Red Bank Rejuvenated
By KAREN DEMASTERS

There is a place in New Jersey at which bustling street life and hopping night life cross paths with the slow pace of a little country town, where sitting under a tree watching a movie outdoors is about as ambitious as anyone wants to get.

That place is Red Bank, a community that encompasses all of the good characteristics and all of the contradictions of an urban city in the Garden State.

Red Bank is one of numerous little communities that, until recently, had seemed to have its best days behind it. Shopping malls arrived and took the customers away from the stores and easy transportation took the entertainment seekers to Philadelphia and New York City.

But then a revolutionary thing happened. A group of dedicated residents and business owners got together and decided this downtown area in a middle class community surrounded by wealth could make a comeback. Red Bank has accomplished that comeback with a vengeance.

Dubbed the hippest little town in the state by some, the borough is home to a thriving shopping area, nearly two dozen art galleries, a nightlife that rivals the best offered in the big cities, and gourmet restaurants and brew pubs. There are also a series of classic events that have become traditions along the shore attracting tens of thousands of people to Red Bank. The special events planners of the borough and the RiverCenter, the nonprofit organization that oversees the special improvement district for the business owners, are busy year round keeping track of the many events and making sure they come off without a hitch.

All of this activity takes place in a bucolic setting on the banks of the Navesink River, where a short stroll into a park or a quick drive into the surrounding countryside can slow life back down to a crawl. It's just a few minutes drive from the wide stretches of beach that make up the northern end of the New Jersey shore.

All of that is to say that Red Bank has succeeded in reversing the trends of aging and now has something to offer just about every taste.

If shopping is your passion, Red Bank will satisfy your yen. "Red Bank is the Soho of the shore," says Kimberly Lindau, the owner, buyer and store manager of Red Bank's Coco Pari (www.cocopari.com), located at 17 Broad St., the heart of the restaurant district. According to Lindau, many of the restaurants offer outdoor dining creating an atmosphere ideal for people watching, strolling and shopping 

"Many of the boutique's clientele travel an hour or more to visit the store," Lindau says. But "they don't just come to buy a dress, they come to spend the day. There are over 100 restaurants [in Red Bank], there's an antique district, and a nightlife that is second to none," she adds. Joining in the festive atmosphere on Fridays and Saturdays Coco Pari stays open until 11 p.m. and pumps up the music. (During the week the store is open until 9 p.m.)

With designers such as Jimmy Choo Moschino, and Blumarine, any fashion desires can be sated at Coco Pari. Then stop by the neighboring store, Wisteria Beauty, which boasts a plum roster of cosmetic and skin care products from Kiehl's, Laura Merrier and NARS, among others.

For gift items, the Galleria, a converted factory is now lined with shops featuring crafts, antiques and gifts, and the side streets of the borough abound with art galleries and more antique stones.

"The renaissance of Red Bank is attributable to a determined group of people who saw the possibilities of this picturesque downtown area located on the water and surrounded by upscale communities," said Regina Paleau, marketing director for the Count Basie Theater, an old movie theater that has been home to some of the best rock and roll shows ever staged. "They started with that and built on it. Now we have the perfect mix of day and night activities that anyone cart enjoy."

The Count Baste Theater, named after a native son, has staged a series of popular musical, theatrical and comedy shows in recent years. It also is a home away from home for such famous Monmouth County residents as Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi, both of whom live in nearby Rumson It is often the setting for a traditional New Year's Eve show by former Monmouth Countian, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.

The theater also has been host to national acts such as Willie Nelson and Family, The Fab Faux - a Beatles tribute band, and Legends of Soul starring Ben E. King and Martha and the Vandellas.

But this is Red Bank, where residents and visitors alike do not want to wait for a special occasion or a one-time benefit concert to have a good time.

They want the electricity flowing every night of the week and that is just what can be found here.

Red Bank is one of the few small towns where visitors can park their cars and actually go club hopping. Starting with the Walt Street Pub, across from the train station, where rock is on the menu. Further down Monmouth Street at Echo, there is a mix of local bands including reggae, and a disc jockey, depending on the night of the week. The Downtown Cafe on West Front Stmt, as well as several other clubs in town, also has five music almost every night.

. "The great thing about Red Bank is you can walk down the street and see two or three young people walking along carrying guitars. The young, talented musicians come here and emulate the older ones," said Patrick Nulle Downtown Cafe owner: "There is more good musical talent in and around Red Bank than nearly anywhere else."

For those who lean more to high brow tastes, there is Danny's Steakhouse and Seafood Grille on Bridge Avenue. On Monday night Danny Murphy brings in opera talent from New York City with stars from the Metro Lyric Opera Company performing for dinner guests. There is a direct train from New York City just get off at the Red Bank station and walk to Danny's Steakhouse or to almost any other location in town as well.

In addition to the talented entertainment, Danny's Steakhouse, which does a variety of contemporary music the rest of the week, also rivals the best New York City steakhouses for food. Or there is Basil T's Brewery and Italian Grill where customers can sample six kinds of homemade beer made on the spot and named for the owner's grandchildren and pets. For gourmet meals, one needs look no further than Bacchus, featuring Italian and nouveau American cuisine.

All summer long Fleet Bank Presents Street Life where groups of musicians and entertainers perform at different locations throughout the downtown area, as well as a series of concerts and classic movies in the Riverside Garden Park. In the fall two film festivals show at least some of their presentations at the local cinema where independent films are shown all year.

The mix of events and activities, shops and restaurants, adds up to a successful rejuvenation for this formerly sleepy little town.

Re-printed with permission.