Empty Store Fronts: Bad For The Economy; Good For Art

A bad economy and a thriving arts scene usually do not go hand in hand. But, in Hoboken, the opposite is true. 

Two empty store fronts in Hoboken have been turned into impromptu art galleries. Hob'Art recently followed in the footsteps of local architect and artist Jim Stephenson, who started a gallery on Washington and Second Streets. 

The former location of high-end shoe store Platform Soul on Washington and Seventh street was officially opened as a gallery last week. 

Barbara Tulko, owner of the building at 716 Washington St., said she asked Platform Soul to leave the space. She said that although she is looking to fill the space, "it has to be the right tenant."

Tulko said she did not want a restaurant in there, out of respect for the tenants upstairs. There are three one-bedroom apartments in the building. 

Tulko said people had expressed interest to rent the place, but she hasn't found the right candidate yet. 

"One fellow," said Tulko, "wanted to sell drug paraphernalia." 

The art comes from local artists, and will have to be moved to another store front when Tulko, who works as a realtor, finds an artist. The art in the windows should speed up that process, she said, because the store looks better than it would if the space were empty.

Mayor Dawn Zimmer attended the ribbon cutting for the gallery on Friday afternoon, and so did Council President Peter Cunningham, Councilman David Mello and County Freeholder Anthony Romano. 

"Isn't this great?" said Romano as he walked around the different art works.

"There's no place like Hoboken," said former County Freeholder Maurice Fitzgibbons, who was there as a member of the New Jersey Council of the Arts. "The arts community is coming together." 

Zimmer said she hoped that the artists would be able to find a more permanent place for their art, but was excited about the new development of using store fronts for art exhibits. 

"It's wonderful that Hob'Art was able to pull this off," said Councilman Mello, "It will do a great job to bring back the focus on art in Hoboken."