Avenue Pub, a 99-seat restaurant with a 20-seat bar at Springfield Avenue and Rutgers Street in Maplewood, is opening for business on Tuesday, December 26.
Pub owner and operator Wayne Crowell Sr. — a former Maplewood Fire Chief — hosted a preview of the pub for local officials and emergency service workers on Thursday evening, December 21.
Maplewood Deputy Mayor Deborah Engel, Mayor-elect Nancy Adams, Former Mayor Frank McGehee and Maplewood Memorial Park Conservancy founder and director Deborah Lyons.
Guests enjoyed an array of the pub’s offerings, including beers on draft, cocktails and starters like warm soft pretzels with cheese dip.
The new space is clean, bright, large and welcoming. Food and drink offerings are basic pub grub (burgers, bar pies, chicken wings, sandwiches, pasta and more), priced somewhat below other local establishments.
The pub is part of a brand new three-story building with 12 apartments above and on-site parking. Crowell, who developed the building, recently completed three other projects in town: three 2-family houses on Boyden Parkway North, the La Famiglia pizzeria with 4 apartments above at 740 Irvington Avenue, and the 13-unit Parker Manor at 285 Parker Avenue.
Crowell has owned and operated other bar/restaurants: he built and operated O’Reilly’s, which is now Pickett’s Village Bar, on Millburn Avenue and he previously owned Champs Sports Bar on Stuyvesant Avenue in Union.
In May, Crowell took Village Green on a tour of the construction site, showing off the framework of the bar, and describing a light-filled space with banquettes on the perimeter, a large hearth and table seating. Crowell said he utilized tile, granite, marble, quartz — not dark wood — to make the space bright, open and family friendly.
The bar also includes three bathrooms, allowing for a gender neutral restroom in addition to men’s and women’s restrooms.
“Everyone’s welcome. I want it to reflect what Maplewood reflects,” said Crowell. “I want this to be a happy place where people come in here and feel happy and safe.”
The pub will join other recently opened businesses on Springfield Avenue and in the Hilton/Lightning Brook neighborhood, including Honey & Hive Artisanal Ice Cream, Lum’s Cellars, Artie’s, Porta Rossa, a new iteration of General Store, and Corner Slice (coming spring 2024).
Read more about Avenue Pub and the building’s development here.
