At Joeyness, A Dream Adapted

Historically, Fort Lee was a blue collar town, and although the demographics have shifted over the last two decades to include an infusion of professional bankers, lawyers and corporate heavyweights, there is still a strong middle class presence that does much to sustain the engine of Fort Lee--police, firemen, teachers, construction workers and the mom and pop stores that are still left on Main Street whose goal it is to feed and supply all the citizens of town and beyond.  

Even in a booming economy, the cost of living was difficult to maintain for those who fell into the middle class in Fort Lee--rents and housing prices being a decimal point or more out of reach. 

The traditional starter homes our parents purchased as newlyweds for prices affordable enough to pay off in 30--or often 15--years were being gobbled up by developers leaving young couples unable to even enter the game, let alone compete, forcing the better part of the center to relocate.

Enter the down economy with rising rents, toll increases and many residents who have lost their jobs, or live each day with the fear that they will.  

Over the past few months we’ve watched as business owners, both large and small, closed their doors; some forced to abandon their business--their livelihood--after years of serving the residents of Fort Lee because they could no longer afford the pay their rents on top of paying their own mortgages, meeting payroll and paying vendors. 

Passing all of the empty storefronts it’s hard not to ask, “When is this all going to end?” 

A few months ago Patch profiled a young businessman who was living his dream --he opened a cafe. However, when we spoke with him again recently he was struggling to make ends meet in this dismal economy. That cafe was on Main Street, and that young businessman was Joey Ghazal. 

At the time we met him, a new landlord had taken over his building, and he wasn’t sure what to expect when the new landlord re-negotiated his lease. 

Although his business was well-supported by so many people--especially the police, fire and other borough workers--at the end of the day, Ghazal still had to pay the rent, buy the supplies, pay his workers and cook the food. His plans for growing the business had to take a back seat to making ends meet. 

For Ghazal, it came down to this: to stay and continue to pursue his dream of running a business or leave for the security of working for someone else where he would be guarenteed a paycheck and benefits, along with not having the pressure of trying to make payroll, pay the rent, pay the suppliers and still have enough money left over to stay afloat.

Patch decided to catch up with Joey Ghazal to check in on him and how his dream was going.  

“You can’t imagine what has happened since we last spoke,” said.Ghazal “I decided to take the job as executive chef that I told you about, while my dream lives on.”

Joey’s cousin, Bibby, didn’t want the family business, or Joey’s dream, to die. He bought the kitchen and asked Joey’s brother, Rabidh, if he would relocate from Hawaii to be the chef and keep the business going and keep it in the family. Heeding the family call, Rabidh agreed.

“The food is still the same Joeyness that everybody likes, but my brother is going to do what I always wanted to do, but never had the time--he’s going to expand the menu and also offer catering,” Joey Ghazal said excitedly.

“And Joeyness’ new name is Bibby’s Mediterranean Cafe," he added.

So the family has resuscitated this young man's American dream and helped keep it breathing on Main Street. The dream may have changed in name, and subtly been transformed, but it’s that very ability to adapt that keeps the dream shining like a beacon of hope in the midst of all the empty storefronts on Main Street.     

Editor's Note: We want your help with "Dispatches:" Tell us what issues and what stories in Fort Lee go to the heart of your American Dream. Email the author at annpiccirillo@yahoo.com, the editor at erik.wander@patch.com or tell us in the comments.