The Funky Town of Red Bank, New Jersey

Red Bank Is A Great Town

Red Bank, New Jersey is an interesting town only five miles away from the Atlantic Ocean.

It is perched on the Navesink River which is a very important part of the town.

The town has many interesting stores, including branches of Tiffany’s and Restoration Hardware.

But what I really enjoy are the interesting shops that are NOT chains, and have been in Red Bank for many years.

The eclectic offerings include an old-school record shop, a comic book owned by a famous filmmaker, a classic arcade shop, and many antique stores.

Jack’s Music Shoppe

Jack’s Music Shoppe has been a Red Bank mainstay for over 50 years. It is FAMOUS.

The BOSS shops here!

See where Bruce Springsteen buys his music

According to that article from app.com:

About 40 years ago, musician Bruce Springsteen walked into Jack’s Music Shoppe, a small record store located in Red Bank.

“When I first saw him, I thought here was this rare and so-important person that wandered into my little store. I was so in awe of his presence, but at the same time, a little freaked out about not scaring him away,” said the store owner, Jack Anderson.

Anderson, his staff and his customers learned quickly that Springsteen acted like a normal shopper and not a celebrity. He would stop by the shop many times over the coming decades, long after he became world famous.

You can’t get more New Jersey than that!

They have plenty of vinyl records, CDs, and other forms of music.

They have recently added used books. This was not something that they had expected to do.

According to Two River Times:

The journey to bookdom began, of course, with music: Jack’s purchased a vast collection of vinyl records from the estate of a school teacher. As it turned out, the teacher was also an avid book collector, prompting Jack’s employees to consider expanding their offerings.

Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash

Kevin Smith became famous with his film Clerks and has made many movies since then. His most famous characters include the stoner duo Jay and Silent Bob and the icon Buddy Christ.

Kevin Smith purchased an existing comic book store in Red Bank and named Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash. It has been located in various locations in Red Bank over the years.

The store sells many comic books and merchandise from various Kevin Smith movies. Scenes from his various films have been shot there.

And of course, it has Buddy Christ overseeing it all.

Buddy Christ:

Count Basie Center for the Arts

William James “Count” Basie was one of the all-time jazz greats. He grew up in Red Bank.

There is a great arts center named for him in his hometown: The Count Basie Center for the Arts.

According to Wikipedia:

The building first opened in 1926 as the Carlton Theater and later, in 1973, became known as the Monmouth Arts Center. In 1984 it was renamed the Count Basie Theatre after famed jazz musician and Red Bank native, William “Count” Basie.

From the Center’s Mission Statement:

The Basie mission is to inspire, educate and entertain through its distinct and engaging cultural and artistic offerings that embrace and amplify the diversity of the region. As a nonprofit organization, the Basie is committed to enriching the community’s quality of life by generating opportunities for participation in the arts, partnering with schools, collaborating with other mission-based organizations and driving regional economic prosperity.

He played piano and organ and was a bandleader and composer.

Here is a great video from Count Basie (Pride of Red Bank):

Here is Count Basie with his orchestra playing “One O’Clock Jump” on The Ed Sullivan Show on May 29, 1960.

Monmouth Street Emporium

There are some charming antique shops in this area. Red Bank has many antique stores (including some really large ones we did not visit on this trip).

I really liked the Monmouth Street Emporium. The shops are adorable.

Once Bitten Donuts

These donuts are delicious. They are also HUGE. Very nice place, larger than we expected, with plenty of seats.

YESTERcades

YESTERcades is a great 1980s-style video arcade! The classics are all here!

They also have branches in Somerville, Westfield, and Metuchen.

You can pay by the hour – no quarters needed!

Better Housekeeping Shop

Better Housekeeping Shop sells home appliances. They’ve been in business since 1939. I like the old-fashioned look of the exterior.

Further Reading and Viewing

Please check out my other posts:

The Famous Sunnybank Collies | Wayne, New Jersey

Bahrs Landing Is Still Standing in 2024 | Highlands, New Jersey

The Historic Red Mill Museum Village 2024 | Clinton, New Jersey

Mount Tabor | Parsippany, New Jersey

Sea Girt Lighthouse 2023 | Sea Girt, New Jersey

National Guard Militia Museum 2023 | Sea Girt, New Jersey

Pequest Trout Hatchery | Oxford Township, New Jersey

Late Night Local TV And Fabulous Saturday Night Discomania in the 1970s | Television

New York Television Celebrates New York and New Jersey During the 1970s and 1980s | Television

The Historic Cooper Gristmill | Chester Township, New Jersey

The Historic and Lovely Town of Belvidere, New Jersey

The Haunted Deserted Village of Feltville and the Enchanted Forest 2023 | Berkeley Heights, New Jersey

First Presbyterian Church of Oxford at Hazen and the Spooky Graveyard 2023 | Belvidere, New Jersey

Littell-Lord Farmstead | Berkeley Heights, New Jersey

The Clara Barton Schoolhouse

The Little Red Schoolhouse | Florham Park, New Jersey

Grovers Mill and the War of the Worlds | West Windsor, New Jersey

Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Park 1

Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Park 2

and you can also my posts on my book blog!

Top 10 Books on My Fall 2023 Reading List

Diary of a Mad Housewife by Sue Kaufman | Book Review

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath | Book Review

Cassandra at the Wedding by Dorothy Baker | Book Review

Thanks for visiting New Jersey Memories!