Copabananas is closing. Again. Now is the time to run over to the store in Upper Montclair and grab up every cool thing you ever wanted at 40 percent off. I can only wax nostalgic over the mullet magnets, tiny fezzes, Jesus Action Figures, Angel Snot, potato guns, posters of Hindu children performing healthy yoga exercises, miniature Eames chairs, juvenile delinquent lunchboxes, terrified horror movie figures and more that I have both given and received over the years. Not to mention her increasing collection of innovative homemade toys and gift items, such as dolls made out of lost gloves, sock people made out of stray socks, billfolds made out of cereal boxes and more.
As Claire Baker (pictured here) explains in her blog, times are tough for many small businesses. The business never really hit its stride in the new location on Valley Road after an astronomical rent increase forced her out of her location on Church Street.
I suggest that everyone rush over to Copabananas right now and stock up on every novelty gift item you’ll need for the next few years. That’s what I plan to do. I hope Claire still has some wood grain plastic dishes left.
Oh Claire, we will miss your wonderful store!
I hope you open yet again in a place where there is better foot traffic. Church St was good because so many people went by and the stuff you had in the window couldn’t be resisted. You need another location like that with more traffic.
What a shame, but I doubted their viability in such a low foot-traffic area (compared to Church Street) from the moment I first walked into the new local.
This is what happens when a landlord’s “dream and vision” collide with that of a creative entrepreneurial soul like Claire. Good luck wherever you go.
What happened to the old space on Church Street? Was it ever rented out to a new tenant?
Not that most people would have seen a recession of this severity coming, but it seems so foolishly greedy to force out long-time, stable tenants by jacking up their rents several-fold, even if one thinks new prospective tenants will be beating down the doors. Especially now.
Pork Roll: Walk or drive through Montclair and you will see a record number of vacant storefronts. Granted, many of these are victims of the current economy but many just happened to have the wrong landlord, before the current economic crisis took hold. You see, these landlords had “visions” of sugarplums that didn’t quote come to pass. “I could never see tomorrow, no one said a word about the sorrow.”
The store closings are out of control. Now the Magicolor Photo Lab is closing, Udupi Village went out… I don’t know what the reasons are, but the list of vacancies just keeps growing.
Wait, please tell me Udupi didn’t really close, they were the best Indian restaurant in Montclair.
Udupi is gone… they moved out of town, though I can’t recall at the moment where to.
I heard the owners of Udupi went back to India. *Big Sigh*
I agree with Pete and Mike, the new location just wasn’t as good as the old one — much less foot traffic. At least there’s still archiemcphee.com for those novelty items.
According to udupivillage.com, the owners of Udupi Village opened a different restaurant — Mysore Woodlands, in Parsippany.
I think as posted on here, Tinga Taqueria is taking over the Magiccolor space in upper montclair. And I’m pretty sure “Ruby” took over the Copabanana’s space on church street. What’s going on with Gimmee Jimmy’s cookies? I heard they were going under, but now there’s a sign in the window about a new bakery.
I just realized Motophoto is gone.
If you liked Udupi, you should try Aroma, which is down Bloomfield Ave, across from the Wellmont. They just moved to Montclair, from Bloomfield, and the Indian food is fantastic. It’s not 100% vegetarian, like Udupi, but they have many things that Udupi served, like the dosa & uttappam.
Try the onion kulcha bread and the spinach & chickpeas…wow.
I loved Udupi, but this is my new fave Indian restaurant. Check it out.
Udupi moved to Parsippany.. They are the nicest people and the food is great! Check out their newer and bigger location! They will be missed… So will Copa!
… Good luck!
so sad. Copa was innovative, hip and a great store. good luck Claire.
I dunno…I thought when it was on Church St. it was okay. Some cute/funny stuff, but not anything I felt I had to have…Also, and I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but I never felt they were that friendly and helpful. They once sold me this practical joke prop, saying it was the best thing in the store, and it was a complete waste of money.
Anyway, there are many businesses closing, but a lot of shifting around by existing businesses and some new ones, too. for instance, UnBelievabills, Anthropologie (will be where Bangz was), some new stores in the complex where Olympic was, etc.
Copa was on the other side of the street from Ruby..I believe a womens clothing store opened up in her space – part of the Peoples store, also womens stuff.
Claire will be missed..she made so many of her items, from really strange things..old gloves. socks, even things others thru away…such a talent.
I’m sure she still has her things online, where you could get all your goodies. Check with her before she leaves to confirm her website.
Thanks for the heads-up – my Jesus action figure has a lot of miles on it. Time for a new one.