"BRICK CITY" THE OFFICIAL NEWARK DISCUSSION THREAD
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BY KAREN YI
NEWARK -- Standing outside the new women's center bearing his late sister's name, Mayor Ras Baraka exhaled deeply, tears sliding down his face.
Here was a place women facing domestic violence or abuse could come to for help. Here was a center that could save a life -- and maybe a community. Here was a building named after his younger sister Shani Baraka, who was fatally shot by her older sister's estranged and abusive husband.
"The most vulnerable amongst us will finally get help," Baraka said Friday as his brothers stood behind him. "We did it, we kept our promise and it's only fitting that it bears the name Shani Baraka."
Once an abandoned lot, the 12,000 square-foot Shani Baraka Women's Resource Center on 300 Clinton Avenue in the South Ward will operate as a one-stop shop for women in need of emergency services like counseling, mental health services, shelter or job training. The police department will also relocate its Special Victims Unit and Domestic Violence Response Team.
Baraka said he insisted the neglected space be transformed into a place for women suffering in the city with no place to go.
"No matter what food you eat, what language you speak, the clothes you put on your back ... we are serving everyone in this community, whether you gay or straight," Baraka said. "This is not the Baraka family building, this is the Newark community building."
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Members of the Newark City Council and more than a hundred supporters gathered along Clinton Avenue for the grand opening -- some survivors of domestic violence themselves.
"It means that we're being recognized," said Christina Bright, 28, who said she survived an abusive relationship five years ago. "To have a huge building on Clinton Avenue in Newark and not downtown, it means that there's an open door policy, you walk by and it looks inviting. I feel like we're not being overlooked."
"The resources here will be able to help other young women in various ways to improve their quality of life," South Ward Councilman John Sharpe James said.
Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said 10 percent of last year's 93 homicides were related to domestic violence incidents. He said victims of abuse could come to the center to report a crime and stay in the same building to receive the services they need.
Domestic violence survivor speaks
'This right here is going to help somebody'
Inside the building's white clean walls, photos of Shani Baraka emanate from frames. A wall-sized mural of Baraka and her longtime partner, Rayshon Holmes, is painted inside another room. Holmes was also killed in 2003 when the estranged husband of Baraka's half-sister entered his wife's Piscataway home, and upon finding Baraka and Holmes, fatally shot them.
"It gives me hope that women can make it because this right here is going to help somebody ... and bring hope to a community, to what people thought was a dying community," said Sandra Holmes, Rayshon's mother.
Holmes, 60, looked through the center's large window that looked out into the Stratford Apartments where she raised her kids. "Them girls loved life," she said as she showed a reporter old photographs of Rayshon and Shani. Holmes said she'd be at the center as often as she could to make sure it succeeded.
Obalaji Baraka, 49, the eldest brother, said Shani Baraka was active in the community and her name can make women feel more comfortable when coming to seek help.
"I believe it's easier now because they have a name of a building that they recognize," he said. "They can relate now, they can feel comfortable ... and if we stop one it's better than none."
Mayor Baraka said Shani wasn't just his sister.
"Shani was a mentor, a teacher, the kids loved her, she was a basketball coach. She was a community person, she loved this city, she was a role model, she was an example in this community," Baraka said. "Even in her death, she is being helpful in the community still."
The center will offer health care services, support groups, financial literacy and parenting classes. Organizations like Wynona's House, Planned Parenthood, United Way and the Association of Black Psychologists will provide supportive services.
NEWARK -- Standing outside the new women's center bearing his late sister's name, Mayor Ras Baraka exhaled deeply, tears sliding down his face.
Here was a place women facing domestic violence or abuse could come to for help. Here was a center that could save a life -- and maybe a community. Here was a building named after his younger sister Shani Baraka, who was fatally shot by her older sister's estranged and abusive husband.
"The most vulnerable amongst us will finally get help," Baraka said Friday as his brothers stood behind him. "We did it, we kept our promise and it's only fitting that it bears the name Shani Baraka."
Once an abandoned lot, the 12,000 square-foot Shani Baraka Women's Resource Center on 300 Clinton Avenue in the South Ward will operate as a one-stop shop for women in need of emergency services like counseling, mental health services, shelter or job training. The police department will also relocate its Special Victims Unit and Domestic Violence Response Team.
Baraka said he insisted the neglected space be transformed into a place for women suffering in the city with no place to go.
"No matter what food you eat, what language you speak, the clothes you put on your back ... we are serving everyone in this community, whether you gay or straight," Baraka said. "This is not the Baraka family building, this is the Newark community building."
Members of the Newark City Council and more than a hundred supporters gathered along Clinton Avenue for the grand opening -- some survivors of domestic violence themselves.
"It means that we're being recognized," said Christina Bright, 28, who said she survived an abusive relationship five years ago. "To have a huge building on Clinton Avenue in Newark and not downtown, it means that there's an open door policy, you walk by and it looks inviting. I feel like we're not being overlooked."
"The resources here will be able to help other young women in various ways to improve their quality of life," South Ward Councilman John Sharpe James said.
Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said 10 percent of last year's 93 homicides were related to domestic violence incidents. He said victims of abuse could come to the center to report a crime and stay in the same building to receive the services they need.
Domestic violence survivor speaks
'This right here is going to help somebody'
Inside the building's white clean walls, photos of Shani Baraka emanate from frames. A wall-sized mural of Baraka and her longtime partner, Rayshon Holmes, is painted inside another room. Holmes was also killed in 2003 when the estranged husband of Baraka's half-sister entered his wife's Piscataway home, and upon finding Baraka and Holmes, fatally shot them.
"It gives me hope that women can make it because this right here is going to help somebody ... and bring hope to a community, to what people thought was a dying community," said Sandra Holmes, Rayshon's mother.
Holmes, 60, looked through the center's large window that looked out into the Stratford Apartments where she raised her kids. "Them girls loved life," she said as she showed a reporter old photographs of Rayshon and Shani. Holmes said she'd be at the center as often as she could to make sure it succeeded.
Obalaji Baraka, 49, the eldest brother, said Shani Baraka was active in the community and her name can make women feel more comfortable when coming to seek help.
"I believe it's easier now because they have a name of a building that they recognize," he said. "They can relate now, they can feel comfortable ... and if we stop one it's better than none."
Mayor Baraka said Shani wasn't just his sister.
"Shani was a mentor, a teacher, the kids loved her, she was a basketball coach. She was a community person, she loved this city, she was a role model, she was an example in this community," Baraka said. "Even in her death, she is being helpful in the community still."
The center will offer health care services, support groups, financial literacy and parenting classes. Organizations like Wynona's House, Planned Parenthood, United Way and the Association of Black Psychologists will provide supportive services.
Newark88
Superstar
Newark Ironbound residents cringe at plans for huge residential building
Updated on May 16, 2017 at 8:32 AMPosted on May 16, 2017 at 7:00 AM
Newark residents in the Ironbound section are opposed to a 12-story, 384 unit residential development. They say the project is too big and would overwhelm the neighborhood. (Barry Carter | The Star-Ledger)
, The Star-Ledger
A short walk from the rear entrance of Newark Penn Station, residential lofts, condominiums and apartment buildings rise to four stories above an Ironbound neighborhood prime for continuing development.
While the city's master plan permits buildings up to eight stories tall, special permission (a variance) from the zoning board of adjustment is needed to exceed the height limit.
McWhorter LLC, a development company owned by Jose Lopez Jr., needs a slew of variances to build its proposed 12-story, 384-unit building that includes ground-floor townhouses and commercial space. It is these ambitious plans that worry the nearby residents in PLANewark, a community group with architects and planners.
Newark residents in the Ironbound section are opposed to a 12-story, 384 unit residential development. They say the project is too big and would overwhelm the neighborhood. (Barry Carter | The Star-Ledger)
Bordered by McWhorter, Hamilton and Union streets, the project is so big it overwhelms the neighborhood, they argue.
"It's sort of like creating a wall, not to mention that the building will be towering over all of the adjoining structures and will ruin the feel of the Ironbound,'' said Lisa Sanders, who lives a block from the proposed site.
MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns
Residents and community organizations argue the project increases density, meaning too many people would live in the neighborhood. That notion is supported in a report by a planner the city hires to review proposals for the zoning board. Gerard Haizel, of the Nishuane Group, said the proposed 384 units are more than double what city zoning laws permit.
Lopez, in a statement, said he wants to build on the diversity of the area to offer an exciting living option.
"We are here for the long-run, and want to see this vibrant community build on its past and thrive in the future,'' he said.
Lopez has the support of the Ironbound Business Improvement District, which believes the residential building is good for the neighborhood. Executive Director Seth Grossman admits that the proposal needs to be tweaked, but he believes both sides can come to an understanding for the benefit of a neighborhood in transition. People are relocating to Newark, he said, and want to live downtown.
"We can work this out,'' Grossman said.
Residents who live near the proposed building want development, too. They just want it done responsibly and in line with the master plan. Residents fear an approval of this project could open the door to other developers who will want buildings similar to, or even larger than, McWhorter's proposal.
"This is a test case,'' said Michael Panzer, who lives across the street from the site of the proposed builing. "It's worrisome. Given what the zoning allows, it (the building) is above and beyond what's suitable for the neighborhood.''
Residents say McWhorter is seeking too many accommodations. Among them, McWhorter LLC wants the project to cover 100 percent of the land, while city zoning laws limit coverage to 60 percent of the property.
Setbacks, the distance between the building and the street line, poses another dilemma for the developer. Newark's guidelines require a 10-foot setback, but McWhorter LLC wants zero setback, meaning the building would sit along the sidewalk, leaving no room for landscaping on Hamilton and Union streets.
If the name McWhorter LLC sounds familiar, you're right. This is the same company that has been operating a controversial surface parking lot, J&L Parking, on the same land since 2013.
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Newark residents in the Ironbound section have been trying to stop J&L Parking from operating in the Ironbound. The owner, McWhorter LLC, now wants to use the land to build a 12-story, 384 unit building that residents oppose. (Barry Carter | The Star-Ledger)
Residents have been fighting McWhorter LLC on the parking lot for years, saying it should not be operating.
At last week's zoning board meeting, residents were prepared again to oppose McWhorter LLC on the parking lot and its argument that the property is part of Mulberry Commons.
MORE CARTER: Debate duo from Rutgers University -Newark nabs two national d championship tournaments
Instead, residents found themselves cringing over McWhorter LLC's massive residential proposal, which calls for the first two floors of the 12-story building to be used for 198 parking spaces. As part of the application, McWhorter also requested a temporary variance to continue operating the existing parking lot until it submits a construction plan on the residential development.
Lisa Scorsolini, an attorney with New Jersey Appleseed, a nonprofit legal advocacy center representing PLANewark residents, said McWhorter LLC shouldn't receive an interim variance because of an appellate division ruling on the parking lot that supports the residents.
"I look at it as a runaround to keep their parking,'' Scorsolini said.
She'll make that point and chronicle flaws in McWhorter's latest proposal when the zoning board meets Aug. 10.
Both sides should have presented their case last Thursday, but McWhorter LLC didn't submit an engineering report, and a traffic study was turned in late. Zoning board members said they did not want to discuss the application until they had time to review all the required information.
The 67 people who raised their hand last week to oppose the developer will have to return in force this summer. The project is two big for them to ignore.
Lopez, in a statement, said he wants to build on the diversity of the area to offer an exciting living option.
"We are here for the long-run, and want to see this vibrant community build on its past and thrive in the future,'' he said.
Lopez has the support of the Ironbound Business Improvement District, which believes the residential building is good for the neighborhood. Executive Director Seth Grossman admits that the proposal needs to be tweaked, but he believes both sides can come to an understanding for the benefit of a neighborhood in transition. People are relocating to Newark, he said, and want to live downtown.
"We can work this out,'' Grossman said.
Residents who live near the proposed building want development, too. They just want it done responsibly and in line with the master plan. Residents fear an approval of this project could open the door to other developers who will want buildings similar to, or even larger than, McWhorter's proposal.
"This is a test case,'' said Michael Panzer, who lives across the street from the site of the proposed builing. "It's worrisome. Given what the zoning allows, it (the building) is above and beyond what's suitable for the neighborhood.''
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Residents say McWhorter is seeking too many accommodations. Among them, McWhorter LLC wants the project to cover 100 percent of the land, while city zoning laws limit coverage to 60 percent of the property.
Setbacks, the distance between the building and the street line, poses another dilemma for the developer. Newark's guidelines require a 10-foot setback, but McWhorter LLC wants zero setback, meaning the building would sit along the sidewalk, leaving no room for landscaping on Hamilton and Union streets.
If the name McWhorter LLC sounds familiar, you're right. This is the same company that has been operating a controversial surface parking lot, J&L Parking, on the same land since 2013.
Newark residents in the Ironbound section have been trying to stop J&L Parking from operating in the Ironbound. The owner, McWhorter LLC, now wants to use the land to build a 12-story, 384 unit building that residents oppose. (Barry Carter | The Star-Ledger)
Residents have been fighting McWhorter LLC on the parking lot for years, saying it should not be operating.
At last week's zoning board meeting, residents were prepared again to oppose McWhorter LLC on the parking lot and its argument that the property is part of Mulberry Commons.
MORE CARTER: Debate duo from Rutgers University -Newark nabs two national d championship tournaments
Instead, residents found themselves cringing over McWhorter LLC's massive residential proposal, which calls for the first two floors of the 12-story building to be used for 198 parking spaces. As part of the application, McWhorter also requested a temporary variance to continue operating the existing parking lot until it submits a construction plan on the residential development.
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Lisa Scorsolini, an attorney with New Jersey Appleseed, a nonprofit legal advocacy center representing PLANewark residents, said McWhorter LLC shouldn't receive an interim variance because of an appellate division ruling on the parking lot that supports the residents.
"I look at it as a runaround to keep their parking,'' Scorsolini said.
She'll make that point and chronicle flaws in McWhorter's latest proposal when the zoning board meets Aug. 10.
Both sides should have presented their case last Thursday, but McWhorter LLC didn't submit an engineering report, and a traffic study was turned in late. Zoning board members said they did not want to discuss the application until they had time to review all the required information.
The 67 people who raised their hand last week to oppose the developer will have to return in force this summer. The project is two big for them to ignore.
Updated on May 16, 2017 at 8:32 AMPosted on May 16, 2017 at 7:00 AM
Newark residents in the Ironbound section are opposed to a 12-story, 384 unit residential development. They say the project is too big and would overwhelm the neighborhood. (Barry Carter | The Star-Ledger)
, The Star-Ledger
A short walk from the rear entrance of Newark Penn Station, residential lofts, condominiums and apartment buildings rise to four stories above an Ironbound neighborhood prime for continuing development.
While the city's master plan permits buildings up to eight stories tall, special permission (a variance) from the zoning board of adjustment is needed to exceed the height limit.
McWhorter LLC, a development company owned by Jose Lopez Jr., needs a slew of variances to build its proposed 12-story, 384-unit building that includes ground-floor townhouses and commercial space. It is these ambitious plans that worry the nearby residents in PLANewark, a community group with architects and planners.
Newark residents in the Ironbound section are opposed to a 12-story, 384 unit residential development. They say the project is too big and would overwhelm the neighborhood. (Barry Carter | The Star-Ledger)
Bordered by McWhorter, Hamilton and Union streets, the project is so big it overwhelms the neighborhood, they argue.
"It's sort of like creating a wall, not to mention that the building will be towering over all of the adjoining structures and will ruin the feel of the Ironbound,'' said Lisa Sanders, who lives a block from the proposed site.
MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns
Residents and community organizations argue the project increases density, meaning too many people would live in the neighborhood. That notion is supported in a report by a planner the city hires to review proposals for the zoning board. Gerard Haizel, of the Nishuane Group, said the proposed 384 units are more than double what city zoning laws permit.
Lopez, in a statement, said he wants to build on the diversity of the area to offer an exciting living option.
"We are here for the long-run, and want to see this vibrant community build on its past and thrive in the future,'' he said.
Lopez has the support of the Ironbound Business Improvement District, which believes the residential building is good for the neighborhood. Executive Director Seth Grossman admits that the proposal needs to be tweaked, but he believes both sides can come to an understanding for the benefit of a neighborhood in transition. People are relocating to Newark, he said, and want to live downtown.
"We can work this out,'' Grossman said.
Residents who live near the proposed building want development, too. They just want it done responsibly and in line with the master plan. Residents fear an approval of this project could open the door to other developers who will want buildings similar to, or even larger than, McWhorter's proposal.
"This is a test case,'' said Michael Panzer, who lives across the street from the site of the proposed builing. "It's worrisome. Given what the zoning allows, it (the building) is above and beyond what's suitable for the neighborhood.''
Residents say McWhorter is seeking too many accommodations. Among them, McWhorter LLC wants the project to cover 100 percent of the land, while city zoning laws limit coverage to 60 percent of the property.
Setbacks, the distance between the building and the street line, poses another dilemma for the developer. Newark's guidelines require a 10-foot setback, but McWhorter LLC wants zero setback, meaning the building would sit along the sidewalk, leaving no room for landscaping on Hamilton and Union streets.
If the name McWhorter LLC sounds familiar, you're right. This is the same company that has been operating a controversial surface parking lot, J&L Parking, on the same land since 2013.
Newark residents in the Ironbound section have been trying to stop J&L Parking from operating in the Ironbound. The owner, McWhorter LLC, now wants to use the land to build a 12-story, 384 unit building that residents oppose. (Barry Carter | The Star-Ledger)
Residents have been fighting McWhorter LLC on the parking lot for years, saying it should not be operating.
At last week's zoning board meeting, residents were prepared again to oppose McWhorter LLC on the parking lot and its argument that the property is part of Mulberry Commons.
MORE CARTER: Debate duo from Rutgers University -Newark nabs two national d championship tournaments
Instead, residents found themselves cringing over McWhorter LLC's massive residential proposal, which calls for the first two floors of the 12-story building to be used for 198 parking spaces. As part of the application, McWhorter also requested a temporary variance to continue operating the existing parking lot until it submits a construction plan on the residential development.
Lisa Scorsolini, an attorney with New Jersey Appleseed, a nonprofit legal advocacy center representing PLANewark residents, said McWhorter LLC shouldn't receive an interim variance because of an appellate division ruling on the parking lot that supports the residents.
"I look at it as a runaround to keep their parking,'' Scorsolini said.
She'll make that point and chronicle flaws in McWhorter's latest proposal when the zoning board meets Aug. 10.
Both sides should have presented their case last Thursday, but McWhorter LLC didn't submit an engineering report, and a traffic study was turned in late. Zoning board members said they did not want to discuss the application until they had time to review all the required information.
The 67 people who raised their hand last week to oppose the developer will have to return in force this summer. The project is two big for them to ignore.
Lopez, in a statement, said he wants to build on the diversity of the area to offer an exciting living option.
"We are here for the long-run, and want to see this vibrant community build on its past and thrive in the future,'' he said.
Lopez has the support of the Ironbound Business Improvement District, which believes the residential building is good for the neighborhood. Executive Director Seth Grossman admits that the proposal needs to be tweaked, but he believes both sides can come to an understanding for the benefit of a neighborhood in transition. People are relocating to Newark, he said, and want to live downtown.
"We can work this out,'' Grossman said.
Residents who live near the proposed building want development, too. They just want it done responsibly and in line with the master plan. Residents fear an approval of this project could open the door to other developers who will want buildings similar to, or even larger than, McWhorter's proposal.
"This is a test case,'' said Michael Panzer, who lives across the street from the site of the proposed builing. "It's worrisome. Given what the zoning allows, it (the building) is above and beyond what's suitable for the neighborhood.''
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Residents say McWhorter is seeking too many accommodations. Among them, McWhorter LLC wants the project to cover 100 percent of the land, while city zoning laws limit coverage to 60 percent of the property.
Setbacks, the distance between the building and the street line, poses another dilemma for the developer. Newark's guidelines require a 10-foot setback, but McWhorter LLC wants zero setback, meaning the building would sit along the sidewalk, leaving no room for landscaping on Hamilton and Union streets.
If the name McWhorter LLC sounds familiar, you're right. This is the same company that has been operating a controversial surface parking lot, J&L Parking, on the same land since 2013.
Newark residents in the Ironbound section have been trying to stop J&L Parking from operating in the Ironbound. The owner, McWhorter LLC, now wants to use the land to build a 12-story, 384 unit building that residents oppose. (Barry Carter | The Star-Ledger)
Residents have been fighting McWhorter LLC on the parking lot for years, saying it should not be operating.
At last week's zoning board meeting, residents were prepared again to oppose McWhorter LLC on the parking lot and its argument that the property is part of Mulberry Commons.
MORE CARTER: Debate duo from Rutgers University -Newark nabs two national d championship tournaments
Instead, residents found themselves cringing over McWhorter LLC's massive residential proposal, which calls for the first two floors of the 12-story building to be used for 198 parking spaces. As part of the application, McWhorter also requested a temporary variance to continue operating the existing parking lot until it submits a construction plan on the residential development.
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Lisa Scorsolini, an attorney with New Jersey Appleseed, a nonprofit legal advocacy center representing PLANewark residents, said McWhorter LLC shouldn't receive an interim variance because of an appellate division ruling on the parking lot that supports the residents.
"I look at it as a runaround to keep their parking,'' Scorsolini said.
She'll make that point and chronicle flaws in McWhorter's latest proposal when the zoning board meets Aug. 10.
Both sides should have presented their case last Thursday, but McWhorter LLC didn't submit an engineering report, and a traffic study was turned in late. Zoning board members said they did not want to discuss the application until they had time to review all the required information.
The 67 people who raised their hand last week to oppose the developer will have to return in force this summer. The project is two big for them to ignore.
Newark88
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Shoutout to Dans Hats and Caps located on Brandford Pl, downtown Newark. One of my favorite boutiques to go to.
1 / 15
The decorum of wearing a hat
Dan Phillips, II, owner of Dan's Hat Store in Newark talks about hat etiquette. Saturday, April 15, 2017. NJ (Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
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2 / 15
The decorum of wearing a hat
Dan Phillips, II, owner of Dan's Hats & Caps in Newark talks about hat etiquette. Saturday, April 15, 2017. NJ (Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
Robert Sciarrino
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3 / 15
The decorum of wearing a hat
Dan Phillips, II, owner of Dan's Hats & Caps in Newark helps a customer find the right fit. Saturday, April 15, 2017. NJ (Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
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4 / 15
The decorum of wearing a hat
Robert Kelly, from Orange, a long time customer of Dan's Hats and Caps in Newark says he never goes out without a hat. Saturday, April 15, 2017. NJ (Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
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5 / 15
The decorum of wearing a hat
Wesley Miller, from Jersey City, is fitted for a Homberg hat by Dan Phillips II, the owner of Dan's Hats and Caps in Newark. Saturday, April 15, 2017. NJ (Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
Men and their hats: When do you remove your chapeau?
A man and his hat are just about inseparable.
Right, fellas?
We wear stylish felt and straw fedoras, or fashionable newsboy, longshoreman and Gatsby caps.
It's our signature, but it begs this question:
Gentlemen, when do you remove your chapeau?
Is it when you greet a lady, as I once was politely asked to do in my early 20s?
MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns
Do you keep it on at a concert, at dinner or when you enter someone's home?
What about church and other places of worship?
As the spring weather calibrates, hat-wearing men I met at Dan's Hats & Caps in Newark offered their thoughts on this etiquette tenet that shouldn't lose its noble luster.
Wesley Miller, 44, of Jersey City, said his mother and grandmother always made sure that he removed his hat under any circumstance.
"They would have a fit,'' said Miller, if he didn't take it off. "When you are under a roof, you've got to remove your hat. It shows your appreciation for having shelter."
That kind of reminds me of an old saying that - when standing in someone's home, because the roof doesn't have any leaks, be respectful and take off your hat.
Most men agree with this inside rule, but only to a point.
On official business, the men at Dan's said, the hat stays on in government buildings until they reach the office they came to visit. At the dinner table, even at home, most of the men said the hat comes off, too.
"I think every man has to be his own gentleman,'' said Dennis Mosley, 66, of Newark.
Marc Donnadio, 42, of Plainfield, concurs with that sentiment. He entertains a lot, he says, and wears his cap at home when he's cooking Italian cuisine or sipping wine while mingling with guests.
It's part of his outfit, he says, and that makes him feel comfortable as the host, giving himself a bit of flair for the evening.
Okay, then what about nightclubs?
Vernest Moore, a Newark designer and stylist, said back in the day it was acceptable for that generation of men, in the 1950s, to sport their hats in clubs and speakeasies.
"It was part of their style, their look and their makeup,'' said Moore, who has been designing men and women's clothing for 35 years. "As time went on, we kind of got out of that because we find it to be inappropriate.''
For some men, though, the quality of the club or venue dictates whether or not to remove their hat.
"If it's elite, you can check your hat, but if you can't check your hat, you shouldn't take it off,'' said Mr. Drake, a Newark resident, who identifies himself this way.
"Say that again,'' said Dan Phillips II, owner of Dan's Hat.
Phillips lives by that hat check rule when going out. If there's no hat check, the hat stays on.
With the exception of church, funerals and someone's home, you'll always see Phillips with a cap. You'd think it was sewn into his scalp. It's on so much, he said, people wrongly think he's trying to hide a bald head.
"I want to wear my hat everywhere,'' he said. "When I go, mine better be on in my casket.''
So let's go to that place. Yes, I mean the funeral home.
Robert Kelly, 72, of Orange, shakes his head with disgust. He had just come from a funeral on Saturday, where, he said, some men - of all ages - did not remove their hats in the funeral home.
"Some people just don't care,'' Kelly said. "They're going to keep their hat on.''
It's a troubling sign that Moore has also begun to see at churches.
"For some reason in the church sector, brothers are thinking it's okay to keep their hats and caps on,'' he said. "When are we going to let protocol be protocol and stop giving in to a fad or a whim?''
In less formal settings, the men said, they want to be relaxed and wear their hats at events such as a comedy show or concert. It's their time to show off the ensemble they've meticulously put together and topped with a nice brim.
"When you wear your hat, that's a statement,'' said Keith Frazier of Newark. "It says 'This is who I am.' You want to be seen in your hat.''
The fellas, however, say they do make one mannerly exception. They don't want to be rude, so they will remove their hats during a show if it's obstructing someone's view.
"Especially if it's a lady behind you,'' said Yusuf Mutakabbir of Newark.
"I'll remove my hat, but not for long or I'll have to move from that spot so I can put my hat back on.''
That's how much he loves his head gear. He doesn't do anything without it. In fact, he says, a hat to him is just as personable as a purse is to a woman. The only hat he doesn't remove is the kufi he wears during prayer at the masjid.
MORE CARTER: Newark condo owners prevail - for now - against affordable housing development
Decorum is a way of life for Rashon Hasan, 32, of Newark, who is teaching his son, Jordan, 6, how to conduct himself.
"I want to say something,'' said Jordan as his father was talking to me in the hat store.
"Every time you're in a building, take off your hat,'' he said.
And one day, he'll most likely tip his hat in the same manner as his dad, who displays the gentleman gesture when opening doors for elder women.
"It (the hat) is an extension of who we are, and they represent our style and our culture,'' Hasan said. "I think having something on top of my head is always a constant reminder that there is someone or something above me as a man, which is God.''
For me, it's pretty much a habit to rest my hat.
It's an old-school trait, but I forgot my manners at the Whiting Auditorium in Flint, Mich. in the late 1980s. The lady I mentioned earlier kindly spoke to me about civility after her poetry reading.
"Would you please remove your hat when you greet me,'' she said, smiling politely.
It wasn't a problem.
That lady was the late Maya Angelou.
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The decorum of wearing a hat
Dan Phillips, II, owner of Dan's Hat Store in Newark talks about hat etiquette. Saturday, April 15, 2017. NJ (Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
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The decorum of wearing a hat
Dan Phillips, II, owner of Dan's Hats & Caps in Newark talks about hat etiquette. Saturday, April 15, 2017. NJ (Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
Robert Sciarrino
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The decorum of wearing a hat
Dan Phillips, II, owner of Dan's Hats & Caps in Newark helps a customer find the right fit. Saturday, April 15, 2017. NJ (Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
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The decorum of wearing a hat
Robert Kelly, from Orange, a long time customer of Dan's Hats and Caps in Newark says he never goes out without a hat. Saturday, April 15, 2017. NJ (Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
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The decorum of wearing a hat
Wesley Miller, from Jersey City, is fitted for a Homberg hat by Dan Phillips II, the owner of Dan's Hats and Caps in Newark. Saturday, April 15, 2017. NJ (Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
Men and their hats: When do you remove your chapeau?
A man and his hat are just about inseparable.
Right, fellas?
We wear stylish felt and straw fedoras, or fashionable newsboy, longshoreman and Gatsby caps.
It's our signature, but it begs this question:
Gentlemen, when do you remove your chapeau?
Is it when you greet a lady, as I once was politely asked to do in my early 20s?
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Do you keep it on at a concert, at dinner or when you enter someone's home?
What about church and other places of worship?
As the spring weather calibrates, hat-wearing men I met at Dan's Hats & Caps in Newark offered their thoughts on this etiquette tenet that shouldn't lose its noble luster.
Wesley Miller, 44, of Jersey City, said his mother and grandmother always made sure that he removed his hat under any circumstance.
"They would have a fit,'' said Miller, if he didn't take it off. "When you are under a roof, you've got to remove your hat. It shows your appreciation for having shelter."
That kind of reminds me of an old saying that - when standing in someone's home, because the roof doesn't have any leaks, be respectful and take off your hat.
Most men agree with this inside rule, but only to a point.
On official business, the men at Dan's said, the hat stays on in government buildings until they reach the office they came to visit. At the dinner table, even at home, most of the men said the hat comes off, too.
"I think every man has to be his own gentleman,'' said Dennis Mosley, 66, of Newark.
Marc Donnadio, 42, of Plainfield, concurs with that sentiment. He entertains a lot, he says, and wears his cap at home when he's cooking Italian cuisine or sipping wine while mingling with guests.
It's part of his outfit, he says, and that makes him feel comfortable as the host, giving himself a bit of flair for the evening.
Okay, then what about nightclubs?
Vernest Moore, a Newark designer and stylist, said back in the day it was acceptable for that generation of men, in the 1950s, to sport their hats in clubs and speakeasies.
"It was part of their style, their look and their makeup,'' said Moore, who has been designing men and women's clothing for 35 years. "As time went on, we kind of got out of that because we find it to be inappropriate.''
For some men, though, the quality of the club or venue dictates whether or not to remove their hat.
"If it's elite, you can check your hat, but if you can't check your hat, you shouldn't take it off,'' said Mr. Drake, a Newark resident, who identifies himself this way.
"Say that again,'' said Dan Phillips II, owner of Dan's Hat.
Phillips lives by that hat check rule when going out. If there's no hat check, the hat stays on.
With the exception of church, funerals and someone's home, you'll always see Phillips with a cap. You'd think it was sewn into his scalp. It's on so much, he said, people wrongly think he's trying to hide a bald head.
"I want to wear my hat everywhere,'' he said. "When I go, mine better be on in my casket.''
So let's go to that place. Yes, I mean the funeral home.
Robert Kelly, 72, of Orange, shakes his head with disgust. He had just come from a funeral on Saturday, where, he said, some men - of all ages - did not remove their hats in the funeral home.
"Some people just don't care,'' Kelly said. "They're going to keep their hat on.''
It's a troubling sign that Moore has also begun to see at churches.
"For some reason in the church sector, brothers are thinking it's okay to keep their hats and caps on,'' he said. "When are we going to let protocol be protocol and stop giving in to a fad or a whim?''
In less formal settings, the men said, they want to be relaxed and wear their hats at events such as a comedy show or concert. It's their time to show off the ensemble they've meticulously put together and topped with a nice brim.
"When you wear your hat, that's a statement,'' said Keith Frazier of Newark. "It says 'This is who I am.' You want to be seen in your hat.''
The fellas, however, say they do make one mannerly exception. They don't want to be rude, so they will remove their hats during a show if it's obstructing someone's view.
"Especially if it's a lady behind you,'' said Yusuf Mutakabbir of Newark.
"I'll remove my hat, but not for long or I'll have to move from that spot so I can put my hat back on.''
That's how much he loves his head gear. He doesn't do anything without it. In fact, he says, a hat to him is just as personable as a purse is to a woman. The only hat he doesn't remove is the kufi he wears during prayer at the masjid.
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Decorum is a way of life for Rashon Hasan, 32, of Newark, who is teaching his son, Jordan, 6, how to conduct himself.
"I want to say something,'' said Jordan as his father was talking to me in the hat store.
"Every time you're in a building, take off your hat,'' he said.
And one day, he'll most likely tip his hat in the same manner as his dad, who displays the gentleman gesture when opening doors for elder women.
"It (the hat) is an extension of who we are, and they represent our style and our culture,'' Hasan said. "I think having something on top of my head is always a constant reminder that there is someone or something above me as a man, which is God.''
For me, it's pretty much a habit to rest my hat.
It's an old-school trait, but I forgot my manners at the Whiting Auditorium in Flint, Mich. in the late 1980s. The lady I mentioned earlier kindly spoke to me about civility after her poetry reading.
"Would you please remove your hat when you greet me,'' she said, smiling politely.
It wasn't a problem.
That lady was the late Maya Angelou.
Ras Baraka > Sharpe James> Cory Booker
Makers Mansion Community Planned Around Historic Newark Castle | Jersey Digs
Sheesh gentrification is no joke, but good to see that historic mansion will be preserved
Sheesh gentrification is no joke, but good to see that historic mansion will be preserved
CinnaSlim
Queen of Swords
@Willstyles did u get a notification that I was nearby?
I dont see them gentrifiying the south and west ward
Maybe ironbound
Maybe ironbound
It will be slow but it will happen
Rell Lauren
Banned
City is a dump. Outside of the Prudential Center and the business district, there's nothing to it.
yea but I was on duty at the time