Anything near the Somerville Circle is some prime commercial real estate. That’s just south of Bridgewater Commons, and where major arteries like 202 and 206 converge. 

So for folks in that area, this is kind of a big deal. Some changes seem to be on the horizon. 

Where Blue Star Cleaners and Bench Flooring used to be at Route 206 and Frelinghuysen Avenue may soon become an ice cream shop and a liquor store. That’s Amrutha's proposal to be heard by the Raritan Borough Planning Board on June 28.

2019 Google Maps photo of the proposed location
2019 Google Maps photo of the proposed location
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The liquor store would go in where the flooring business had been and the ice cream shop would take over where the dry cleaner was with no major changes needed or planned for the buildings. That ought to move things along. 

According to the proposal, the liquor store would be called Wine Grand, and its hours would run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The property would have entrances and exits on both Frelinghuysen Avenue and Route 206. Since the proposal hasn’t been heard yet, there’s no realistic timeframe for an opening. 

Steve Trevelis and Jack Ciattarelli at Pizza Bowl 2023 (Photo: Steve Trevelise)
Steve Trevelis and Jack Ciattarelli at Pizza Bowl 2023 (Photo: Steve Trevelise)
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But if this does go through, don’t be surprised if you run into one of Raritan’s most famous natives. Potential future governor, Jack Ciattarelli, just might be looking for a bottle of Chianti there from time to time. As we learned from a call-in with Steve Trevelise, the Raritan-born-and-raised candidate enjoys that with a certain pizza. 

Steve, De Lucia's Pizzeria brick oven pie [in] Raritan, New Jersey, been there 100 years. They've got an anchovy pie with no cheese that's off the charts! If you want to talk about a beautiful combination, a glass of chianti, anchovy pie no cheese; it's magnificent!

As I told Ciattarelli myself, he can keep his anchovies. But I wouldn’t mind picking up some White Zin there, and maybe a vanilla cone next door.

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Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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