Short Life For Eatery In Nyack's Vibrant Downtown

NYACK, NY — A Main Street eatery featuring Japanese poke bowls, Thai ice cream and, more recently, ramen, closed after just half-a-year of operation. J-Petal posted the news and thanked its customers on Facebook Jan. 5.

J-Petal is a small group of casual eateries. There are locations in New Jersey, Massachusetts and Virginia.

"It's sad that J-Petal closed down so quickly," Roger Cohen, president of the Nyack Chamber of Commerce, told Patch, "but the closing is not a reflection on how vibrant Nyack is."

Nyack is one of the few remaining downtown shopping districts in Rockland County — even in the Hudson Valley. It's a walkable community with combinations of restaurants, retail shops, and businesses in the T formed by Main Street and Broadway.

"As you know, small downtowns are challenged by the entire market. Everybody is competing with malls and giants like Amazon," Cohen said. "The downtown of Nyack has remained a vibrant place despite these challenges."

The restaurant scene is bustling locally, Cohen said, citing the November opening of 2 Villains Brewing, and the Vietnamese restaurant going in where O'Malley's used to be. "Then there's Joe and Joe, so busy sometimes you can't get a table," he said.

However, he pointed out, the restaurant business is perhaps the most difficult business to sustain in any market.