WINTER 2021
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CONTENTS 07030
COVER 22 CHAIN REACTION Creative Sisters Cover Photo courtesy of The Calliope Sisters
FEATURES 9 HOME WORK The Hudson Reporter
12 BOARD CERTIFIED Passion Into Profit
12
16 THE MUSIC MAN Tunes Celebrates 25 Years
18 ATHLETE TO EDUCATOR Dr. Christine Johnson
24 COLORFUL CREATIONS Mother and Daughter Biz
DEPARTMENTS 6 OUR STAFF 8 EDITOR’S LETTER 10 CONTRIBUTORS 19 POINT AND SHOOT Awaiting Spring
28 SPORTS The Henriquez Family
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• 2-mile Main Street that includes shopping, dining & excellent healthcare
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• Art and Music Events & Family Entertainment • 3.3125% NJ Sales Tax
• Easy transportation via Light Rail or bus • Beautiful Parks & Waterfront Walkways
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Bayonne Animal Hospital 1170 Kennedy Blvd, Bayonne 201.339.0121
WINTER 2021 Volume 9 • Number 1 Published twice annually A Publication of Newspaper Media Group
PUBLISHER Perry Corsetti EDITOR IN CHIEF Kate Rounds ART DIRECTOR Terri Saulino Bish ADVERTISING MANAGER Tish Kraszyk SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Toni Anne Calderone-Caracappa Ron Kraszyk Jay Slansky CIRCULATION Luis Vasquez
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FINANCIAL Sharon Metro
07030 Hoboken Magazine is published by the Newspaper Media Group, 447 Broadway, Bayonne, New Jersey 07002, (201) 798-7800, Fax (201) 798-0018. Email 07030@hudson reporter.com. Subscriptions are $10 per year, $25 for overseas, single copies are $7.50 each, multiple copy discounts are available. VISA/MC/AMEX accepted. Subscription information should be sent to 07030 Hoboken Magazine Subscriptions, 447 Broadway, Bayonne, NJ 07002. Not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or other unsolicited materials. Copyright © 2021, Newspaper Media Group .All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.
07030 Hoboken Magazine is a publication of Newspaper Media Group 447 Broadway, Bayonne, New Jersey 07002 phone 201.798.7800 fax 201.798.0018
EDITOR’S LETTER 07030
From Virus to Vaccine t would be impossible to address our readers without addressing COVID-19. Our wonderful staff is working from home. Our freelancers struggle to get pictures and interviews with people who are justifiably fearful of their fellow humans. Our ad department is in solidarity with its valued clients, many struggling to stay afloat. But Hoboken is filled with survivors and neighbors who help their neighbors. Not to mention creative and innovative residents. We have three stories about folks who used their time at home to start their own artsy enterprises, in one case donating the proceeds to a Hoboken charity. Two stories highlight athletic families who found success and satisfaction through sports. And Tunes, one of Hoboken’s beloved family businesses, celebrates 25 years. As I write this, people all over Hudson County, including Hoboken, are rolling up their sleeves to receive the COVID 19 vaccine. This is truly the light at the end of the tunnel. So, I will just say to our loyal readers and advertisers, be safe and be well as we collectively envision what our lives might be like post-pandemic.
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Photo by Marie Papp
I
HOME WORK
At home with NMG’s Hudson County editorial/ graphics team, with special thanks to the members of our stalwart sales team who have been working valiantly against tremendous odds. COVID-19 put us out of the office, but not out of the loop.
Staff Writer Marilyn Baer Photo by Malcolm Clark To be a good journalist, you’ve got to be able to work from anywhere. Lately, that’s my living-room floor, where the coffee table is just the right height for me to type my notes as I watch the latest virtual city council meeting. So far, 2020 sucks, but the one thing I’d like to keep from this year is the attire. I don’t think I’ve ever been more comfortable than in my button-down shirt and athletic shorts. Art Director Terri Saulino Bish Photo by Ronni Saulino Bish Working from home has been a paradox. To quote Charles Dickens, “It has been the best of times and the worst of times.” I eat lunch with family, pet my dog’s big white head, and avoid countless hours navigating the maze of New Jersey highways. But I truly miss my coworkers, their smiles, their rants, and their unmatched creativity. So, I guess I will “reflect upon my present blessings” and greet this new reality with a smile. Staff Writer Dan Israel Photo by Thomas Szweada Working from home has been an adjustment, but my “thinking chair” has made it easier. Occasionally one of my cats will come along to distract me, but I’ve maintained my productivity by dressing as if I’m still in the actual office. Some days are more casual than others, but it helps me get the job done!
Managing Editor Gene Ritchings Photo by Lauren Naslund Dear Dr. Norquist: It’s Gene, working from home, just me and my risk factors. My tasks and responsibilities are the same. Just no commuting to Bayonne. I can see the street out my window. Have coffee whenever. Have lunch every day with the love of my life. It’s quiet. It’s safe. I’m barefoot. Is it okay to like this?
Editor in Chief Kate Rounds Photo by Beth DiCara Notice my Crocs? A must for your at-home ensemble. I’m moonlighting as an Amazon Package Rescuer-in-Chief for tenants and neighbors. The pay stinks, but it’s essential work. Speaking of essential, thanks to our editorial/graphics team for their incredible work during an incredibly stressful time!
MARILYN BAER
VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ
JIM HAGUE
CONTRIBUTORS
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TARA RYAZANSKY
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MARILYN BAER
TARA RYAZANSKY
JIM HAGUE
VICTOR M. RODRIGUEZ
grew up in Hoboken and currently lives in Jersey City. She studied journalism at Ohio Wesleyan University and is now a staff writer for the Hoboken Reporter. is a Jersey City native, who landed a job with the Hudson Dispatch in 1986. He has been the sports columnist for the Hudson Reporter Associates for the last 22 years.
is a writer who moved from Brooklyn to Bayonne. She works as a blogger for Nameberry.com and spends her spare time fixing up her new (to her) 100-year-old home. has studied publication design, photography, and graphic arts. “I’ve been fascinated by photography for almost 20 years,” he says.
TERRI SAULINO BISH
is the art director for The Hudson Reporter’s awardwinning magazines and newspapers. Her work includes capturing many of the iconic images featured in print and online across Hudson County.
what’s on the menu
Catering available for all your holiday needs
WINTER 2021 ~ 07030 • 11
Board Certified Young entrepreneur turns her passion into profit By Tara Ryazansky Photos courtesy of The Bell of the Boards
L
exi Pellegrini says that for as long as she can remember she’s gotten excited when she finds a charcuterie board on the menu: “Any time I’m at a restaurant, I immediately look to see if there is any type of cheese board, and if there is, nine times out of ten I make sure that I order one for the table.” It’s hard to resist a well-balanced board with a mix of creamy and sharp cheeses, delicatessen meats, briny pickles, crisp crackers, and sweet, fresh fruits.
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Soon, Pellegrini became known in her friend group for bringing homemade charcuterie boards to nearly every gettogether. They’re a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach.
Good Enough to Eat “I’m a big foodie, and I’m also very aesthetically driven,” Pellegrini says. “I’ve always had such a passion for this because I can take my creativity and my love of food and combine them. Charcuterie is considered an art.” Fresh flowers or seasonal garnishes accent her high-end meats and cheeses.
But it wasn’t until recently that Pellegrini thought of transforming her boards into a business. She’s currently a student at George Washington University where she majors in communications with a minor in creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. Amid the pandemic, Pellegrini is learning remotely in her hometown of Hoboken. “I’ve lived here my entire life, all 20 years,” she says. (Her father is Hoboken Health and Human Services Director Leo Pellegrini.) She struggled to find a part-time job in the local restaurant industry, but no one was hiring.
That’s when she decided to put her education to work. Her minor inspired her to brainstorm a product or service that could be a good fit for the community. “Those courses helped me frame what I’m doing here,” Pellegrini says. “I’ve heard from countless, successful entrepreneurs who have come to speak. I was looking for ways that I could create an entrepreneurial venture of my own.”
Right Place, Right Time Pellegrini had noticed that her charcuterie boards were becoming a culinary trend. If you search “charcuterie” on Instagram, you’ll find more than a million images of curated cured meats. Pellegrini thought that there could be a market for a delivery service that would bring picture-perfect boards directly to customers. Enter The Belle of the Boards. “When I first began, I wasn’t sure how long it would take for the business to get going, or if it would get going at all,” she says. “There were a lot of unknowns, but I just kept going.”
She wanted her product to be unique. “Anyone could make a board at home themselves, but I elevate it and make it more exciting,” Pellegrini says. She sources some of her ingredients locally and travels to specialty shops for interesting additions. “When it comes to presentation there was a lot of trial and error,” she says. “Some of them can take as much as two hours to create.”
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delivers to outdoor events throughout Hudson County. “I’ve gotten really great feedback from my customers,” Pellegrini says. “They send me photos, almost immediately, of their guests enjoying the boards.”
Here’s to Hoboken Next up for The Belle of the Boards are some new, sweeter offerings. For the winter holidays, she introduced cocoa and dessert boards. “I’ve been looking to work with some local bakeries,” Pellegrini says. “I’m very excited to start working with some other local small businesses. Hoboken is a great community for that.”
Instant Gratification It seems like The Belle of the Boards has mastered the art. Pellegrini’s offerings include a Brunch Board that serves bagels, a trio of spreads, doughnuts, croissants, and fruits beautifully arranged on a rustic platter. Her most popular board is the Friends & Familia which features three meats and three cheeses presented with fruits and crackers. A board called Date Night In features two cheeses and one meat with fruit and crackers. Pellegrini’s boards are perfect for downsized social events in the age of COVID. Now that gatherings are smaller and more exclusive, so is the food. She
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Pellegrini says that growing up in Hoboken around so many creative types pushed her toward her new venture. “Just being around so many people with an entrepreneurial spirit helped inspire me to create this for myself.” Check out Pellegrini’s charcuterie boards at @thebelleoftheboards on Instagram or at her website thebelleof theboards.com.—07030
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WINTER 2021 ~ 07030 • 15
DIAMONDS are a Girl’s Best Friend The storied sports career of
Hoboken’s top educator
Dr. Christine Johnson Image by TBishPhoto
By Jim Hague
F
or the last four years, she’s been known as Dr. Christine Johnson, Hoboken’s popular, friendly, and effervescent Superintendent of Schools. Before Johnson came to Hoboken, she spent eight years as school’s chief in Boonton and three as an administrator in Mendham. Becoming Hoboken’s first-ever woman superintendent was a huge opportunity. “I wanted to change the negative perception of the Hoboken school system,” Johnson said. “I want the community to trust the public school system.” Johnson never envisioned herself as a superintendent. “I always thought I would become a high school teacher and coach,” she said. “If I could do for others what my coaches did for me, then that would have been fine.” In another life, Johnson was known as Chrissy Morrison, a three-sport standout at nearby North Arlington High School: volleyball in fall, basketball in winter, and softball in spring. She earned All-Bergen County Scholastic League honors in all three sports and earned her varsity letter in the three sports all four years. She was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994, just six years after graduating.
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“My goal was to be a 12-season varsity athlete,” Johnson said. “The one sport I needed work on was volleyball.” Johnson said, “I never played volleyball in my life. In the ‘80s, there were no clubs. I knew I wanted to play, so all summer before coming to high school, I had the volleyball net up in the yard. I was practicing hitting and digging.”
Coach Cooper “The coach Mr. [Don] Cooper was my gym teacher in fifth grade,” Johnson said. “So I knew he knew me.” Cooper became a North Arlington coaching legend, leading the Vikings to the overall NJSIAA Group I state title in 2004. “I knew that she was a very tough kid with a tough attitude,” Cooper said. “I remember her being consistent. She was a good leader and a solid all-around player.” Chrissy found her niche as an outside hitter, earning All-BCSL and All-Bergen County honors. “My senior year, we had a chance to win the Bergen County Tournament,” she said. “Cooper was very methodical and strategic. He made me into a better volleyball player.”
Gene Pool Chrissy came from an athletic family. Her uncle Joe Francello went to Syracuse University from North Arlington High on a track scholarship and competed in the United States Olympic Trials. Her sister Dina Morrison still holds many of North Arlington’s track records. Her brother Michael was an excellent pitcher for the Vikings. “I think that forced me to get into sports even more,” Johnson said. “I was the little kid getting tossed around by my older siblings. I went to their practices and watched.” Her mother, Carmela Reddiconto, 76, runs six miles a day. When basketball season began in the winter of 1985, Chrissy had already been playing in ultracompetitive CYO basketball for neighboring Queen of Peace parish.
Basketball Brainiac “You had to work hard to make the Queen of Peace team because most of the kids went to school there,” Johnson said. She became so proficient that she was selected to play for the New Jersey Monarchs AAU program, coached by the late Karen Fuccello, the long-time girls’ basketball coach and athletic director at Belleville High School.
Photo by Jim Hague
of Photo courtesy n so hn Jo e Christin
Joe Spaccavento was North Arlington’s assistant coach. “She was the kind of kid who was always thinking on the court,” he said. “She wasn’t the fastest or the tallest, but she was in the right place all the time. She worked her tail off every day.”
She developed a close relationship with Coach John Galante. “He would always say, ‘Once you walk out onto the field, don’t let anyone beat you,’” Johnson said. “We were a small Group I school, but we competed against anyone and had a lot of success.”
Who’s on Second?
Safe at Home
Softball was Chrissy’s best sport, becoming a sensational second baseman. The Vikings won two NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1, Group I state championships and advanced twice to the Bergen County Tournament finals. It helped that Chrissy played Little League baseball with and against boys until she was 13. “Fundamentally, I learned so much more about the game,” Johnson said. “I understood the philosophy. I learned how to turn the double play. I learned how to bunt, how to hit-and-run. I wasn’t afraid to get dirty.”
Chrissy teamed with shortstop Kim Wilson to form the best double play combination in Bergen County. Both players were All-Bergen County and All-BCSL honorees. “She was a good hitter, but she did what I called on her to do,” Galante said. “She bunted, moved runners over, handled the bat well. She was a very heady player. I always felt that second base was the most important position, and on defense, she never made a mistake. She was a leader, even as a freshman.” Galante just knew that Chrissy Morrison was a standout.
Eyes on the Prize “She took all those softball lessons and turned them into life lessons,” Galante said. “You knew whatever she chose to do in life, she was going to be successful.” Chrissy had a chance to play volleyball or softball in college. But she chose basketball at Misericordia University in Dallas, Pa. After two years in Pennsylvania, she finished her athletic career and undergraduate education at Caldwell University. “A lot of North Arlington kids eventually went to Caldwell,” Johnson said. While at Caldwell, Johnson secured her first coaching and teaching position, at Mount St. Dominic Academy, the allgirls high school on Caldwell’s campus. Johnson became an assistant coach on the basketball team, which won the 1994 NJSIAA Tournament of Champions, and was head coach of the volleyball team, which won the 1994 NJSIAA Group I state championship, defeating long-time champion Secaucus in the finals. WINTER 2021 ~ 07030 • 17
Coach Chrissy Patty Marchese Gentile, who went on to have a brilliant basketball career at St. Peter’s College and ranks among the Top 10 in all-time scoring leaders at the school, played for Chrissy on the volleyball and basketball state champ teams. “She was not much older than us,” Gentile said. “She really directed us and made us believe that we could win. She helped to keep me calm. She was a good liaison between the head coach and the players. There was a good balance between being a tough coach and being able to talk to her.” Said Johnson, “It had a huge impact on me. I always say that athletics is an extension of the classroom. I think athletes learn discipline, learn about setting and reaching goals. They learn about being passionate about education and athletics.”
On and off the Diamond While at Caldwell, she met her husband-to-be Dean Johnson, Caldwell’s longtime softball coach, who in 2019, won the 800th game of his career. Dean Johnson is ranked among the top 20 in coaching victories among NCAA Division II softball coaches nationwide. The Johnsons have a daughter, Katelyn, 25, who played NCAA Division I softball at Central Connecticut State. She transferred to Caldwell for her final season so she could play for her father. Dr. Christine Johnson’s ascent to the role of top educator in one of the most diverse school districts in New Jersey began with athletics. “Look at our kids in Hoboken,” she said. “Some may struggle a little in the classroom, but on the athletic field or the court they excel. Athletics can be the catalyst that helps these kids get a college diploma. It’s critical for student/athletes to understand just how important an education is.” Said basketball Coach Joe Spaccavento: “It’s not a surprise to me that she became such a success. She had that special determination about her. They didn’t come any better than her. She’s rock solid.”—07030
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Photo by Jim Hague
Photo courtesy of Christine Johnson
POINT & S H O OT
SEND YOUR HOBOKEN PHOTOS TO 07030@HUDSONREPORTER.COM. BE SURE TO WRITE POINT & SHOOT IN THE SUBJECT LINE.
Photo by Victor M. Rodriguez
Photo by Terri Saulino Bish
Photo by Terri Saulino Bish
Photo by Victor M. Rodriguez
Looking forward to
Spring see page 25 WINTER 2021 ~ 07030 • 19
Chain Reaction
Hoboken sisters create a business and give back to the community
By Tara Ryazansky Photos courtesy of the Calliope Sisters
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n the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Andie DeMar noticed a growing trend in Hoboken. “This spring it felt like every kid ended up coming up with some kind of business,” she says. Her daughters, Joia, 12, and Carys, 9, wanted to get in on the action. DeMar vetoed slime and tie-dye, deeming them overly popular. “Let’s come up with something that’s really useful,” she said. They brainstormed about it, and one of them mentioned beaded bracelets. “Then we thought, everyone is going to be wearing masks.” They settled on the idea of making a new type of accessory to go along with the new normal: mask chains. After watching many YouTube video tutorials and experimenting with various materials, the trio created their product. They named their company Calliope Sisters, which means “beautiful voice.”
Jurisprudence to Jewelry
Carys & Joia
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DeMar says she doesn’t consider herself the creative type. “I never imagined we would have a jewelry business,” she says. “I mean, I’m a lawyer.” But her creative daughters pulled her over to the artsy side. “They are definitely creative,” DeMar says. “Joia probably wants to be an artist. She’s actually working on getting a portfolio together. Carys is more of a performer. They’re both dancers.” Running Calliope Sisters is about more than just creative fulfillment. “It’s really given them confidence to try something new,” DeMar says. “It’s given them a sense of ownership and responsibility. It’s a great lesson.” She also wanted their venture to help the community.
Inside Job The girls don’t mind staying in and making mask chains. “The chains are fun to make and to give to my friends,” Joia says. “I also get to watch TV while I’m doing it!” “I like the colorful kids’ ones that have cool designs, and they have a lot of pretty colors and are just really cute,” Carys says. “The most challenging part is when there is like tons and tons of orders, and it’s just really hard sometimes to keep up with everything. And also try to get all the chains as perfect as possible.” “Some of the chains are hard to work with, the metals are sometimes hard for me to bend,” Joia says. “It’s also difficult when we have a lot of orders, on a day when I have lots of dance and also lots of schoolwork. This is why I’m so glad that we are all doing this together.”
Satisfaction Guaranteed
“We knew that we wanted there to be a charitable bend to this. This isn’t really about turning a profit. It was about giving the kids something fun to do, and we just wanted to give back. So far, we’ve made two monetary donations to Hoboken Shelter. Right now it’s really hard to do in-person volunteering.” But the Calliope Sisters came up with a solution. They, along with some friends, made lunch and delivered it to the shelter.
“We made 100 sandwiches,” Joia says. “That was a great day and more fun than I thought it would be!” “We delivered sandwiches and are doing that again this weekend,” Carys says. “In this hard time with the pandemic, it’s good to like make people smile and help others when you can. Also, it’s really fun because it keeps me busy during this pandemic; it can be boring because we can’t go out as much.”
The Calliope Sisters have been selling their wares on Instagram, but they also have some items at Dune and Salt on Washington Street. Last Halloween, the DeMar family stopped by the store while they were trick-or-treating. “It was fun to see our stuff there,” Joia says, and it was exciting to watch customers try on the merchandise. “People were thinking that they were really nice.” “We were dressed for Halloween,” Carys says. “I was Dustin from Stranger Things. I was really happy because I saw everything in the window, and it looked so cool when it was displayed there, and everyone was walking by looking at it.” “There was actually a woman in the store trying on one of our necklaces,” DeMar says. “There was one person that was trying everything on and saying she loved it, which made me really happy,” Carys says. Says DeMar, “Really, this was just a way to get them off Tik Tok, but it’s been so fun. and it’s becoming a little bit of a business.”—BLP WINTER 2021 ~ 07030 • 21
My Kid Could Do That! This kid could and did—with a little help from Mom By Tara Ryazansky Photos courtesy of Cre8ive Crayonz
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Susan Goldman
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hen Susan Goldman was furloughed from her job in the fashion industry, she saw the silver lining right away. “I was very lucky at the beginning of the pandemic not to work and to be able to focus all of that time on my daughter,” Goldman says. She and 6-yearold Jessie spent their days creating art projects in their Hoboken home. Goldman is creative and enthusiastic about the arts, so she and Jessie weren’t just making a mess with art supplies. “We did themes every day,” she says. “We did a Jackson Pollock day. Then, one day we did a crayon day.” Goldman found some ideas online to fit the theme. They melted down some of their used and broken Crayola crayons to make new multicolored crayons in fun shapes. “It was just an activity to do for the day,” Goldman says.
Jessie loved the final product. “She was like, ‘Oh, I want to make some for my friends!’” Goldman says.
Color Us Happy! So the pair crafted extras to bring to the playground during their next socially-distant meetup. “The feedback was great from the kids and the moms,” Goldman says. The colorful shapes are great for imaginary play and sensory play on top of their obvious allure as art. Soon Goldman was creating and selling crayons for friends of friends, and eventually strangers, through word of mouth. Her personalized sets, where customers can spell out a name or message in crayons, became very popular. “I knew deep in my heart when I heard that I was furloughed that I wouldn’t be going back,” Goldman says. She had been at the job for more than seven years. She began thinking of her next career move. “I’ve got to be able to do something with my crafty side, my design side. I thought, let me try this.”
Jessie, Michael and Susan
Eureka! “At 2 o’clock in the morning I was like, I’ve got my name,” Goldman says, and Cre8ive Crayonz was born. “Then I had an idea for my logo, and I reached out to someone local who really brought it to life.” Goldman worked with Lori Kadezabek of Ten Twelve Designs.
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Another local mom, Mieke Smith, created Goldman’s website. “The support from the Hoboken moms has been amazing,” Goldman says. Many have donated their used Crayola crayons to upcycle. Goldman’s new career “allows me to work closely with my daughter,” she says. “I’m so busy making the crayons that my husband has started to help me as well. It’s a family affair now.” She calls Jessie her Cre8ive Director. Jessie’s duties include picking color combinations, doing some quality control testing and popping crayons out of their molds. She gets to keep the castoffs for herself. “When she went back to school she said, ‘Mommy, when I come home do you promise that you’ll have crayons for me to pop out?’”
Crayola Collaborators Soon the mother-daughter team will collaborate with a mother-son team. “One of the companies that I used to work with years ago in fashion is Boy Meets Girl,” Goldman says. The company’s founder and creative director is Stacy Igel. She has a son close to Jessie’s age. “Stacy’s son Dylan is very involved in her business just like my daughter.” Goldman sent some crayons to them, and they loved them. “She wanted to come up with some exclusive crayons just for her company,” Goldman says. “We worked on certain colorways and chose sayings that are linked to her company.” Those
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sets, which include phrases like “Future Boss” and “Together We Stand,” will be available on boymeetsgirlusa.com.
The Crayon Lady Goldman’s other creations, which include holiday and personalized sets, are available on Etsy or via DM on Instagram @cre8ivecrayonz. Goldman delivers in Hoboken free of charge. Little Hoboken planned to carry some during the holiday season. Goldman recently made a batch of custom party favors for her daughter’s classmates to celebrate Jessie’s birthday. “It’s a great gift to give out now that a lot of schools aren’t allowing food,” Goldman says. “My daughter loves to tell everyone about our crayon business. Never did I imagine that I would be in the crayon business. I’m starting to get known as that crayon lady.”—07030
POINT & SHOOT 07030 from page 19
Photo by Victor M. Rodriguez
Photo by Victor M. Rodriguez
Photo by Terri Saulino Bish
Photo by Victor M. Rodriguez
WINTER 2021 ~ 07030 • 25
The Music Man Tunes celebrates 25 years
By Marilyn Baer Photos courtesy of Tunes
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ith the rise of iTunes and Spotify, countless brick-and-mortar record shops have closed in the past quarter century, but not Tunes in Hoboken. The venerable establishment hasn’t just survived, but thrived, celebrating its 25th anniversary in December, 2020. “I’ve been doing this for 25 years, and I’ve never, ever not wanted to go to work,” said owner Chip Heuisler. ” I really, truly love what I do and consider myself incredibly lucky to make my living this way.” Tunes’ origin story was born out of a love and passion for music. For Chip, it began in 1993 when he moved to New Jersey from D.C. A Philadelphia native, his high school friend owned a record store, Tunes on the Dunes, on New Jersey’s Ocean City boardwalk. He also had a Marlton location. Chip worked in both before eventually buying in.
Hoboken Beckons Chip’s sister, who’d moved to Weehawken, planted the seed that the pair should expand into neighboring
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Hoboken, convinced that it would be worth the look. “We went up to Hoboken in the fall of ‘95, walked around town, and gave our card to every Realtor we saw,” Chip said. “We heard back about a small, narrow 900-square-foot space at 315 Washington St. and signed the lease then and there.” Hoboken’s previous “beloved” record store, Pier Platters, had closed that summer, and Tunes stepped in, opening in December. By 1999 the business had grown enough to move to its 1,800-square-foot current location at 225 Washington St. In 2018, Chip became sole owner of the Hoboken shop, and continued to serve the evolving tastes of local customers.
Tunes for the Times Chip expanded the stock of new and used vinyl LPs and turntables, while still carrying a large curated selection of CDs and DVDs. Accessories included t-shirts, books, posters, and magnets. All the while he brought in new customers through the online marketplace. “We’ve lost a lot of record stores over the years, and changes in the industry caused big stores like Tower Records to close their doors,” Chip said. “But those small independent record stores still around have found ways to adapt. I’ve
seen everything from the huge CD boom when Pearl Jam and Nirvana came out, and we would have hundreds of first-day releases, and then the CD sales decline with Napster and streaming services.”
Island in the Stream For some, streaming services like iTunes or Spotify have been a death sentence, but for Chip and other independent record stores, they were a source of new customers. “I’m just happy that a music fan is listening to Spotify and Sirius XM and discovering something new, and when they decide they want to own some of it and have the physical product, independent record stores are there,” Chip said.” There is always going to be a place for a record store, much like there is for book stores. People want to explore the shelves. People want to collect and physically hold the product. There will always be a draw”
Let’s Get Physical Now, that draw is the happy resurgence of vinyl. Chip said that Tunes is selling more turntables and records to high school and college students than he ever has before. “It’s great when someone buys their first turntable and searches for their first LP,”
he said. “For younger kids they’ve never had a CD collection or a DVD collection. Everything is on a hard drive or streaming. For some this is their first entry into the physical, and it’s really something witnessing that.”
Vinyl Versus Virus While the industry has proven turbulent, Chip, like many small business owners, has had to navigate the unforeseen, the COVID-19 world. Due to the pandemic, Tunes can no longer sell tickets to live performances at White Eagle Hall like it once did for the legendary Maxwell’s Tavern. Tunes was forced to close for three months last spring. As always, Tunes adapted, first through mail order and online gift cards, then adding curbside pickup, and finally safely allowing a limited number of customers back in the store. During the closure, Chip renovated the space, installing Plexiglas at the front and mid-counters and reconfiguring the layout to include a new all-vinyl back room. Musicphiles are thrilled to be back in Tunes.—07030 For more information, call 201653-3355 or go to tuneshoboken.com.
Chip Heuisler
It’s in their Genes For the Henriquez family, sports are a way of life Story and photos by Jim Hague
T
he multi-talented Henriquez clan has earned the title First Family of Hoboken athletics. Just like the uniform number that the Henriquez men wore, they always wanted to be No. 1. Four members were selected as the Athlete of the Week by the Hudson Reporter Newspapers: Anthony, Sr., twin daughters Jaeda and Alizea, and son Anthony, Jr. And yes, the twins were honored separately. Anthony Henriquez, Sr. grew up in the Hoboken projects, at 320 Jackson Street, with many of the all-time great athletes who went on to star for the Redwings. Of Dominican descent, the elder Henriquez was destined for baseball, not football like the rest of the kids who lived in the projects. His parents, Juan Antonio and Maria Henriquez, were born in the Dominican Republic. “My father always told me to go play baseball,” Henriquez said. “My father didn’t want me to play football.” His parents were adamant. “My mother always said that if I played football that I’d get hurt,” Henriquez said. He lived in the same building with former Penn State quarterback Rashard Casey.
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“We used to play building against building,” Henriquez said. “I said to myself, ‘I can do this.’ I really liked football a little bit more than baseball. Every play, there was something going on. I was able to run all over the field and do something.” He joined the Redwings squad in the early 1990s. “I signed the papers that allowed me to play,” Henriquez said. “I never told my parents. I kept my equipment at my grandmother’s house.” Henriquez became a dominant linebacker on defense and solid blocking fullback on offense, a key member of a team that won an astounding 67 of 68 games in one stretch, and five NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1, Group III championships in a six-year span.
College Bound “I knew that I could become the first person from my family to go to college,” Henriquez said. He earned a scholarship to play linebacker at Kent State University in Ohio, where he was a teammate of NFL Pro Bowlers Antonio Gates of the San Diego Chargers and James Harrison of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Henriquez led Kent State in tackles his junior year, collecting 123 in 2001, but was slowed after breaking his foot in the 2002 season opener.
Henriquez returned to Hoboken to live with his wife, the former Jasmin Montalvo, who was also a fine Hoboken High athlete. The couple raised six children. The eldest are the twins Jaeda and Alizea, who excelled in soccer, basketball, and softball for the Redwings. The twins had one goal in life—pleasing their demanding father.
Twin Peaks “He would throw rocks and make us hit the rocks,” Jaeda said. “He would hit the ball hard to make us better fielders. If we missed the ball, he’d hit the ball even harder. But it definitely made us better players. All I wanted was to make my mom and dad proud.” Jaeda played third base. Alizea, like her father, was catcher. “He helped me so much to block balls in the dirt,” Alizea said. “Having a tough father helped me and Jaeda become better all-around athletes. Having a dad teach me the ways of life was a big help. There was a standard to live up to. I think we wanted it more than he wanted it for us.” It also helped having a twin sister to compete with. “Her competitiveness pushed me,” Alizea said. “I wanted to be better than her. And I think we both wanted to be No. 1 in Daddy’s eyes.”
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Jaeda, Anthony Jr., Anthony Sr., and Alizea,
Jaeda and Alizea headed off to Goldey Beacom College in Wilmington. Jaeda concentrated on softball while Alizea played soccer and softball.
Another Anthony Meanwhile, kid brother Anthony, Jr. was flexing his muscles in Hoboken. Sharing a name with his famed father, he had an even tougher road to travel. “It was very hard for me,” Anthony, Jr. said. “When I played PAL [youth football], I would feel like I had a good game, and he would tell me all the bad things I
did. I once had to ask him, ‘Dad, will you please stop yelling?’” Anthony Jr. felt a lot of pressure having a father who was a standout football player and two older sisters who were dominant athletes. “I most definitely looked up to my sisters,” Anthony said. “But after my sophomore year, I never got Athlete of the Week, and they kept reminding me. It made me go harder.” The family college football star was also a looming presence. “I once told him that I wanted to be like
him, and he said, ‘No, you have to want to be better than me.’” After his sophomore year at Hoboken, young Anthony felt lost. “All he wanted to do was sit in front of the TV, eat, and play video games,” Anthony Henriquez, Sr. said. “I knew I had to give him a little tough love. I didn’t want him to look back later in life and regret it.”
Seeing the Light “That summer, I started to eat correctly,” the younger Henriquez said. WINTER 2021 ~ 07030 • 29
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Jaeda and Alizea “I started lifting weights more. I got on the treadmill.” As a junior, Anthony collected 149 tackles, surpassing the mark his father set as a Redwing. He joined the wrestling team for the first time and advanced to the District 10 semifinals, at 220 pounds. This past season, Henriquez rushed for 644 yards and scored eight touchdowns, while collecting 110 tackles, the second highest total in the state. He was named the 2020 Hudson Reporter Most Valuable Player. “I knew that I had to go hard every snap,” Henriquez said. “I always ran to the ball.”
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Anthony Jr., Joshua and Anthony Sr. In keeping with family tradition, on Oct. 23, 2020, Anthony Henriquez, Jr. was honored with The Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Week. His sisters could no longer razz him, and his father beamed with pride. “The gift for me was teaching them,” Anthony Sr. said. “I had a huge sense of pride watching them. All I needed to hear was, ‘I love you, Dad.’ I’m grateful for that.”
More Where Those Came From Three more Henriquez kids are on the horizon. Ten-year-old Joshua is a star with the Hoboken Pop Warner program, wearing the No. 1 jersey like his father and brother. Another set of twins, A.J. and Jordyn, are six.
The Henriquez sisters, 21, are still at Goldey Beacom. Jaeda is majoring in psychology, hoping for a Master’s degree and perhaps a doctorate. Alizea is a business administration major, focusing on healthcare management. She’s due to give birth to a boy in February. “It’s always great to be a Henriquez,” Alizea said, rubbing her baby bump. Anthony and Jaeda have lion tattoos, and Dad will get one soon. “Mine will be the Lion King,” Anthony, Sr. said with a laugh. It’s all part of the Circle of Life for Hoboken’s First Family of Sports.—07030
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