Sickles Market announced Thursday it hopes to re-open in summer 2025, under new owners 1663 Partners.
Patch Staff
|Updated Wed, Dec 11, 2024 at 12:25 pm ET
LITTLE SILVER, NJ — Sickles Market announced on its website Thursday morning it plans to re-open in summer 2025, at its original Harrison Avenue location in Little Silver.
The news should not come completely as a surprise for those who have been reading Patch: In August, we reported that three Rumson residents formed an LLC called 1663 Partners and hatched a plan to buy all of Sickles' assets (including the five acres on which the market sits) and reopen the gourmet food store.
Bob Sickles, Jr. did not respond this summer when Patch asked him to confirm details of the 1663 deal. But on Thursday, Sickles confirmed the deal is true:
"We plan on re-opening Sickles Market with the assistance and leadership of '1663,' a group of incredibly mindful local investors," wrote the Sickles family. "Together, we have been working diligently on their plan to purchase the Little Silver property and our primary collective mission to bring back the Sickles you know and love by summer 2025."
Here are the posts on Sickles' website, announcing they intend to reopen: https://sicklesmarket.com/spec...
Find out what's happening in Little Silver-Oceanportfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
And here is their announcement Thursday morning on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sick...
Sickles stunned residents in this wealthy wedge of Monmouth County when it abruptly closed its doors last February and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, disclosing $7.5 million in debt. In their Dec. 5 statement saying they will reopen, Sickles said 2020-2024 were the toughest years in their 115-year existence.
"We thought we had made it through the pandemic," said the market.
Sickles Provisions, their failed Red Bank offshoot, and Bottles by Sickles, their liquor store, will not be reopening. Former Sickles employees will be paid two weeks' severance, 1663 Partners promised. "All outstanding gift cards can be honored over time once the market reopens," 1663 Partners said in this statement they released Thursday.
(Many former customers said Sickles sold expensive gift cards right up until they closed; one Monmouth Beach woman filed a complaint in small-claims court last winter, saying Sickles owes her $3,000 for a gift card they sold her.)
The three Rumson residents that formed 1663 Partners are Jennifer Griffin Karp, Dennis Devine and Timothy McCooey. They are all familiar local names: McCooey ran for Rumson town council in 2013, and Devine is involved in organizing the Rumson St. Patrick's Day parade.
Their LLC plans to purchase the five acres of land at 1 Harrison Avenue in Little Silver (where the market is located), the Sickles Market building itself, plus Sickles and his wife's private home in Rumson. Sickles, Jr. and his wife would remain in the home and pay rent to 1663 Partners.
This was all according to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) filed in the NJ court system this summer. A sales price was never revealed in the MOU.
Also, as per the proposed agreement in August, Sickles, Jr., his daughters Tori and Sasha Sickles and former Sickles market manager Maria Carrigan will all be hired to work at the new market. It is unknown if this is still occurring, but here were their proposed salaries as of August:
Here's the Dec. 5 message from the Sickles family:
Their Dec. 5 post is entitled "A message from the Sickles Family." It reads, in its entirety:
"For over 115 years Sickles Market was the Jersey Shore’s destination for 'The Good Stuff,' and we are so pleased to announce that 'The Good Stuff' is planned for a comeback.
Sickles is on a path not only to reopen, but also to being the best Sickles Market it can be. That means fulfilling existing obligations and responsibilities. Our doors will open when the timing is right — right in all ways.
As many of you know, our Specialty Food & Garden Center took an unprecedented and necessary pause in March 2024, shutting down to reorganize. We take accountability for the impact this decision made in our very special community. Here at Sickles, we have been very quiet because we have been quietly working. Over the last eight months, we buckled down to make impactful changes.
We are completely aware that there have been reports in the local media. Some words you have read are accurate, and some are not. We know that not all of our past decisions were ideal while we faced extreme challenges that not even a family business as old as ours could survive. Thus, we took a purposeful and actionable pause to look inward.
Eight months later, this is where we stand:
We plan on re-opening Sickles Market with the assistance and leadership of "1663," a group of incredibly mindful local investors. Together, we have been working diligently on their plan to purchase the Little Silver Property and our primary collective mission to bring back the Sickles you know and love by Summer 2025.
Before we reached our toughest years from 2020 to 2024, we had always operated our business with great integrity and hospitality, with the intention of staying open through any challenge that may come at us. We made it through fires, economic recessions, Hurricane Sandy, and we thought we had made it through the pandemic. Unfortunately, during those tough years, we over-expanded, overextended, and while the world rapidly changed around us, we couldn’t catch up. We did not react in enough time to course correct.
We have spoken to many customers and have heard your concerns. We have also read your heartwarming messages and letters that have come in steady and strong these past few months. We know that we were your happy place for many years, and we look forward to once again holding that title from all of you in the future.
We want to fill your tables and gardens with all of the deliciousness and beauty we have always offered. There will also be new and exciting offerings that we couldn’t be more excited to share with you! Stay tuned.
Sincerely,The Sickles Family"
Here's the Dec. 5 message from 1663 Partners:
1663 Partners LLC Restructuring Announcement for Sickles Market
"In March 2024, Sickles Market, a cornerstone of the Jersey Shore community since 1908, closed its doors following a bankruptcy filing. Recognizing the market's historic significance, 1663 Partners LLC quickly initiated discussions with the Sickles family to explore options for reorganization and reopening.
On November 22, 2024, the Sickles family and 1663 Partners filed a co-sponsored Disclosure Statement and Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. The plan prioritizes the full payment of employee wage liabilities, including two weeks of severance for former employees, and ensures that all outstanding gift cards can be honored over time once the market reopens.
Efforts are now focused on concluding the bankruptcy process and preparing the market for a targeted reopening by summer 2025. This will include a comprehensive business plan aimed at revitalizing the market’s legacy while maintaining its reputation for quality produce, plants, gourmet goods, and more.
The Sickles family and 1663 Partners deeply value the trust and dedication of the market's loyal customers, exceptional vendors, and supportive community. These partnerships are integral to the market’s success, and we look forward to continuing them in this new chapter.
Updates on the restructuring and reopening will be shared on sicklesmarket.com and through social media.
We are honored to work together to preserve this iconic institution and reunite the community with the products and experiences they cherish."
Our Sickles reporting in the past year:
Sickles Sold Expensive Gift Cards Just Before Closing, Complaint Says (March)
Vendors, Employees Say Sickles Owes Them Thousands Of Dollars (March)
2nd Lawsuit Against Sickles Market: Meat Vendor Says It's Owed $100K (March)
Sickles Liquor Store Files For Bankruptcy; Is $5.2 Million In Debt (April)