'Shop Hoboken' Returns for Second Year

The city of Hoboken is urging all residents to shop local. 

a day of local deals and a way to help your local Mom and Pop shops.

Local business owners gathered on Thursday morning at Anastasia's on Garden and Newark Streets.

"It's so important," Mayor Dawn Zimmer said. Local businesses are always willing to help out at various charities around town. "It's time," Zimmer said, "to make sure that Hoboken residents give back."

Karen Nason started her plant store—Hoboken Hothouse—a year ago on Washington and Second Streets after being based on Manhattan for nearly 20 years.

"I was the last plant lady left," she said. In the course of the 20 years she rented a store front on Sixth Avenue, she said, her rent went from $2,000 to $28,000.

In Hoboken, Nason said, "the rent is not nearly as high." Furthermore, people's apartments are a little bigger and customers take more time to pick out their flowers and plants. Nason, 48, recently added a little coffeeshop to her store, she said. 

"People take more time (to shop) here," Nason said. "In New York, people are much more in a hurry."

Neeta King, who is the owner of on Sixth and Grand Streets, said that people in Hoboken are "into local business."  

The event is also supposed to bring in more people from other towns. 

"Hoboken is not just an eatery place," said Phil Erdaide, one of the owners of jewelry on Washington Street. 

Many of the business owners who gathered at Anastasia's on Thursday morning, said that they have seen an uptick in the economy. 

Last year, the local shopping initiative helped, said Anastasia Kamper. 

"It works," said Kamper, who has owned Anastasia's for the last 24 years. "Our hope that it works as a long term thing."

Shop Hoboken will take place on June 9 and 10 at 55 local businesses. For more information, check out the city's website.