Where Do You Head For Your Convenience Shopping?

Tobacco King II is more than just a place on Grove Street that sells tobacco products.
It’s a south-end-of-town treasure, especially for its regular customers.
It’s the store my late dad used to drive to and get his Sunday papers, and it’s the spot my older brother, Gordon, heads to daily for his newspapers, and for the monthly edition of The Ring magazine, a top publication for boxing fans.
“Here it is, it just came in. It was waiting for you,’ the owner always tells me,” Gordon says me with a laugh. “He only orders one, because he knows I like it.”
Now that’s convenience. ATM machine? It’s here, side-by-side with a copy machine, both for customer use. You can get your lottery tickets here and yes, a variety of magazines are sold, but so are snacks and puddings, tiny tool sets, umbrellas, stationery items like envelopes, foods such as rice, stuffing, canned vegetables, salt, oil, peppers, milk and more – like perhaps the best coffee in town?
Reverend Edward Campbell may be pastor of local Bethany Baptist Church in East Orange and Newark, but he is a daily visitor to Tobacco King II, and has been for a few years.
“Coffee, everyday,” he says with a huge smile. “A godsend!”
Tobacco King II is a thin long, convenience store that has served the area with its current ownership since 1985, but has been in business much longer. Open at 6 a.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. on weekends, it has survived both the current recession, as well as a 2001 fire that blackened its walls and destroyed the interior. Everything was gone, so the store was totally rebuilt.
“We have everything,” said owner George Desai. “We are a true convenience store.” Owner of a prior similar operation in Linden, he learned the business was for sale, and jumped at the chance to purchase it.
Desai now owns a Bloomfield mainstay. And there is really nothing elaborate about Tobacco King II, nor does there need to be. All that matters is it’s there for customers.
Bloomfield resident Earl Thurmond often visits for candy and chips. “It’s convenient; a nice, pleasant store,” he says, looking towards the door as the people line up at the counter to purchase lottery tickets. “I see a lot of regulars in here. Sometimes it seems like a real community store.”
And Tobacco King II is indeed that, donating to local charities. There is free parking in front, as well as in the lot around the back of the building.

Tobacco King II, 143 Grove St., Bloomfield. (973) 429-7919.