3 New Businesses (And One Old) That Opened In Chatham In 2023

CHATHAM, NJ — Things can change fast in Chatham's business landscape, and 2023 was no exception.

The last year saw new businesses come to Chatham, plus the return of an old favorite.

Patch is taking a look back on the year and everything it brought to Chatham. Here are three new businesses—and one old—that opened in 2023.

Mo’Dough, 262 Main Street, Chatham (Mo'Dough, which opened last summer, has since closed.)

This summer, Mo’Dough opened its doors in Chatham at 262 Main Street, replacing Asahda's Soulfood Restaurant, which closed its doors shortly after opening in 2021.

The restaurant bills itself as an artisanal dough maker, specializing in classics like doughnuts, pizza, and pasta.

Popular menu items included cannoli cream doughnuts, peanut butter and jelly doughnuts, chocolate cream and jelly doughnuts, and a variety of pizza combinations.

Toastique, 11 S. Passaic Avenue, Chatham

A gourmet toast and juice bar chain that is rapidly expanding across the country opened up its first Morris County location right here in Chatham.

This past summer, local franchisee Michele Flannery-Wardius transformed the space and opened its doors to the community in June, occupying a 1,635-square-foot space across from Charley's Aunt, a beloved neighborhood restaurant.

Toastique, as the name suggests, serves gourmet toasts as well as juices, smoothies and smoothie bowls. The restaurant can accommodate any dietary restrictions, including gluten-free and vegan. All of their juices and wellness shots are cold-pressed daily in-house.

The eatery was founded in 2018 in Washington, DC, by entrepreneur and former college athlete Brianna Keefe, a lifelong health enthusiast who began making smoothies and juice in high school and developed a menu of toasts, including her original avocado toast.

Since 2018, Toastique has expanded to more than 15 locations in Washington, D.C., Colorado, Utah, New Jersey and Florida.

Check out the Toastique website for more information.

Yestertoys, 240 Main St., Chatham

This winter, a brand-new vintage toy shop opened its doors to the neighborhood, bringing childhood nostalgia to town with an inventory that is sure to rekindle childhood memories for adults and ignite curiosity in children.

The shop, located at 240 Main St., held its soft opening this past November, opting to do a trial run to make any necessary adjustments to better serve the community's needs.

They have since revealed their January hours, which include hours on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

"Welcome to YesterToys, where vintage treasures and modern marvels collide in a whimsical wonderland of collectibles that will teleport you back in time and ignite your inner child with pure nostalgic joy," the store website wrote.

For more information, click here.

Chatham Sandwich Shop, 253 Main St., Chatham

It was a sad day when the Chatham Sandwich Shop, which has been a part of the Chatham community for more than four decades, caught fire.

The fire, which destroyed the interior and exterior of the 253 Main St. shop, started in the kitchen on an early Wednesday morning in February 2022 and was discovered by an employee who arrived to start their shift.

Read Related: Back In Business: Chatham Sandwich Shop Prepares To Reopen

After more than one year after a fire destroyed the shop, the business came back to life this past February. Joe Arminio, the shop's owner, told Patch that the renovation and rebuild process took longer than they had initially anticipated.

"Joe personally helped rebuild the store himself. From design to trim work to cabinets, we are really happy with the end result," store officials said.

So, while the Chatham Sandwich Shop isn't a new business, its return was much anticipated by the community, and it was a highlight of the year for many who had been looking forward to enjoying this neighborhood staple once more.

*This article has since been updated. Mo'Dough, which opened last summer, has since closed.