Biggie’s Clam Bar Will Close Hoboken Restaurant On Madison Street: Report

HOBOKEN, NJ — Biggie’s Clam Bar is about to consolidate its Hoboken presence.

Brothers Steven and Michael Ranuro told the Hudson Reporter that the restaurant will be closing the 70-year-old, family-owned and operated Madison Street shop and moving operations to their newer Newark Street location. The Madison Street location is slated to close on Oct. 3.

The Ranuro brothers said the decision to close their flagship restaurant was a long time coming and cited the evolving nature of the industry as well as parking issues as the reasons for the move.

“This building is 120 years old and it’s been through Hurricane Irene, and Sandy,” Michael Ranuro told the Hudson Reporter. “We knew the day was going to come eventually, so we opened a place on Newark Street.”

According to its website, in addition to its two Hoboken locations, Biggie’s currently has restaurants in Carlstadt and Ramsey, as well as Kingsport, TN.

The company’s website states that the restaurant was founded in 1946 by Joseph Yaccarino – a local comedian who performed under the stage name “Biggie” - who was just an infant when his parents brought him to the United States from Naples, Italy.

“Joseph Biggie recruited his son Michael ‘Brother’ into the business and in 1946, father and son opened Biggie’s Clam Bar on Madison Street,” the website states. “Biggie’s is still housed in the original red brick building and has since become a Hoboken institution, right along with Frank Sinatra and baseball… In 1996, Biggie’s was handed to the 3rd generation of family members and underwent an expansion to its current size.”

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