, and the music becomes a backdrop rather than what draws patrons to the establishment.

And no book store? I was actually surprised when I moved here and realized the nearest bookstore is Barnes and Noble on 10.

Everything coming into Morristown is a replication of what has been here for the past 5 years. We need more businesses that support the arts and different interests. There is a lot of potential here.

A music and art scene. Maybe it doesn't have 'business' written all over it like the request for a Hallmark (really?), but support of a music and art scene can be utilized to appease some cool people who are getting tired of the usual weekend scene. It was shoddy at best when I moved here 4 years ago. But I do notice that it's growing. Encouraging it to stick around once it really arrives will be vital.

ART: The Bedroom Project was an awesome art installment that not enough people got to see. It was created by a local photographer (David Patino), and many of the subjects are recognizable faces from around town. This should've stayed on display for the entire summer. High rent in a currently unoccupied space forced it out.

MUSIC: Mari Byrd's Open Mic at Hennessey's on Wednesday nights is pulling in some great musicians. Check it out, and ask Hennessey's to get better beer on tap!

Retail!!!! Clothing and a bookstore. But nothing too exclusive. I'll even take a chain. I'd just love to be able to walk to town and shop.

We need a small, grecery store like the kind found in NYC. I would love to stop on the way home from work to pick up some items like milk or bread or even fresh basil for those times I am motivated to cook at home in my condo.

Top This! is another new boutique coming to Morristown - it will be accessible off of Pine Street, behind the Dublin Pub, in the old furriers' shop.

I'm a huge fan of Bridge Kitchenware which had a shop in Manhattan for years and years. They have just moved to the alley in Madison and I am planning on talking to them to see if they can eventually open a storefront here. Definitely go to your favorite stores and brag about Morristown and why you think their services would fly. I do agree that a bookstore can be helpful but certainly not profitable. Retail is needed so check out those stores that have been around in other towns and survived, ability to pay high rent (which may be an issue here), talk to the mananger/owner, write letters of encouragement. But still seek out our smaller venues here. Get involved with the Morristown Partnership. I plan to! After all, instead of just making suggestions, we can make it happen through action.

On what is now Catano, there used to be the High Street Natural Foods Cafe. It was wonderful. They had great veggie burgers. I also lament the loss of Blockbuster.

Bookstore, card store, shoe shoe (Epsteins's did a great job on shoes) kitchen supplies (William-Sonoma), and a French-bistro/brasserie type restaurant modeled on some NYC restaurants like Bathazaar, Pastis, & Artisanal -- (too many italian restaurants and steak houses).

With rents @ $30/sq. ft. and parking issues, there are few retail establishments that could cover that consistently and then try to actually make money on top of that. It's not affordable to small business entrepreneurs. Our art/antique gallery is on the Country Mile, 4 miles from downtown, and I'd rather be downtown, but, its just not going to work at those prices. Sad....

Retail, retail, affordable retail. No more banks or bars. Bring the GAP stores back!!!!!!

1. Echoing the calls for a bookstore! I understand that this is unlikely as brick-and-mortar bookstores are dying, but a girl can dream.
2. Food retailer that goes beyond the typical supermarket: gourmet, ethnic, natural, etc.
3. More opportunities for the Latino business community to expand their businesses rather than being pushed out by upscale same-old-same-old restaurants.
4. My own personal favorite: An independent movie theater that shows indie, foreign and old films.
5. Performance and art exhibition spaces. The Community Theatre is okay but tends to favor stuff that appeals to an older audience.
There have to be others in Morristown who want something to do other than eat steak and shop for handbags - right?

I love my town but I liked it better when Epsteins was here. We need someplace to buy something besides food, beer, legal representation and financial advice. Morristown needs more places to SHOP. More clothing stores aimed at a wider audience than the boutiques, gifts, books, kitchen wares.... And wouldn't it be nice to see the empty spaces before Headquarters and Vail Mansions used for outdoor festivals, puppet shows, live entertainment, art sales, flower and vegetable stands, fine craft displays, ice cream socials, etc., on a regular basis.

Dennys, fast food with a drive thru a sonic!!!

I would like to see one or two non-chain up-scale men's clothing store.

An Indie book store and a Indie movie theater. It would be good if one or more of the many restaurants would make an effort to put away the TV screens, play "softer" and quieter music, and work to attract the "mature" community.

wawa and chick-fila

Book store, book store, book store. Also a crafty, artsy, houseware kind of place. The kind of place that sells hand carved salad tongs or cool pottery or something. I hate waiting around for that snazzy craft fair at the Armory every year. (Or do we already have this, and I've missed it?)

Book stores are going out of business. The Morristown Librarary is there for those that need want books. Btw, it's always empty.

A WaWa actually near the green and one or two more fast food restaurants. Burger King is the only one.

I would love to see an outdoors store similar to REI or Blue Ridge Mountain Sports and an Indie movie theater would be awesome. I also miss Epsteins!

Like many others are saying, we need retail. Mom and Pops are nice, but we need some national retailers who an more easily weather economic downtimes. Princeton has a nice mix of shops, clothing, restaurants, toys, etc. and they have an outdoor like mall around Palmer Square. The Green should be an outdoor mall like that. Within the last 10 yeas, closer to 10 years ago, I was able to do ALL my Christmas shopping in town. I can't do that now unless I want to get my family restaurant or bank giftcards. Luckily it appears no more banks are moving in, but there are too many restaurants.

I think we need more banks, more upscale clothing boutiques, more very large bars that attract patrons that scare people away from neighboring businesses, and much more mediocre dining at Manhattan prices. This would be perfect.

I kid!

-bookstore
-pet store
-a coffee shop not unlike cafe eclectic in montclair where you can get food, coffee and take your sweet time doing work or whatever in a fairly quiet environment
-a small grocery store/large bodega
-a "quirky" gift shop like the one who's name I can't recall in Hoboken
-fast food that's not subs or pizza and is open late at night
-hobby shop (as long as you don't go adult-only, that could survive)
-arts/crafts store (we just lost one)
-some "adult" bars (see Helmer's and Maxwells in Hoboken)
-quiet restaurants that cater not to hipness and trends but to decent service in a relaxing and quiet atmosphere (see "The Brass Rail" in Hoboken circa 1999)

The problem is that even if that stuff were in town, would the parking situation (charging shoppers for parking always seems like a bad idea) make me just go up 287 to route 10 for everything like I do now? And given that once you park you're committed to shopping on foot, having a small map with a directory of sorts on it every block or two would not be a bad idea. Who wants to walk all the way to the green from the other end of town to realize they'll just find banks and rite-aid? :)

Please someone open a good dry cleaning / tailoring business!!!!!!

This is not really a "business" but I would love to see the Green used more frequently for outdoor fairs: art shows, fine craft fairs, fruit festivals, music events, Oktoberfest, etc. I also wish we had Epstein's back.

Children's retail would be great--I miss the Gap but some specialty kids' clothing/shoes would fit in really well here.

It would be great to have venues that promoted community like a food co-op or indie theater or bookstore that was community driven

A WAWA on the outskirts of Motown would be awesome! I agree that retail stores that you'd find in our malls (Gap, Williams Sonoma, Coach, Bath & Body) would be nice. Those kind of stores attract shoppers which in turn allows the indie type stores to have a fighting chance in succeeding in this currently lame town.

We have enough pizza, chinese, banks and bars. A book store or Jamba Juice would be nice.

Morristown has a lot of things nobody knows about, check out my list of hidden gems. http://www.yelp.com/list/hidden-gems-of-morristown-morristown

I think a Maxwell's type concert venue, if they could book good bands, would be beyond amazing, but I know that would be very difficult as people who love good music (me) make the trip to the city on a regular basis.
Book stores. . .go to the The Old Book Shop, no it's not in walking distance but it does the job. I wouldn't be opening a book store with the push towards iPads and Kindles. Having seen 7 independent bookstores go down in my life that I knew personally, just a brutal unsustainable business.

I was a third generation Epstein's shopper, and grew up wearing clothes from Lobel's and shoes from Walkwell........those were the days!

Trader Joe's

Anthropologie

Urban Outfitters

Retail, Retail, Retail!!!!!!!!!!!!! What would be perfect is a smaller version of Epsteins...including the greeting card dept., gift and housewares department and the shoe department! I miss that!

No more ice cream/yogurt shops!!!!!!!!!!!!! There are so many it will be a sure sign of failure for some. Will they ALL be able to survive!

no mall stores. they suck the life out of the down-towns. just look at Westfield. A parody of the term "Town Center".