23 Skiddoo Cafe Closes, and Bloomfield's Watsessing Corner Is at a Crossroads
23 Skiddoo Cafe, the cozy coffeehouse that has anchored a small strip of storefronts in Bloomfield's Watsessing neighborhood since June 2018, closed suddenly on Wednesday, October 7, one day after the Bloomfield Planning Board voted 6-0 to approve a subdivision at 37-39 Carteret Street, the property next door. The timing has turned the closure into a neighborhood flashpoint, with residents rallying to keep the corner commercial. Here is what happened, what the subdivision means for the block, and what to watch next.
What happened at the corner
The cafe sits on a small strip of storefronts about a block from Watsessing Park. On Wednesday, October 7, it closed suddenly, one day after the Bloomfield Planning Board voted 6-0 to approve a subdivision at 37-39 Carteret Street, the property next door.
The subdivision clears the way to demolish the longtime corner store, a one-story building dating to 1926, and build two single-family homes on the site. The applicant is Pina Pagliuca, a real estate agent with Epique Realty. The store next to the cafe has been a neighborhood convenience spot for years, and residents have objected to the plan.
The cafe's statement
The cafe's announcement cited "a lack of support and ongoing neglect from our local township" as the reason it could not continue operating sustainably. It is deeply disheartening, the statement said, when local leadership does not stand by the small businesses that give a town its character. In its farewell post, the cafe's owner, Hodge Halili, said he hopes to pass the business on to someone who will take on the vision and keep the community hub alive.
What is still open
23 Skiddoo Gelato at 27 Carteret Street remains open Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 8pm. The cafe itself plans one final weekend, "one last cup, chat, and a hug," on Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, 7am to 3pm. The cafe is sponsoring the Boooo-mfield 5K taking place Saturday, October 24, and the farewell weekend (October 24-25, 7am to 3pm) doubles as the celebration of that final weekend.
Neighbors are rallying
Neighbors are rallying to keep the corner commercial. The community town hall called "Watsessing Speaks" took place Sunday, October 18 at 10:00 AM at 23 Skiddoo Cafe, with an open microphone and no formal agenda, and News 12 NJ covered residents speaking out about the neighborhood's future. The organizers' message remains "This is our neighborhood. Our stories matter. Our voices deserve to be heard." Montclair Local has called the situation a political flashpoint in Bloomfield, and the owner has since confirmed the cafe's permanent closure, with the final farewell weekend ahead.
What this means for the neighborhood
A corner like this is a small but telling signal for anyone watching Watsessing as a buyer, seller, or longtime resident. The subdivision at 37-39 Carteret Street would replace a one-story 1926 storefront with two single-family homes, which is a real change to the block's character, and the cafe's closure means the strip loses a gathering spot that gave the corner its identity.
For buyers, the honest read is that Watsessing is a neighborhood in transition: development decisions like this one shape what the streets feel like over the next decade, and they are worth watching at public meetings rather than after the fact. For sellers, a neighborhood where residents organize around character and small business is usually one where people want to stay, which is a good sign for long-term demand.
The bottom line
23 Skiddoo Cafe closed suddenly on October 7, one day after the Planning Board approved the subdivision next door, and the corner store that has served the block for decades is now slated to be demolished for two single-family homes. The gelato shop stays open, the cafe returns for one final weekend on October 24-25, and residents held their "Watsessing Speaks" town hall on October 18 to make the case for keeping the corner commercial. Whatever happens next, this is a moment worth paying attention to in Watsessing.
If you are looking in Watsessing or anywhere else in Bloomfield and want to talk through what development on your block could mean for your decision, I am happy to walk through it with you. No pressure, just honest local guidance.
Sources
This story is based on reporting by Montclair Local, The Montclair Girl, and News 12 NJ, plus the cafe's own announcement, 23 Skiddoo Gelato, 23 Skiddoo Cafe on Facebook, and the Watsessing Heights Neighbors Facebook group. The Watsessing Speaks town hall is organized by neighbors and open to everyone.
Have a tip about local development?
I cover local real estate and development news across Bloomfield, West Orange, Montclair, and Essex County. If you hear about new construction, zoning changes, or neighborhood issues, I'd love to hear about it.