The Music Den store and school has moved from the Kinnelon Mall to its brand new building on Route 23 southbound in Butler between the Butler Ridge Apartments and Lincoln Road. It is operated by members of the Scognamiglio family who also have another store on Route 10 in Ledgewood.
STS Tire Company will be opening soon in the old Butler Chrysler Jeep building at Route 23 southbound and Lincoln Road in Butler. This bulding was originally constructed in the mid 1960's for a failed Plymouth dealeship. It then became home to Butler Imports and other dealerships feature Nissan's and its former name of Datsuns until it was acquired by Kaytes Ford which is now Route 23 Auto Mall.
Ferrati's Pizza is the new name of what had been Aroma Pizza in recent years. The little restaurant located at the corner of Boonton Avenue & High Street in Butler has had a number of owners and names since it moved there in the early 1970's from Main Street where its heritage goes back a lot farther. Ferrati's actually have been operating it a number of months when the owner of Aroma retired after losing his wife due to a medical problem last summer.
Next door to the pizzeria, Bill & Cheryl Behring are making progress with their renovations of the old All American Hero that Wayne DeMarco had operated his sandwich shop at the former store of Pro's Sweet Shop since 1995. Wayne started in the sandwich business as Blimpie in Kinnelon back in 1978 then became All American Hero at Main & Arch in the early 1980's.
Valentino's Italian Restaurant is the new name of what most in our area remember as Mama Mia's going back to the 1960's.
Kit Hong Restaurant at the Kinnelon Mall since 1977 is doing good under a new owner, the man who has been the chef for quite awhile. He is also a relative of Mr & Mrs Hong who have retired after working so many 7 day weeks of 12 hour days.
Work is progressing at the River Place stores on "upper" Main Street for the new home of Suburban Trends which is moving from Butternut Plaza at 300 Kakeout Road in Kinnelon. This is a much scaled back operation for those who remember when Suburban Trernds and its affilated North Jersey Newspapers had several hundred ful time and part time employees in Butler.
That's all that I can think of for now. Everyone is certainly welcome to contribute news and corrections.
