Quick thing
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🚲 10/12 Tour de Weehawken Returns!
On Sept. 14, I participated in my 1st-ever community bike ride. Organized by Bike North Bergen and WeeBiken, the group ranged in age from 15 months to 60+ years old, and even included one canine rider. It was nearly 10 miles, and you can see the route here. It was so fun, but yes, the bits in Weehawken were the scariest, because there were no bike paths, and there was a crazy driver or three. Still, the crew did a great job keeping the group together and safe. The next ride is October 12, meeting at Hamilton Park at 10:30A with a 11A rollout. It’d be great to see more neighbors in wheel-life, so consider joining, and follow the groups for more details: instagram.com/bikenorthbergen & instagram.com/weebiken
Related: The guy we wrote about in the last issue who is biking from Hudson County to California to raise funds for safer streets here, is currently in Missouri. Go Aiden!
🤔It’s Take A Wild Guess Time
At the most recent Weehawken Town Hall meeting we heard a fun fact: the mayor stated the number of visits the pool saw this year, from the weekends-only opening in May, to the recent weekends-only close in September. So, here’s a poll! We’ll tell you the answer in the next Gazette, but take a wild guess!
Of course everyone is asking: How about the new pool bubble? When is that coming? We heard a rumor it will be ready in November, but that’s just a rumor. People also wanna know: will there be a new charge for using the pool then? What will the schedule be? No idea. We’ve got the question out to the town, and we will update you when we hear back, promise.
🩸It’s Almost Bloody October
Sad fact is that blood donations are down. There are many reasons, but two often cited are #1 younger people are not donating and #2 work from home = less blood drives. But it might also be due to people not knowing there are blood drives. Good news is the Edgewater Police Department is hosting a blood drive next month. It’s taking place in the Edgewater Community Center gym at 1167 River Road on Wednesday, October 15 from 9A —2P. More details below:
Please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter: EdgewaterPolice to schedule an appointment.
☕😵Starbucks Abruptly Closes 100s Of Stores: WNY & Fort Lee Impacted
According to news that broke yesterday, Starbucks says they are closing 1% of their stores in North America and laying off about 900 corporate employees. A crowd-sourced sheet currently lists more than 500 stores that are closing.
And NoHu was not spared. Three of our local stores are going bye bye, and fast. The one in Port Imperial has a sign up that they’re closing tomorrow, which by the time you read this, is today. Below are the three local stores that will be shuttered:
Fort Lee: Bergen Blvd & Route 4 E
West New York: 55 Riverwalk Pl
We only know the one in West New York/Port Imperial, which was a lovely place to meet a friend or do some work… or at least it was back in ye olden days of the late 2000’s and early 2010’s. In recent memory, it was one of those locations that ripped out all seating and made it clear you needed to pick up your fancy drink and skedaddle ASAP. Still, we feel for any employees who are losing their jobs. That stinks. Anyway, luckily in upcliff WNY there’s tons of great coffee options. See our report on those excellent places here.
Update after publish: We called the Starbucks in WNY and they said they will indeed close at 7P today, Saturday 9/27. Tomorrow they are there, but only to do a deep clean.
What’s So Funny?
Are you a comedy fan in northern New Jersey? Former Weehawken resident Chris Deluca is teaching comedy writing in Glen Rock, NJ starting in October. This guy knows his stuff: he’s an Emmy-nominated writer/producer/comic for more shows than you can shake a stick at. Also, fun fact: I first discovered Weehawken in the late 90’s (!) because he hosted Super Bowl parties here that us young comedians would flock to. Anyway see below for details… it’s a massive bargain and a great opportunity:
PACKING A PUNCHLINE: COMEDY WRITING 101
GLEN ROCK HIGH SCHOOL
Tuesdays 7-9PM (6 sessions starting 10/7)
FEE: $160 Register here.
Do you love comedy? Are you the funniest person at work, in your family, in your marriage? Or are you jealous of that person? Either way, if you love comedy, or writing comedy, in all its funny, fabulous and fulfilling ways, this class is for you! This 6-part class covers various aspects of comedy writing, including sketch, the fundamentals of joke writing, character development and topical joke writing to name a few. In class review and discuss some of the funniest comedy scenes out there and then take your own stab on it and do a little writing yourself.
🍇How To Meet A Bunch of New People
Aleksandra Czajka, pictured, is a freelance software engineer in Jersey City who specializes in building web and mobile apps. That’s why it’s not surprising that she built one, all by herself, called Bunch, and launched it in January 2025. Her mission? To connect the world by giving everyone the ability to “invite locals you don’t yet know by age, gender and interests to do stuff with you in small groups (or bunches)”. Aleksandra told me she created it to provide a way for people to consistently meet new and diverse people, without the pressure of relying on organized large-scale events where it’s harder to get to know people in a meaningful way.
They have many “bunches” including a long-running game night, plus ones for sewing, pickleball, techies — and many more. And now they are also partnering with the Jersey City Library to host their events, which helps offer even more diverse activities beyond traditional bar settings.
I like this description on her app’s Instagram:
Bunch wasn’t built to monetize the loneliness pandemic—it’s built to help end it. 💛 When we keep making money off loneliness, we don’t solve it. Bunch puts connection first: low-key, small-group Hangouts around what you already love—coffee ☕️, dinner 🍝, a walk 🚶♀️—on your time, not alone. Come as you are, meet a few neighbors, and make plans that feel natural. ✨🤝
Anyway, you really should check it out. You can download the Bunch app here: www.letsbunch.com
Realty Social Media Is Really Unreal
The video below will show and tell, but in short, Weehawken Gazette noticed that some luxury buildings in Weehawken have been advertising our fair city by using photos and videos of young women romping around other cities — and other countries. Private to owners of luxury properties: if you need social media help, 📞 us.
Run Rundown
So many runs taking place this fall. Here’s a curated list of ones to check out. And one of them? It’s not even a run, and it involves mutz.
10/4/25 City Challenge 2025 in Hoboken, NJ
It’s only 3 miles but it’s packed with obstacles including but not limited to flipping tires, climbing ropes, scaling walls, and yes, carrying heavy sh*t. Sign up here.
10/5/25 Hudson River Waterfront 10K in Edgewater, NJ
This is cool because it starts in Edgewater and goes along the river to Weehawken where the ferry and/or bus will shuttle you back to the start for awards and post-race festivities. Sign up: hudsonriverwaterfrontwalkway10krace.org
10/5/25 1st ever Jersey City Mutz Fest. Yup, there’s no running, only cheese, music and fun, but for some reason Mutz Fest tickets are on runsignup.com. There is a cannoli-eating contest, though, which seems like something worth running to.
10/30/25 HoBOOken 5k in Hoboken, NJ
This annual Halloween run benefits the Hoboken Shelter and it’s a fave because of the costumes, the views, and the cause. Register at hobooken5k.com
11/15/25 New 5k in Weehawken benefitting Food Justice For All, a new local organization you may have seen at Weehawken Day. Register here.
🥍💪Weehawken HS Senior Wants To Help Keep Your Gear In The Game
Started in early 2024 by an enterprising high school student named Evan Bankey, SportsCycle is a clever way to save the environment and save money by regifting used sports gear before it hits the trash. He has also organized gear exchanges and done fundraising that allows him to donate equipment to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hudson County. We asked him for more about the initiative as it stands today and he answered:
I started SportsCycle because I realized how quickly youth athletes grow out of gear and are in need of new equipment. The goal of this project is to reduce cost for youth sports and to give equipment a longer life. I started it through Instagram and word of mouth, but I learned that a better way to receive and giveaway gear is through WhatsApp. As a senior, over the next year I am looking to find another student who could continue SportsCycle after I go to college next fall.
So, can anyone step up to keep this noble torch lit? Or do you have gear your kiddo has outgrown? If the answer is yes, see how to participate in this worthy cause via the flier below:
ICYMI: North Jerz News
🎓💰Earlier this month Stevens Institute of Technology announced they received a $21 million gift, the biggest in their 155-year history. This is especially good news as Stevens recently laid off 45 staff members due to financial challenges, a big one being the loss of international students due to federal policy changes. Article on Patch: NJ College That Faced Funding Loss Amid Federal Changes Gets Largest Ever Donation
🛍️👨⚖️American Dream Mall is being accused of not ponying up about half a million bucks to a company that built an interactive game area within it. Article on NJ.com: American Dream skipped out on $502K in bills, lawsuit alleges
Related on Weehawken Gazette: American Dream Ignores Law, Says County; We Aren’t Beholden To Your Laws, Says Mall
👟🧗♀️Speaking of shopping, Dick’s Sporting Goods just opened a ginormous 85,000 square-foot store in Jersey City’s Newport Mall. It’s called “House of Sport” and features a rock climbing wall, a batting cage to try out bats, and a bajillion shoes. Article on Women’s Wear Daily: Dick’s Brings Its Massive House of Sport Retail Concept to NYC Area
🏢 And not that we want to make Dick’s look small (heh), but the new Samsung HQ located in Englewood Cliffs just opened and it’s a 321,000 square-foot space that includes a cafeteria, gym, grocery store, and arcade. Maybe not odd they have a store because fun fact: Samsung was founded in 1938 as a grocery store.
🎸 Ready To Rocktober?
First off, big thanks to Hugo Holland, our unpaid copyeditor currently enjoying baguettes, strawberry apple sauce, and experimental physics in the Weehawken Gazette’s Paris Bureau.
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Susie
PS Subscribers get this newsletter first AND they can laugh at exclusive typos that are later corrected in the archive version.
Not sure that the dogs should be eating the cannolis. 😂
But what a wheely great Issue!