New Jersey’s Maxwell’s Closing

The 200-capacity Maxell’s will close its doors at the end of July after its lease is up.

“We were offered a renewal with rates that weren’t necessarily onerous,” club co-owner Todd Abramson told the Star-Ledger. “They were in keeping with the city. But after much thought, given the changing nature of Hoboken and the difficulties of trying to run a business in this town, we decided it was time.”

The Hoboken that Maxwell’s emerged from in the late ’70s was a different town, with affordable rent and a flourishing arts scene.

Now, with new development in the area, street parking has become increasingly tough, Abramson said. “I’ve had bands whose vans have been booted because the signs are so unclear.”

And the arts scene in Hoboken is apparently changing as well, leading to a loss in clientele.

“The culture in Hoboken is driven by reality TV now,” Abramson continued (the city has been featured in several television shows). “A lot of the bars downtown are fighting with each other for who has the most giant TVs. That’s what Hoboken nightlife has become. “

Abramson will continue to book the Bell House in Brooklyn, New York, the paper reported.