Business

RIBBON-CUTTING – Usman Siddiqui, third from left in front row, cuts the ribbon to his new business, assisted by Township Councilmen Ram Anbarasan and Alex Kharazi. Also in attendance, and in the front row, were Township Councilwoman Shepa Uddin and Chamber of Commerce president Nick DeMeglio. After 20 years of serving clients in the Iselin section of Edison, Usman Siddiqui …

TRYING AGAIN – The owner of Rutgers Plaza on Easton Avenue is once again applying to the Township for approval to raze the former Big Kmart building and construct a 200-unit apartment complex in its place. The Levin Company has resubmitted its plan to turn the former Big Kmart building into a 200-unit apartment building. Plans were submitted to the …

CUTTING THE RIBBON – Mayor Phil Kramer cuts the ribbon while Par2Play co-owner Atul Kakar and others look on at the indoor golf center’s grand opening November 30. About 100 people gathered at the Par2Play indoor golf simulator center, 695 Hamilton Street, November 30 to welcome the new business to town. On hand were partners Atul Kakar and Nick Schiavo …

FORE! – Atul Kakar, co-owner of Par2Play golf center on Hamilton Street, lines up a shot at one the facility’s four golf simulators. You could say Atul Kakar loves golf, but that would be an understatement. After all, how many casual admirers of the game install a $100,000 golf simulator in their garage? That’s what Kakar did years ago when …

Goblins and ghouls and Taylor Swifts were spotted throughout the township in the days leading up to, and including, Halloween. As has been the practice for the past number of years, “Trunk or Treats” events were held in multiple locations. Celebrations were held by schools, by private businesses and by teh Township. On October 28, the Township Recreation Department held …

CLOSING SHOP – This Rite Aid location on Hamilton Street is targeted to close as part of the company’s bankruptcy process. The Rite Aid pharmacy at 773 Hamilton Street is among 12 of the chain’s New Jersey locations that will be closed by the ailing retailer, according to court documents. Philadelphia-based Rite Aid Corp. on October 15 filed for Chapter …

GENERATIONAL FARMING DISCUSSED – The Generational Farmer panel at Somerset County’s Influencing Agriculture Conference included (l-r) Carol English of English Farm in Basking Ridge; Matt Puskas of Middlebush Farm in Franklin Township; and Jimmy Abma of Abma’s Farms in Hillsborough and Doug Van Nuys of Hillsboro Farm. A township farmer was among 13 Somerset County farmers who participated in panel …

Wakefern Food Corp. is voluntarily recalling its ShopRite Bowl & Basket Specialty Hawaiian Teriyaki Spice Rub due to mislabeling, according to a press release from the company. The recall is being conducted because some of the product may contain black sesame seeds, a known allergen not listed on the ingredients label, according to the release. The recall impacts 2.3-ounce ShopRite Bowl …

SHUT DOWN – Stop work orders were posted on the doors of the Boston Market on Easton Avenue. The restaurant was one of 27 locations issued the orders. The Boston Market on Easton Avenue was one of 27 New Jersey locations shut down by the state labor department August 14 for a variety of alleged wage violations. In an August …

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 …