Barone's/Lockwood Tavern to be demolished
Pretty sad. 200+ year old building. I would have to say the Lockwood Tavern has to be my favorite bar in northern nj.
http://www.njherald.com/story/19347531/byrams-lockwood-tavern-to-be-demolished-for-cvs
Bryan Oh no! How terrible. My husband and I went to Lockwood Tavern for pizza and beer on our first date.
Calico696 I swear if i had the money i would buy places like this just to keep them standing. Screw the new CVS or bank or whatever the heck they want to put there.
LAS 
observer2 If I had anything to do with it, I'd try to get it listed/zoned as a historical structure... because IT IS!!!
Damn shame. But yeah- we DON'T need another friggin' CVS!! It actually just makes me want to NOT patronize CVS. (unfortunately, that's where my health insurance makes me go for Rx's, but otherwise, CVS can kiss my ass.)
Before it's over, we're going to do all of our shopping at Wal-Mart (including food), buy all our pharmacy stuff at CVS, and eat out only at McDonald's... that'll be all that's left.
JeffersonRepub 
Metsman Is Lockwood Tavern still open for business at this time? If so anyone have a time table as to when it will shut down operations, I love this place.
Jean09 So many wonderful memories of Lockwood Tavern pizza and Barone's seafood buffet! What a loss.
Lady Jayne What??? This is news to me. We have been there one night for the past few weeks for their Lobster special and no one said a word. We love the Lockwood Tavern especially as it is so quaint and also have dined upstairs at Barones for a little more special occasion. I know someone said they were renovating but not anything like demolishing the place.
joyful Sad for this buiness owner... But glad bc it's a better location then where the cvs is now. Plus this is my husbands store
S@hmThey are still selling gift certificates, as I just had one sent to a friend yesterday. Better make sure they use it soon!
Mom of 1&1 this property has been up for redevelopment for a few years...CVS pharmacy looked at it...Quik-Chek looked at it...the plans that are on display show a complete new building at the rear of the lot...one rumor going around has the Lockwood Tavern moving into the former Unkies...Harolds Tamaracks restaurant building
oldman 
PREDATOR If the people of the USA weren't so doped up on anxiety and antidepressant meds there wouldnt be a pharmacy on every major corner. Better to drink and keep the bars and liqour stores in business.
Pat is a friend of mine. He has wanted this and has worked on it for several years now. There are some good plans in the works. Oldman, the Unkie thing died a while back but was a discussion for sure.
I have enjoyed more great times there than I could ever count. I sure will miss it.
Lockwood is open for business,Jean09.
Greg "Before it's over, we're going to do all of our shopping at Wal-Mart (including food), buy all our pharmacy stuff at CVS, and eat out only at McDonald's... that'll be all that's left."
That's ridiculous...did you not see that Taco Bell won the fast food wars? Uh, hello? Demolition Man? Rent it. LOL!
emaxxman That's good news that they will be able to move. You can't replace the ambiance of a place like that though. Especially the Tavern. Hope they realize that. I do understand with all the 206 construction, the road is getting a little too close for comfort i guess.
The Mayor is very sad to see it go, but the town has no problem with seven variances and five waivers??? Give me a break! How about zoning it as a town landmark? Nope we need every town to have the same chain pharmacy's, and restaurants until we won't be able to tell one town from another. That's Progress!
Denis Yup. go ahead and tear down some more history. Replace it with a CVS just like they have planned for Bergen Tool. How many friggin' drugstores and quik-checks do we need? Seriously? There's one every quarter mile or so.
I always find it amusing that drugstores (which, theoretically are supposed to provide health aides to make you well) are chock full of tobacco products, junk food, soda, candy, and other stuff that makes us ill. Cancer for the cure....
eperot eperot, you are right about what drug stores sell. So often, people pick up thier cigarettes and then go and get their prescriptions. If you remember the drug store that used to be in Hastings Square, it was owned by a great guy whose name is Bob Gallegher. He did not sell any tobacco products because he believed so strongly against using them. He said he gave up a great deal of money by doing that. Sadly he was not able to compete with the larger chain stores and he had to give up his business. But he had a lot of integrity.
Tanya emaxxman, apparently you haven't seen "Idiocracy". Carl's Jr. is the fast food of the future.
"Welcome to Carl's Jr. Would you like to try our EXTRA BIG ASS TACO? Now with more MOLECULES!"
ianimal Just depressing.. from New York City to the Burbs its an ocean of drug stores and banks.
BLocal Sounds almost as stupid as a town allowing 2 chain drug stores to build right across the street from each other...owe that happened.
Never mind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENGUYeiGtNk&feature=related
Me4 If anyone would like to get involved, there is a petition that was started by Patt Reid from Stanhope to try to save the Building and Busines'. One thing, this petition is part of MoveOn a group that will send you others to review and will ask for monitary donations.
www.signon.org/sign/save-historic-byram-building?source=s.fwd&r_by=4375075
4paws The problem with the petition is it has no merit. The owner sold the property He did not want to save the building. It is his right to sell and the person who is buying it to develop it.
This happens all over. Poor planning on the town, but don't blame the seller or the buyer for trying to make a profit as everyone before them or after them will do.
nutty I'm confused is everyone that signs the petition agreeing to pitch in and buy the building? If not then what are you trying to accomplish? Stop a business owner from making a profit off his investment?
The town should have labeled this building a historic landmark years ago and given the porperty owner a discount on his property tax. Offered to split the cost of any repairs/maintenance.
It's too late now.
darwin Cvs payed a pretty penny for the property. The owner accepted... Nothing you do or say will change that.
The petition is also providing false information (based on the info in this thread.) The tavern is opening up in a new location so there should be no loss of jobs. Additionally, the construction will provide for more jobs.
Why don't the folks who want the building to stay all band together and buy the property?
If find it reprehensible, in a reputedly free society, for a group of people to force restrictions on a privately owned piece of property simply because they hold some sentimental value. The Skylands Act, eminent domain, historic building declarations on private buildings - all just examples of the government infringing on individual rights.
To be clear, as an avid photographer, I love old architecture. I would prefer that the old building stayed and CVS made use of it. I also enjoy being able to do as I please with my own home and could never impose my beliefs on another's property.
I was just in North Carolina for a couple days and we were at an intersection where there was a Rite Aid, CVS and Walgreens on three of the four corners. I've seen similar intersections in Florida. I just don't get it.
Tracy lol the petition says it's new goal it to get to 750 signatures... ok and what gets accomplished when you reach that goal???? Nothing except 750 people now get new spam mail.
The town has an obligation to whats best for everyone in town, not just 1 business owner, and 1 mega corporation trying to make a profit. The town didn't have to declare it a historic landmark to stop this. All the had to do keep the current zoning in place. The point is they actually rewrote the existing town zoning ordinances to accommodate CVS, and make this happen.
And they still can't do anything about that abandoned gas station just up the road from Lockwood Tavern. Must be a spotted owl nesting in it...or some tree frog! If there ain't nothing in it for the town (or its leaders) they ignore it.
futuremaybe 
pvcat We noticed it was closed when we went by a few weeks ago....Really will miss that place!
We can't let this happen. Come on people, let's stand up for ourselves and the history of the people that came before us. This new CVS will be gone in 50 years. Hold on to History, once it's gone, you can never bring it back.
Todd Cieri Unfortunately a guy in my fantasy baseball league is either on the town council or planning board over there & he said it's a done deal.
Think CVS paid the current owner 2 or 3 million dollars for the property so i guess that's progress unless you can come up with that cash.
Everyone can go eat at McDonalds & than go across the street to CVS & get blood pressure medication to combat the meal. Pretty sad if you think about it to let a 200 year old building like that go away for aisles of greeting cards & cosmetics.
What a rotten shame, in fact what the gov is doing to 206 over there stinks too. Rip out a nice patch of woods and divert streams to widen the road and cause a speedway on neighboring Lakawanna Drive. Millions more going down the rat hole. Everyplace in the USA is looking the same. One big ugly mall. No more little family stores. Remember family owned pharmacies? Little hardware stores where the owners knew about everything? No we need a new crappy CVS and an abandoned store left down the street. And jobs? What kind of jobs? The lowest scale you can get or temp ones that are gone as soon as the building is over. Wise up people! At this rate Sussex Cty is going to look like every other crappy cty in Jersey in short order.
Terry Clarke 
embryodad 
Thomas Someone mentioned earlier in this thread that they were opening a new spot in a strip mall i believe. Don't know if it's true.
In normal NJ fashion, there will be a Burger King, Rite-Aid, Stop and Shop, Walmart, and a movie theater. Maybe a chinese restaurant....it will almost mimic the one across the street.
acl76 Calico, definitely a DD. The one across the street in ShopRite, and the other a 1/2 mile down the road cannot possibly be enough ;)
Lori...since '73 
somechick WHHHAAT???
Did you go in? Because Sunday , I saw like 4 cars in the parking lot below, and 1 van up by Barones!!!
mesh No the upper dinning room will not be open. Pat just reopened the Lockwood Tavern in the lower level. The building demo is still coming but in the meantime....Cheers!
Went on 2/2, as I wanted the pizza and a dozen steamers....No steamers on the menu and the personal pizza was okay.
The service as always was great...however they have a limited menu (still offer specials), but not the menu from the past , suppose this is because Barone's is no longer operating.
I will be back hopefully a few more times and report back!!!
Here is an update on the legal issues:
http://www.njherald.com/story/22380940/future-of-byram-tavern-in-judges-hands
Barberbarkeep So sad. Last night was the last night. I was there on Sat. for dinner and there was no mention of closing. Just happened to be there yesterday and heard the sad news. I ordered my last pizza. They were the best. Who needs another CVS? Certainly not me.
Observer3 I had thought when they spruced up the front that it meant they were somehow saved from being demolished.
D-ManPV 
Darrin They demolished Pal's Cabin in West Orange which was around for 80+ years to make way for a new CVS. They could care less about any town they move into. I'll never spend a dime in the Hackettstown one, if it's ever built. Plenty of other options.
CVS is now interested in the old Larison's turkey farm property. I hope Chester fights like crazy. We don't need any more banks or pharmacies!!!
I had no idea about Pal's! Haven't been in YEARS, but it's an old family favorite.
Interesting, Tracy. Years ago Commerce Bank was going to build there and that fell through (don't know if I ever knew why). Now it's a pharmacy trying to get in there! I agree, we don't need more of either!!
Aquarius No tears here. Gave that place too many second chances...our table (usually 4+ people) always had an issue with someones order. Next!
So, is it open this weekend? Would like to go one final time. My husband and I's first date was there.
I worked for Pat for a time upstairs and always liked him. Lockwood has always been one of my favorites and I will miss it. Obviously if this is what Pat wanted then good for him, and I wish him well. Like most others I'm amazed (and tired of) all the pharmacies popping up. It is crazy. But I'll focus on some really nice memories (and a few nights I don't remember... :) ).
with cvs around, soon there will be no more places to have memories, except at cvs of course
Get there today by 1:00 PM for the auction!
http://www.auctionzip.com/cgi-bin/photopanel.cgi?listingid=2187057&category=0&zip=07840&kwd=
Forgive me if this has already been asked and answered....why didn't CVS buy the big empty lot next to Lockwood, instead of where an established business already existed?
I believe they want the lot and the spot where lockwood is, they have been trying to get it for years
What's going to happen to the CVS that is about a mile away in the small shopping center (on the right just past the Black Forest Inn if you are coming from 80)?
I still don't understand why after the initial rumors of closing it appears that they cleaned up the front of the restaurant to make it look nice, if only a few months later it was going to close for good.
the place is history the auction was today
http://www.auctionzip.com/cgi-bin/auctionview.cgi?lid=2187057&kwd=&zip=07876&category=0
Mr Negative I am heartbroken. I love the Lockwood and have had many wonderful memories here. I sure wish I knew about the petition. I would have helped fight for this place had I known. I was so hoping they were beyond this and were going to be saved when I saw it reopen and the front all fixed up. To tear down a beautiful historic building for a store that has a perfect location just down the street is criminal, especially when there is plenty of land around it to build. Once the building is gone, you cannot get it back. if this happens, I am boycotting CVS.
I see the building is up for auction but until it is demolished, is there still hope? Anyone know who purchased it
Looks like it was knocked down today. http://www.njherald.com/story/27885591/2015/01/19/historic-byram-lockwood-tavern-demolished
M & K 
Mark Mc. Sad....I had no idea the building had that much history behind it (see the link in M&K's post above).
Thank you CVS, just destroying more of our worlds history to build their chain pharmacy......
fyi, the building they nocked down on the bergen property was also a former stagecoach house from what I understand, maybe they have something against history?
Darrin,
Bergen Tool was a former carriage factory, amongst other things including a saw manufacturer.
It was never a stage coach house.
It does seem that way Darrin, they tore down Pals Cabin, an Iconic restaurant in West Orange to make way for a new CVS also. Already on my I'm never setting foot in list of stores. The real nauseating part of the story is the quotes from Pat Barone how sad he is, just take your windfall and be quiet.
"The real nauseating part of the story is the quotes from Pat Barone how sad he is, just take your windfall and be quiet."
That's what I thought.... YOU sold it, dude. No sympathy for YOU. I don't begrudge anyone doing with their property what they want to- on the contrary. However, don't play the PR angle of "oh, I'm so sad, I think I'll open another restaurant".... spare us.
I would love a CVS nearby (or a Walgreen's... I'm not all that picky); I have to use Stop and Shop's pharmacy or drive all the way to Rite-Aid in P'burg... and Rite-Aid sucks.
In reality JR, you cannot be mad at a owner for selling a failing business. If people did not go there to eat or drink, those same people honestly cannot complain, because they did not support the owners business by bringing their business there. Obviously it was more worth it to sell then to stay open.
I am sure CVS bought him out, and many of us would of done the same thing, so everyone needs to stop bashing on the previous owner, as we don't know the situation (if there was one) he may of been in.
If there is anyone to blame it is CVS for going after historic properties where owners have owned them for years and are trying to make ends meet to keep the place open, trends show that these are the people CVS preys on
Darrin, first what makes you think it was a failing business?? Anytime I went there it was busy. I don't think that was the case at all. Either way JR was very clear he doesn't begrudge anyone selling their property. I don't either, I fault the town for doing what planning boards do best, roll over.
Barone happily cashed in on the property he owned, he is crying all the way to the bank. Either own what you did, or just keep quiet and count your cash, just spare us the B.S.
Ianimal isn't there a Walgreens in Hackettstown? How different are these cheapo chain stores, grocery stores sell all the same over the counter medicine etc.
I think it's a shame, but unfortunately not surprising!
One last follow up, next on the CVS hit list if they get there way is Larison’s Turkey Farm. A tear down, and a 2 acre pharmacy. They will face stiffer opposition there.
I saw it last night and was horrified. I knew it would be torn down eventually, but actually seeing it with the second floor demolished was another story. I loved that place, lots of great memories. And hands down, the best pizza in Cranberry Lake/Byram.
Gpg There's a CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens in Mansfield/Hackettstown so I'm very confused why you would have to go to either Byram or Phillipsburg.
Barone said in the interview he bought the place when he was 29, and now he is 60. Money is great but I am sure any one of us would of been upset to see the place torn down, after all those years, even if we were the ones to sell it. people are angry it got torn down, I get it, but direct your anger to the right people.
Also, busy doesn't necessarily mean success, who knows what was going on behind the scenes. I read up in this forum and see many people who wrote the place off for certain reasons and would never go back.
As I said, if there is anyone to blame it is CVS for going after historic properties where owners have owned them for years and are trying to make ends meet to keep the place open, trends show that these are the people CVS prey on.
You can certainly blame the town for not listing it as historic, but does anybody know the real reason why they didn't?
Bashing on a forum is sure easy, but when you sit down and do some research, you may find different sides to any story is all I am saying.
Fuji, I no longer live in Hackettstown. I'm now in southern Warren County where big box drug stores are mysteriously non-existent.
Do you have a contact in their history demolition department that I can call directly? I hate those automated answering machines (-;
Darrin, if you have read any of my previous posts on this subject, or Bergen Tool you will clearly see I have directed 99% of my negative comments towards CVS, and the local politicians. I'm not sure what the disconnect is, I'm just calling BS on his comments.
Darrin, didn't Barone himself propose to tear it down a few years ago and replace it with a new restaurant and a bank on the property? I'm not buying his crocodile tears either.
ianimal - I've got the number of a local excavation company that should do, but some name changers around here wouldn't like it much. ;-)
But you're right the original plan was a bank and the new restaurant. Now it's just CVS and at least in late 2013 Barone was saying he was building his new place right behind CVS. Same plan just swapping CVS for the bank. Barone is the land developer here, not CVS.
GC Denis and ianimal, you are thinking to far into this. If you lived in a home since you were a kid, and then sold it, you would still be upset to see it torn down, after so many years of your life were spent there, even though you decided to sell it, why should this be any different? The man ran this establishment for 31 years, and you guys are calling bs on him being upset to see the building destroyed? What would you like him to say? He was interviewed, should of he refused to comment?
If he is sad you bash
if he is happy you would of bashed
there is no winning
Barone personally applied to the Planning Board for permission to tear the building down and build a bank and a new restaurant structure in its place, so your analogy is misplaced. It's not like he was trying to save the building and had to sell to CVS as a last resort; tearing that building down was always part of his plan, apparently.
and who is to say even though he wanted to tear it down, he still wouldn't of been sad to see it happen? Or had second thoughs?
He's been trying to do this for years, and the day after it's finally demolished you think he might have had second thoughts? Clearly the profit he made outweighed any sentimental feeling he had for the restaurant.
Clearly yes Denis, ian.....if you "decide" to have a animal put down, are you saying you are not allowed to be sad, because that's what you chose to do anyway?
all I am saying is quit bashing on barone for his feelings, and for historical value, anybody could of bought out CVS to save the place, but nobody stepped up to the plate.
Trying to equate putting an animal down that you love presumably because he is suffering, and selling a piece of property to reap a huge profit is beyond absurd!
Many people put animals down because they cannot afford the fixes they require Denis
We can argue back and forth all you want, I don;t think we are going to see eye to eye, which is fine, you are welcome to you opinion....I just don'e feel throwing stones at the previous owner for his decision and his feelings afterwards is solving anything
But you're going to blame "the veterinarian" for actually putting the dog down? That doesn't make much sense.
Yeah Darrin, but I don't think anyone puts a dog down to make a profit, and there usually isn't a big upside for the owner, so as I said equating the 2 is absurd..
I'm not sure what is so hard to understand, he can do whatever he wants, all I ever said was I'm calling BS on he statements of how sad he is. If I truly am "welcome to my opinion" then let it go, that's my opinion, and it's not going to change.
no you blame the disease....in this case the disease is CVS!!!
And anyways, your attempts to spoil my analogy actually doesn't make sense, what you are saying (taking a pet to the vet to be put down and then blaming the vet for doing it) would equate to Barone blaming someone for the building being knocked down, I didn't see him pointing any fingers, all he did was said he was sad to see it go.
Susan McGreevy How many CVS stores do they need in one area.? Seems to me they are monopolizing the place. I see it in Florida on the West Coast too, one on every corner.
pampurr They will control the world via medication. If it keeps up the small independent pharmacies will disappear...
iJay Yeah, seems like they just wanted to knock it down and then leave so it was out of sight out of mind. Seeing this more and more with CVS. I wonder if they even have approved plans for the lot yet?
They did this with the front building of bergen tool, as soon as they found out they were coming in, they demolished the building, then everything stopped for almost two years after they were told the other buildings had to be demolished for them to get CO. They even applied for wavers to start building early, got them, but never did anything.
Get over it people. It's gone. Move on. The battle has been lost. Pick your new battle and I wish you luck.
You can't pick a battle when it was all wired from the inside from the get go..it's called the unfair cheating advantage.
People who hide behind fake names because they lack the courage (balls) to say stuff under their real names always crack me up, take their words like a grain of salt.
Whats going on with the Barones property now? There is a brand new For Sale Or Lease sign on the front of the property.
I would guess variances dividing the property went thru and futher development will be coming ...or not .
Steven It's a shame that a pub with that kind of history wasn't protected. That's on the back of all of us I suppose, but the owner should have kept the place up and advertised it as our piece of American culture. But you know, now I can get fresh cotton balls, greeting cards, aspirin and Valentine's Day chocolate by making a LEFT at the light instead of a RIGHT at the light. Cest la vie, at least ISIS didn't knock it down in the name of religious idiocy......
MArk McKenna I think it is interesting how they demolished the building it ASAP and then left the site looking like a utter crap hole. Wonder if this was done so nobody had the chance to mark it as historic? Seems real professional on the developer either way, at least make the site look decent if you are going to demolish a building.
Does anybody know who the developer for the site is?
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