First-of-its-kind rotating business coming to NJ

Ever been to one of those rooftop lounges or restaurants where the whole place is built on a giant turntable of sorts? You don’t really feel the motion but over the course of the night, your window-side table has a constantly changing view.

If the headline made you think that’s what’s coming to New Jersey, my apologies. One, we’ve already had those, like the Carousel Bar that opened at Bally’s in Atlantic City a few years ago. Two, I didn’t know quite how else to explain what this new business is.

Yes, it’s going to be a rotating retail space, but not in that physical sense. It will rotate what retail businesses are using the space from one month to the next. It’s sort of a "pop-up" concept, but not exactly.

It’s called Spark, and it’s happening in Metuchen. The idea is said to be a first in New Jersey, where a retail space was designed on purpose not to have a permanent tenant.

Why do it?

Think about how daunting the business climate is in New Jersey and how signing a year or multi-year lease could feel like walking a plank.

Perhaps your business is unique enough that you don't require a brick-and-mortar storefront year-round but it might be nice to have a physical presence for a few weeks where you could pitch your photography services or display your art that a website then mostly handles just fine.

How will it work?

According to downtownmetuchen.org, it’s called Spark Downtown Metuchen and it’s a 19-by-8-foot space with modular wall shelving units, a checkout counter, and a separate Main Street entrance.

A business can rent it for only one month, or for more months. It could be a one-off. It could be an "as needed." It could be an every-January thing.

It’s described on the township’s website as an “innovative space located at 450 Main Street Metuchen NJ...a model developed by the Metuchen Downtown Alliance (“MDA”) to help curate complementary retail experiences to our thriving downtown! We encourage artists, photographers, makers, and creators to consider this space as a way to showcase their pieces, create a unique space for their business and share their talents with the community.”

How to apply

Metuchen has won awards and gained recognition for its reimagined downtown. If you’d like to get your business endeavor noticed in an unusual way in a vibrant downtown, just click here. That link gives more information and on the same page has an intake form you can fill out.