Hello 08840! Can you believe it’s that time of year again for a new school year and ALL things Fall? I definitely can’t, but here we are! I am excited for you to check out our Summer into Fall edition magazine dedicated to the lifestyle and community of Metuchen.
School days and lessons may be part of the distant past inside the borough’s Old Franklin Schoolhouse, but in essence it remains a vibrant presence in the community thanks to an expansive guiding vision and the efforts of dedicated volunteers and supporters of the Borough Improvement League (BIL). Constructed circa 1807, the one-room schoolhouse on Middlesex Avenue was Metuchen’s only public school for more than 50 years. It has evolved since then. During Superstorm Sandy in 2012, the schoolhouse served as a center for donations. In recent years, the schoolhouse has hosted live music performances from local artists to artists from all over the country. The schoolhouse has even been a venue for bridal showers and small weddings. Learn more about how the Old Franklin Schoolhouse has evolved from a one-room schoolhouse to so much more under BIL’s leadership starting on page 6.
After you check out the Old Franklin Schoolhouse, stop by Beans & Bread just a quarter mile down Middlesex Avenue. Just as the name implies, this fairly new spot along Middlesex Avenue in Metuchen has a selection of coffee and bread – and so much more. “The whole idea was to bring fresh items from Brooklyn,” owner Erik Diamond explains. James Straub travels to Park Slope, Brooklyn, to Buttermilk Bakeshop, Baked NYC and Runner & Stone to get the best cookies, cakes, cupcakes, cake pops, bread, croissants, sweet Danishes and brownies. Bakery items are just part of all the deliciousness. There is a brand-new sandwich menu. Diamond and his wife Rebecca, along with their business partner Clinton Straub (James’ father), wanted a “beautify, trendy, cozy spot.” The business partners have found that at 660 Middlesex Ave. Learn more about the taste of Brooklyn on page 10.
We round this issue with a feel-good story. Have you met Johnathan Kraus? He is often seen as a modern-day, male version of Mother Theresa for helping India’s poorest children. Literally. This is why he traded in his career as a teacher in Metuchen in order to create a formidable nonprofit – Love Never Fails International – that offers life-changing opportunities to children in India. His compelling, heartwarming journey filled with resilience and love essentially started after Kraus watched the 2008 movie Slumdog Millionaire, which sheds light on the heart-wrenching impact of poverty in India. Kraus lived in India for seven years after he got the nonprofit organization on its feet. He has since moved out of the South Asian country that he was called to oh so many years ago, but he continues to travel back to where it all started. Learn more about Kraus and the work of Love Never Fails International on page 14.
Also check out our Metuchen on the Move on page 14 for future community events. All of this and more awaits on the pages ahead!
