Pier Village in Long Branch — Courtesy: Kushner
By Joshua Burd
Kushner has announced leases with three new dining and retail tenants at Pier Village, the acclaimed mixed-use, oceanfront destination in Long Branch.
In the largest deal, Gavone’s has taken 1,700 square feet for what will be an elevated and convenient fast-casual pasta restaurant, according to a news release. The business is a new concept from the operators of Sirena, a luxury Italian restaurant that has called Pier Village home since its opening in 2006.
The new transactions also include a 1,690-square-foot lease by Sundae Donuts, which has four locations on Long Island, but will now open its first New Jersey location at the property. According to Kushner, the retailer offers a menu of freshly baked donuts, creative ice creams, donut-infused concoctions and cookie dough.
In the third deal, Doggie Sweets has leased 1,264 square feet as an expansion of its successful Doggie Sweets Waggin’ mobile shopping experience, the news release said. The shop will be its first standalone dog café and retail store.
Pierson Commercial serves as the retail leasing agent at Pier Village, which is home to more than 130,000 square feet of shopping and dining space, 493 luxury apartments, 243 upscale condos and 91 hotel rooms. All three new tenants are scheduled to open by Memorial Day 2022.
“Attracting dynamic and upscale retail experiences has always been at the heart of our plan to create an incomparable oceanfront community at Pier Village,” said Nicole Kushner Meyer, principal and president of Kushner. “We are pleased to welcome these new businesses to The Shops at Pier Village as they will augment the already robust lineup of dining, retail and entertainment businesses calling the property home and further cement its standing as New Jersey’s ‘City by the Sea.’ ”
Gavone’s, Sundae Donuts and Doggie Sweets join a fast-growing list of tenants that already call Pier Village home, including fast-casual dining options such as the Art of Salad, Branch Cantina and Simply Greek and well-known operators such as Tony Boloney’s and McLoone’s Pier House. The property is also home to upscale restaurants like Salt Steakhouse and Avenue Le Club.
Kushner and Pierson announced earlier this fall that Kahuna Burger, an island-inspired burger restaurant created by McLoone’s Restaurants, leased 2,500 square feet. It is the third food and beverage concept from McLoone’s Restaurants to open at Pier Village.
“These three new leases with Gavone’s, Sundae Donuts and Doggie Sweets as well as the strong commitment from operators like McLoone’s Restaurants speaks to the continued appeal of Pier Village to unique retail concepts looking to tap into the energy that defines the property and the over 2.3 million people who visit it each year,” said Ryan Starkman, a director at Pierson Commercial. “With strong local demographics and an unmatched location, Pier Village stands out among retail destinations in the state. We look forward to announcing several additional exciting retail leases over the next couple of months.”
Pier Village currently has retail and restaurant leasing opportunities available starting from around 1,200 square feet to more than 6,000 square feet, the news release said. All restaurant spaces can accommodate outdoor dining.
Kushner taps Pierson as retail leasing agent at Pier Village in Long Branch
