Sickles Market in Little Silver, NJ, forced to close for now

Less than four weeks after being forced to shutter their rather young Red Bank, NJ, location, Sickles Market had to make what was probably the hardest decision in recent memory - To close down their Little Silver location.

The Little Silver store has been in operation for more than a century, opening to the public 116 years ago. As of now, no additional details surrounding the sudden closure have been released from the store's current owners.

It appears the trouble began when the family opened the Red Bank location only three years ago. According to the APP, court papers showed that "Metrovation, the owner of the Anderson Building, filed a lawsuit in state Superior Court on March 1 over the closure of the Red Bank store, claiming it is owed more than $324,000 in back rent and late fees."

RELATED: Sickles Market in Red Bank, NJ, suddenly closes for good

On top of that, the owners also talked about the challenges of operating through the pandemic, which coincided with the opening of their now-shuttered Red Bank location.

Customers were shocked

Since the news broke of the closing on the evening of March 11, 2024, customers expressed shock and sadness. From the outside, not too many saw this coming.

From the inside, however, there were signs of potential trouble including emptier-than-normal shelves. But rather than focus on that, it's important to look at the bigger picture.

Based on the time frame of when financial issues seemed to begin, it does line up with the brunt of the pandemic, which crippled many businesses throughout New Jersey. Sadly, Sickles appears to be yet another victim of trying to survive during a time that would never be in their favor.

Quality inside & out

One of the things I loved about Sickles was the quality of their plants. Every spring I would load up on gardening supplies and some early plants to put in my garden.

Now sure, the prices may have been on the slightly higher side, but it was worth it. The staff took great care of all the plants there and it showed in the quality.

You simply couldn't compare that to a big-box location, which is why I always got my supplies from Sickles. On top of that, the staff was always super friendly and helpful.

I'm not sure where I'm going to go this spring. Like so many others that crowded the store, we're going to miss it.

Possible comeback?

Despite all the reports of the store closing down, this may only be temporary. According to the APP, owner Bob Sickle, Jr, stated "For all intents and purposes, we want to make a comeback and I think we will someday."

It's also important to note that Sickles is coming out of their slow season. Hopefully, a little time off from operations will help them get back on their feet sooner rather than later.

Despite the Little Silver market shuttering, there still is one family business in operation. Bottles by Sickles, located in Red Bank, remains open for business.

READ MORE: Sickles Market in Red Bank, NJ, suddenly closes for good

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.