Thursday, January 26, 2017

New Signage For DQ and The Coffee Box

A four-decade business and a brand-new one will both benefit from a Planning Board Zoning Board decision on signs.
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Dairy Queen
Attorney Albert Cohen called the Dairy Queen on South Avenue "part of the fabric of the community for 40 years" as he presented the signage application to the board last week. Donna Albanese-DeMair, whose family has operated the popular business, appeared with Jeff Spelman, proprietor of The Coffee Box to tell why the new signage is needed.
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The Coffee Box
The building that houses both businesses is set back 100 feet from the street, which was not a problem until a developer received approval to build a 15-unit apartment building next door, all the way out to the sidewalk. The signature red roof of the Dairy Queen will not be seen by west-bound drivers. An existing street-side sign for the DQ and the new business, The Coffee Box, would also be harder to see.

Though bound by requirements of the Dairy Queen franchise, Albanese-DeMair worked out a plan with the board to alter the signage for more visibility.

The board allowed one year to complete the work, by which time the two businesses may have a lot of new customers who will only have a short walk for lattes and croissants or the latest DQ treat. Eleven properties were acquired and cleared to make way for 212 new luxury apartments right across the street.

--Bernice

8 comments:

  1. I would like to see a few store in that development Carvel or a Baskin Robbins maybe even a Taco Bell or Mos draw business in and shoppers

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    1. I don't think that development is mixed use, but South Avenue has many restaurants already to draw in business.

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  2. Good for them and so glad to see something like The Coffee Box open in town. Great looking place and the coffee is excellent.

    I hope that DQ's new sign will mean that they will be able to stop hanging banners up on the fence - its an ugly look and they just get ratty looking.

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  3. Bernice, just a correction, we approved the signs at zoning board not planning board meeting. Also the small building with 15 units right next to dairy queen is proposed 4 retail units on the first floor. You are correct the large 212 unit does not propose any mixed use.

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    1. Thanks! I attended both meetings last week and got my notes mixed up. Time to retire!!

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    2. Ill take over if u do

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    3. Don't you dare!!!! Please, please, please don't retire!!

      Jan

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  4. As a Plainfield Resident, I absolutely refuse to patronize DQ. When my daughter was just three years old, I took her and my nephew to DQ. While we were there, my daughter had to use the restroom. However, the owner (daughter) refused and said the restroom was not for customers. I found her to be indignanthe, arrogant and disrespectful. I have not been back since then. I also thought there was some sort of ordinance that if you sell food and have sit downs, you have to have a restroom. Either way, she will never get my money.

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