Downtown Denville

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Two New Business Open in downtown Denville

Last week we celebrated two more new businesses opening up in downtown Denville. Both Vikingos Cake Shoppe & Bakery and El Lechon de Negron are officially open for business, upping the flavor profile of our town’s already delicious offerings.

Vikingos Cake Shoppe & Bakery, owned by Jillian VanStrand and Jesus Gomez, took over the former Viking Bakery space on First Avenue, and after a year-long journey, they kicked celebrated their grand opening on Friday and a ribbon cutting with the Mayor on Saturday. While their name pays homage to the former bakery, the ownership, recipes, and enthusiasm are all brand new.

El Lechon de Negron is a Puerto Rican restaurant that officially opened last Tuesday and has enjoyed long lines ever since. An extension of their Union location, this one shares space with Mara’s Bakery and is undoubtedly bringing Denville something it was missing. With changing menu specials every day, and popular staples available regularly, they are filling an ethnic niche for our community.

Opening up a new business is a challenge in the base case, but opening up a new business during a pandemic is an even bolder move. These new businesses, and the rest of our small business community, continue to need the ongoing support of their customers. As we head into the holiday season, we urge you to make shopping and eating local a priority so we can continue to keep your favorite businesses here.

Mark Your Calendars: Pink Witches Night Out on 10/22

This year, Pink Witches Night Out, like many events during a pandemic, has been a bit reimagined. This is the eighth year of the popular event that brings visitors downtown to celebrate breast cancer survivors, and raise money for the Cancer Hope Network. For the first time ever, the downtown district will have a few streets closed for the evening event. Broadway, Center Street, and First Avenue will be closed to allow for ample space for the many attendees to shop, eat, and mingle safely.

Also new this year will be a live band on Broadway, a wine garden from Thatchers on Center Street, and s’mores fire pits. Returning will be the photo booth, vendors, and, of course, the very popular swag bag.

You can pre-register at Pink Witches Night to guarantee you’ll get a swag bag, and find additional details there as well. Make plans to attend this very fun, very worthy evening next month with us!

This event is sponsored by Saint Clare’s Health, and one of many events we hold during the year to bring the community together. If you would like to donate to future events and help us continue to help our downtown businesses, you can find details on our Relief Fund right here.

Welcome to downtown Denville: Vikingos Cake Shoppe & Bakery!

Although they signed the lease just about a year ago, there was much behind-the-scenes work to be done to bring Vikingos Cake Shoppe & Bakery to life. Co-Owners Jillian VanStrander and Jesus Gomez and their team have been working hard on finishing up last minutes details and are aiming for opening on September 12th. Be sure to follow the Vikingos facebook and Instagram page to keep up with the latest news and confectionery creations. Now let’s get to know Jillian, and what she has in store for the bakery and the Denville community.

You’re finally opening! Denville has been waiting a long time for this, as have you! Any first day jitters?
We are very happy to be here! I think this last year of hard work and preparation has worked in our benefit as far as first day jitters go. The excitement is beating out any nerves!

Tell us who your ideal customer is.
I think anyone who walks through our door is our ideal customer to be honest! But truly, my ideal customer would be one that grows with us and one that I get to watch grow in return. I want to be able to make someone’s sixth birthday cake (keep me creative), make their sweet sixteen cake (keep me young), and then make their wedding cake (keep me grateful). I want our creations to be a special part of people’s lives. 

What is the story behind the bakery’s name and logo?
I don’t think it’s any secret that Viking Bakery was a community staple for many years. We wanted to pay homage to that history while being able to start fresh as new owners with our own vision. Vikingos Cake Shoppe & Bakery is our fun spin on town history. 

Will you offer gluten free/ sugar free selections? Are you able to accommodate allergies?
Gluten free and sugar free items are something that need to be handled properly and safely so that people are able to enjoy them just as freely as anyone else. I very much plan on being able to offer these items soon as I have hired a pastry assistant who is actually gluten free herself! I think we’ll be able to come up with some really great stuff together! However to start, we will be trying to nail down the current menus we have in place and adding those specialty items as we go. 

These are crazy times for businesses – what pandemic practices will you employ?
Yes, these certainly are crazy times but here we are! We will, of course, require masks upon entry & will be marking off lines to help facilitate social distancing. We changed our opening strategy to include a lot more grab & go items like pre-packaged cupcake boxes, donut boxes, and variety platters so people can pop in and out for these items easily. We were also able to set up a handheld POS system so we’ll be able to take orders and check people out while they’re waiting in line just to limit any extra crowding. 

We’re coming into your bakery to get just one thing – what should it be?
My hope is that our customers will be leaving with more than just one thing! Our variety is pretty impressive – I have put a lot of thought into designing our house menu & packaged items to be able to include something for everyone! If you don’t see your favorite flavor or combination, just ask! We’re ready and happy to accommodate.  Let’s fill those pastry boxes up! 

Any savory menu items planned? Oddly enough, I myself am not a dessert person, so I’d love to be able to offer more savory items down the line. I definitely have a few things in mind! Stay tuned.

Do you plan to have any locally sourced ingredients or work with our neighboring businesses? Denville is such a great community. There would be absolutely no reason not to take advantage of all of the great resources it provides. I very much look forward to being here as a business owner and collaborating with other business owners whenever possible!

What is your signature pastry? This should be a much easier question to answer than it is! I really am so incredibly proud of what we offer that it’s hard for me to choose just one thing. Our “Caramel Cinnabon” Cake would be very close to the top of the list, though. I think people will really enjoy our donuts too, as they are old fashioned cake style and not fried. You don’t see that a whole lot anymore!

Why a bakery?
Why not? I have the rare opportunity to not only be a part of our customer’s daily routine but a part of their life. Whether it’s to help them pick out their morning donut or to help their child pick out an after school cupcake because they aced their math test. Birthday cakes. Fiftieth anniversary cakes. ‪Sunday dinner‬ desserts. Life is worth celebrating – small wins and big wins. I get to see them all and I get to do it with sprinkles. That’s why a bakery. For me, it will always be a bakery.

vikingosbakery@gmail.com
973-625-4444
34 First Avenue
Denville, NJ 07834

Check back later in the week as we will be introducing you to another business coming to town!

Open Your Business in Downtown Denville

The Downtown Denville Business Improvement District (BID) supports events, promotional efforts, outreach, and improvements in Denville’s downtown. As a vibrant, active community, Denville is the perfect place to open your business. The support of both the Downtown Denville BID, and a very active group of small business owners, keeps the community’s business, shopping, and dining local.

With its staff and all-volunteer Board of Directors, the Downtown Denville BID supports events, promotional efforts, outreach, and improvements in our downtown area. With a vibrant, active community, Denville is a must-visit NJ destination and a wonderful place to start or expand your business.

WHY DENVILLE?
Denville consistently lands on many ”top foodie destination” lists, and for good reason. Visitors come from all over to dine at The Pasta Shop, Hunan Taste, and Thatcher McGhee’s, and come back for return visits to check out our pubs, vegetarian restaurants, and, of course, Denville Dairy. The town truly has the perfect food option for every craving. Downtown Denville also has a great mix of retailers in our shopping areas, everything from unique one-of-a-kind boutiques and home decor stores, to gourmet food shops and full-service spas.

DEMOGRAPHICS
With approximately 20,000 residents and its distance to train lines and bus service, this haven is a perfect choice for both commuters and suburbanites. Several lakes, a golf course, playgrounds, and a top-rated school district continue to position Denville as an attractive selection for residents and businesses.

GET IN TOUCH
If you’re looking for a location to open up your business or to add an additional location for it, let us know. We can connect you with the building owners and real estate agents for the available space in town, and support you along the way. Whether you need a small or large space, or retail, restaurant, or office, we have a few options that may be perfect. Email us at bmesa@downtowndenville.com and we’ll help you discover everything that Denville has to offer you and your business.

Celebrate National Ice Cream Month in downtown Denville!

It seems rather fitting to celebrate the hottest of summer days with a dish of ice cream, but when better to do it than in July, which is National Ice Cream Month? And so, in the interest of research, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite of the sweet treats available in downtown Denville.

Whether you enjoy your ice cream outside at their bright orange tables or take it to go, the folks at Denville Dog & Grill have a delicious assortment of 32 Welsh Farms ice cream flavors to choose from. Get it in a cone, cup, or even milkshake form, but don’t forget their Pineapple Dole Whip! It’s the next best thing to hopping a flight to Florida for Disneyworld’s version!

Speaking of milkshakes, if that’s your pleasure pop into Weenies and check out all their crazy and traditional concoctions! They have everything from old fashioned Chocolate, Vanilla, and Coffee, to more unusual varieties like Maple Bacon, Frosted Flake, and Blue Cotton Candy. They’re open until 3 am for outdoor dining, to go orders, and delivery.

You might not think of Bubble in Paradise when you’re thinking about ice cream, but then you’d be missing out on their fun shaved ice and taiyaki creations! They have a wide variety of build-your-own shaved ice creations that you can top with ice cream, and they also offer made-to-order egg waffles and taiyaki topped with ice cream and your choice of toppings and drizzles. Still not enough? They even have traditional sundaes that you can top with non-traditional toppings like mochi, pocky, or red bean.

And, of course, no ice cream list is completing without mentioning Denville Dairy! In business for over fifty years, the Fine family has been serving up their homemade treats to customers far and wide. Milkshakes, cups, cones, pies, cakes, and even ice cream sandwiches! Tons of flavors and toppings to choose from, each one more delicious than the next, and sugar-free and fat-free flavors are available as well (and sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference!).

With just less than two weeks of National Ice Cream Month, you have your work cut out for you, but we know you’re up to the challenge! Indulging in ice cream around town? Share on Instagram and be sure to tag us – we’d love to see!