By Joshua Burd
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream will open its second brick-and-mortar location in New Jersey after leasing nearly 1,500 square feet in Jersey City, brokers involved with the deal announced.
The agents, Brand Urban and Dochter & Alexander Retail Advisors, said the shop at 347 Grove St. is slated to debut in spring 2024. It will open in the heart of the booming downtown, serving the surrounding dense residential and office market while benefiting from the area’s growing night and weekend foot traffic.
The 1,494-square-foot deal with Mercer Bay LLC follows the opening of Van Leeuwen’s first New Jersey location inside American Dream in East Rutherford. Emily Green of Manhattan-based Brand Urban co-represented the tenant in the transaction alongside Jason Kastner of Dochter & Alexander Retail Advisors in Washington, D.C., who serves as the master broker for the chain, while Bobby Antonicello of Grid Real Estate represented the landlord.
“It’s exciting to play a role in bringing this beloved New York City brand to new markets in the surrounding area,” Green said. “Jersey City has become one of the most desirable live-work-play cities in the tristate area, and the Grove Street storefront is the perfect place to introduce Van Leeuwen’s first street location in New Jersey.”
Van Leeuwen, a national brand known for its made-from-scratch dairy and vegan ice cream, currently has locations in New York, California, New Jersey, Texas, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Colorado and Washington, D.C., with plans for continued growth. Its new location will be a block from the Grove Street PATH station and steps from Jersey City’s restaurant row, where it will join local operators and institutions such as Orale Mexican Kitchen, Krispy Kreme, Razza, and Taqueria Downtown.
