Business News

Submitted by Unity Bank. Unity Bancorp, Inc., parent company of Unity Bank, has been selected for the second year in a row for the national Top 25 Banks ranking published by Bank Director magazine. Unity was 13th nationally on the ranking of the largest 300 publicly traded banks and 7th nationally for banks in the $1 billion to $5 billion asset category. Both of those …

REVIEWING PLAN – Members of the township Historic Preservation Advisory Commission review plans related to the proposed McDonald’s restaurant targeted for Rutgers Plaza. It took a few go-’rounds, but the McDonald’s Corp. finally got the needed approval from the township Historic Preservation Advisory Commission July 18 for its new restaurant in Rutgers Plaza on Easton Avenue. The sticking point was …

Damaris Sanchez Rivera and her partner Anna Maria, along with various friends and family, celebrated the grand opening of her new men’s and women’s hair salon, D Styles Beauty & Barber Shop, June 21 in the Stop & Shop Plaza at Route 27 and Veronica Avenue. The Franklin Reporter & Advocate stopped by: State Assemblyman Joe Danielsen (D-12), left, was …

KELLER WILLIAMS MANAGEMENT TEAM – Greg Tibok, Michelle Smith and Kristen Lunden at the Keller Williams Greater Brunswick Grand Opening. When Greg Tibok was looking for a town in which to base his new real estate business, the choice was obvious. The Franklin Warrior (FHS Class of 2001) decided to enlarge office space at 220 Davidson Avenue that he’d held …

CHAMBER GALA – The Franklin Township Chamber of Commerce held its 63rd annual gala April 19 at The Marigold. The Franklin Reporter & Advocate received one of seven awards given to organizations and people honored by the Franklin Township Chamber of Commerce at its April 19 annual gala. The Reporter co-publishers, Bill Bowman and PJ Parker, were honored in the …

OPEN FOR BUSINESS – James Betz of Princeton Junction and Najee Nasim of Franklin, (left to right) employees at Bloc in the Village Plaza, prepare for the next customer. History was made in the township on March 12 when Bloc, Franklin’s first adult-use recreational cannabis shop, opened its doors. Located in the Village Plaza, 1075 Easton Avenue, Bloc was already …

Unity Bank has earned the Top (5-Star) Rating for financial strength and stability from BauerFinancial, Inc., the nation’s premier bank rating firm. BauerFinancial rates every federally-insured U.S. chartered bank with the same strict standards, and is pleased to report that Unity Bank continues to outperform its peers. “The 5-Star Rating by BauerFinancial indicates that Unity Bank excels in many different …

A Hamilton Street developer is suing the Township over claims that political pressure scuttled an apartment building project targeted for the Hamilton Business District. The developer, John Park, claims in the suit that after township officials became aware of his project – comprised of two four-story buildings holding 233 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments and retail space, and a covered …

The air around a block of Somerset Street was filled with the music of a Mariachi band February 20, sounds which heralded the grand opening of a new Mexican restaurant, Tacos Basilio. Along with the musicians and a large gathering of family and friends, on hand to welcome the new business to the township were Mayor Phil Kramer and Deputy …

PNC Bank branches in Stop and Shops in the township, such as this one in Rutgers Plaza, are slated to be closed in mid-February. PNC Bank branches in the three Stop and Shop locations in Franklin will close on February 17, 2023, a company spokesman said. The affected branches are located inside Stop and Shops on Easton Avenue in Rutgers …