Grove St between Mercer and Montgomery Sts, Jersey City, NJ

Before Weichert Realtors (273 Grove St) claimed the corner of Grove and Montgomery Streets, the space was occupied by a liquor store. Mohammed Rajaa Malik, the store’s owner, was arrested in June 2001 for trying to export weapons, and was referred to in The New York Times as “Stinger Missile Mike.”

Half the block was full of abandoned buildings before Exeter Property Company developed the spaces at the start of the decade, says Paul Silverman, who runs the business with his brother Eric—and claims that he’s known as the Mayor of Grove Street.

Jerseyites with problem feet have been limping into Carlascio Orthopedics (283 Grove St, 201-333-8710) for 86 years. Owner Lou Carlascio Jr. says property values have skyrocketed in recent years, but that hasn’t affected his business. “We own our space, which is probably why we’re still here,” he says.

To live up to its name, N-Joyable Hair Designs (283 Grove St, 201-985-0089) is offering reduced rates on cuts and coloring (starting at $25 and $40, respectively) until the end of spring.

For Megan O’Sullivan, owner of clothing and antique boutique Tia’s Place (277 Grove St, 201-451-9358), Jersey City was exactly right for her entrepreneurial vision. “I looked in downtown Manhattan, I looked in Hoboken,” she says. “I wanted a big, open space where I could display clothes on antique furniture instead of metal racks. I doubt there are many other places where I could’ve found that, and definitely very few where I could’ve afforded it.”

“We’ve got people in their sixties next to people in their twenties,” says Elaine Hansen, owner of Yoga Shunya (275 Grove St, 201-610-9737). The spacious studio, which offers classes for all skill levels, including yoga for pregnant women, has been the only anusara game in town for ten years. “I’ve been teaching prenatal for so long, these kids are now eight years old. I feel like a grandmother many times over.”

“You couldn’t even pay me to go back to New York,” says Chanel Salgado, who moved to the block six months ago. “I don’t miss anything.” Salgado, a former Astoria resident, says that the surprisingly easy commute, cheaper transportation and nearby Grove Street PATH station were crucial to her conversion. “Everything I need is right there. I can go to the gym, or if I need toilet paper I can just cross the street.”

City Hall (280 Grove St) first opened its doors in 1896. This building has been a fixture in the community for more than a century, even surviving a four-alarm fire in 1979 that damaged the structure’s roof and three of five friezes.

Built in the early 1900s, the Bar Majestic (275 Grove St) used to be a charming vaudeville theater. These days it’s a mod wine lounge. When developers were renovating the space, they wanted to preserve its history—which explains the ancient urinal in the men’s bathroom. The facade still features the marquee of the Majestic Theatre, and the interior includes some original walls from the venue’s lobby. Every Monday is movie night at the bar, offering drink specials related to the screening, and the first Monday of the month is “Jersey City Resident Appreciation Night,” which means all food and drink is half off.

Vital stats about the Majestic Theatre Condominiums (222 Montgomery St):

• Number of units: 45 (38 for sale, seven for rent)
• Years it took to plan and build condos: Five
• Most expensive unit for sale: $800,000 (three-bedroom)
• Least expensive: $300,000 (studio)
• Most expensive rental: $3,500 (three-bedroom)
• Least expensive: $1,500 (studio)

—Kyle McGovern

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