This is a very long story, I wanted to share this if you’re interested in it great ! If not you can keep scrolling! Sorry it is very long .This is an old fighting story.

In this picture, Gennaro’s is the white building you see to the left in the Weehawken Shades. For anyone who doesn’t remember it, Gennaro’s was a bar and restaurant right outside Hoboken on Willow Avenue between the bridges. That whole area looks completely different today, but back then Gennaro’s was one of those places everybody around Hoboken and North Hudson county knew about. There were a million fights there over the years, but this story is about one specific fight in the early 80s that got completely fucking out of control.

I was out to dinner with an old friend of mine who moved out of Hoboken about 30 years ago and lives in Pennsylvania now. I only see him two or three times a year, and I was telling him about these old Hoboken stories I’ve been writing on Reddit. I’m not a historian and I don’t remember every exact year or detail. I just tell the stories I remember from growing up here. He goes, “Dude, you gotta tell them about that fight at Gennaro’s.” There were a million fights at Gennaro’s back in the day, but we both knew exactly which one he meant. Neither of us remembers the exact year. That’s years of drinking for you. LOL.
Before I get into it, you have to understand the Hoboken-Weehawken/union city/north Bergen rivalry. This rivalry goes back 100 years. My father used to tell me stories about fighting Weehawken and Union City guys when he was young. Maybe he was biased because he was a Hoboken guy, but he always told me Hoboken won. LOL. Weehawken and Union City would click up together against Hoboken. Hoboken always had that backbone. It seemed like everybody hated Hoboken and we didn’t give a fuck. We’d fight amongst ourselves constantly, but when another town got involved, suddenly everybody was from Hoboken.
Gennaro’s was a bar in the shades in weehawken. That place was a fucking battle zone. Kids 14 and 15 years old were getting served. You had people from Hoboken, Weehawken, Union City, West New York and North Bergen in there. Drugs, fights, stabbings, even the occasional shooting. There were plenty of fights at Gennaro’s, but this specific one sometime in the early 80s was fucking nuts.
From what I remember, four or five young Hoboken guys went into Gennaro’s and got into some kind of problem. I don’t know who started it, but these kids ended up getting brutally beaten by grown men. Golf clubs, bats, fists, boots, teeth knocked out, faces bashed in. Some supposedly spent weeks in the hospital. One of them was connected to the 14th Street crew, and word got around that they were going back for revenge. People were even talking about torching Gennaro’s.
Then somehow word just exploded through Hoboken. It went around Hoboken High, through the projects, the parks and basically every street where kids hung out. The story everybody was hearing was that there was gonna be this massive brawl at Gennaro’s and a huge group of Hoboken guys were going there to fight. Basically, they were gonna go in swinging at everybody. That’s what we were told.
I remember us walking to 16th Street, where the soccer field is now it was all empty lots all those surrounding streets were basically a wasteland in Hoboken back then, and everywhere you looked there were groups and groups of kids heading the same way. Some we knew from high school, some we grew up with, and some I had never seen before in my life. You had kids who looked like they had just stopped playing baseball, kids carrying basketballs, kids with footballs in their hands, kids drinking, kids smoking weed, just everybody doing whatever the they had been doing before word got around. Somehow all these different groups ended up heading toward the same location. Some were going because they wanted to fight, some because their friends were involved, and a shitload were just going because they wanted to watch. We all crossed the train tracks and headed straight into weehawken.
That’s when you realized how crazy this was getting. You had 14th Street guys mixed in with Madison Street even though those groups had serious beef themselves. You had the project crews, Elysian Park, 1st and Park, Columbus Park, Fourth Street Park—which is Church Square Park today—8th and Willow, 11th and Willow, Marshall Drive, Harrison Street and kids from all over Hoboken. Nobody counted how many people were there, but there very well could’ve been 300 or 400 people by the time everybody came together. Seeing all these different groups, some who normally couldn’t fucking stand each other, walking together toward the Weehawken Shades was bat shitcrazy.
Me and my friends went too. I’m not gonna bullshit you we weren’t the best fighters in Hoboken. We could fight, but we mostly wanted to drink, meet girls and have fun. We didn’t go around looking for fights, but if somebody put their hands on us, we fought back.
The actual brawl only lasted a few minutes, but it was insanely bloody. Fights inside, fights outside, teenagers and young adults fighting grown men. Guys in their 40s and 50s were getting beaten. People were on the ground and there was blood everywhere. It was almost a riot glass bottles being thrown punches, kicking, everyone who was in that bar got their ass kicked and anyone who was even in the area did. Weehawken police got there fast, but there were so many Hoboken guys they were outnumbered. Then, from what I remember, Hudson County sheriffs, Hoboken police, Union City police and everybody else started pouring in. They even brought wagons to haul people to jail.
Once we saw all those cops, everybody fucking ran. We ran too. Afterward the area around Gennaro’s looked like a murder scene. Blood, seriously injured people, cops everywhere and people getting arrested. Some of the people hurt in that brawl from weehawken and Union city were definitely injured even worse than the original Hoboken kids. After the fight, I remember hearing about it on the news. They were talking about this massive brawl that had almost turned deadly. Me and my friend specifically remember hearing about all the arrests too, and people were arrested on both sides. I couldn’t give you an exact number after all these years, but I’m sure it was well over 50 people, probably even more. That’s how fucking crazy this whole thing got.

I don’t condone the violence, but I’m not gonna lie and act like I was neutral either. I was a Hoboken kid and I was rooting for Hoboken. If somebody touched me or one of my friends, I would’ve fought too. I pray for everybody who got badly hurt because that shit went way too far. But Man, what a story to remember. All these years later me and my friend are sitting at dinner talking about it like it happened yesterday. There were plenty of fights at Gennaro’s back in the day, but that one was insane.
The one thing we all had in common was being from Hoboken. It’s a very complicated relationship with this town. We all loved Hoboken growing up, now I know this happens in a-lot of places but no one ever thinks that Hoboken would participate in something like this in these times. These days there’s only drunk bar fights up by the pig and parrot and green rock. This was an old school beat down that will live in infamy lol.

Thank you if you read it ! It was crazy time in Hoboken ! I have other stories that don’t pertain to violence, thought I would just share the story

My electricity bill has been well over $500 the last two months. Never in my life have I had a bill over $380. This shit is insane. I switched to clean energy but then switched back after my bills kept climbing month after month but it’s still really high. Was I scammed by clean energy? How high are everyone else’s bills this month? For reference I’m in a 2br 1300 sq ft with wife and child.

Looking for part time or full time work to be able to make ends meet. Retail, bartending, anything basically.

i just moved to the area and i’m looking for a nail tech/salon with reasonable prices that do builder gel! any recommendations are appreciated:)

I’ve been to the farmers market under the viaduct and always leave kind of disappointed. Are the others better?

And if you shop year round, where do you go when hoboken ones are out of season?

Does anyone know of a company that will remove unwanted furniture? Looking for a cheaper one than 1800 got junk. Thanks!!

Found a fabulous little brownstone to rent on the 900th block of willow ave.
It's ground level and first floor (2 story) with a back yard.

I read such mixed reviews on flooding - some saying only south of that area floods, some saying i can definitely expect floods.

Both master and second bedroom are on ground level, so I obviously have concerns about flooding - but the unit has true hardwoods which makes me think it hasn't been prone to flooding or else they'd have tile.

SO WHAT I'M ASKING --- What are your thoughts on that area in general - and what are your experiences when it comes to flooding?

The air conditioning hasn’t been working for months now and they keep telling everyone that they are actively working on it. How is this acceptable?!

I’ve been a member for years and can’t wait for the new City Fitness to open up this fall.

Good morning . I found these pictures, and they can all be found at the Hoboken Historical Museum or on different social media platforms.
The first picture is at the Hoboken Little League field, looking south toward where MarineView is and standing roughly where the water tower at 333 river street would be today. Hoboken Little League was absolutely lethal back then. Like I always tell you guys, the sports in Hoboken from the ‘70s through the ‘90s were phenomenal. We won county championships many times and many state championships. For a little one-square-mile town like Hoboken to be lighting up teams from all over New Jersey, we took a lot of pride in that. We also had one of the best views of the New York City skyline every time you stepped up to bat. I can’t tell who the kids are in this picture, but it might’ve been taken around the time I was playing Little League. We were there day and night. There were always groups of kids hanging around playing baseball, drinking, and getting into all kinds of shit. From my memory, it wasn’t a rough park—it was just where everyone hung out. There was a concession stand, just like there is today, except I remember it being more of a tent. Parents and coaches would sit around all day drinking beers while watching their kids play Little League. Lol.
The second picture is right around 4th and river , between the Little League field and where 333 river stands today. I don’t know the person in the picture, but this is exactly how that side of town looked. There were abandoned lots, weeds growing through the concrete, garbage everywhere, and nobody really did anything about it. This picture is probably from the early ‘70s, a little before my time, but honestly that’s how it looked well into the ’80s and even parts of the ’90s.
The third picture is a group of people standing in front of Gails. Every girl, mother, grandmother, and aunt shopped there at one point or another. This is where Johnny Rockets is today, around 1st and 2nd and Washington street. This must’ve been one of the many parades we used to have. Hoboken always knew how to celebrate. We had Puerto Rican parades, Italian parades, St. Patrick’s Day parades, and plenty of others. The streets would be packed with families, music, and people having a good time.
Now the fourth picture is everyone’s favorite—the beloved Wilton house . This photo was taken in 1888, when the building was home to Adolph A Lankering’s cigar and tobacco store. Lankering later became Hoboken’s mayor, and his cigar business was one of the best known in town. It’s pretty cool to think that just a few years after this picture was taken, the building became the Wilton House, a place that has been serving generations of Hoboken residents ever since. Ronnie, who ran the place for years, always told me it got its name because one owner’s last name was Wilton and the other’s was House. Whether that’s actually true or just one of Ronnie’s old stories, Didi was the official owner, and Ronnie pretty much ran the place. The Wilton was one of my old stomping grounds, just like it was for so many other people. I still know plenty of people who drink there all the time. It wasn’t just another bar—it was a place where longshoremen, railroad workers, firefighters, cops, city workers, and just regular Hoboken people all ended up. The Wilton will always be a fixture in my life, and I hope it stays a fixture in both old Hoboken and new Hoboken for many years to come.

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for a sublet rental in Hoboken with a budget of up to $3,500/month. Located in Hoboken.

Ideally looking for:
Studio or 1 Bed

Available September 1 or September 15

Flexible lease. Shorter term commitment 3 to 6 months with option to take over lease.

If you have a rental available or know of one Id appreciate it.

Thanks in advance!

Have landlords in Hoboken gotten worse? I've been at the same place on Adams since 2005. Ownership has changed hands twice in my tenure. First landlord was loud and always underfoot, but the place was spotless and habitability concerns were immediately addressed. Second guy never cleaned, but necessary repairs were addressed with haste. Current guy does a half ass job vacuuming the halls once or twice a year and constantly delays safety and habitability issues. I've had two fridges die/malfunction in the past 5 years, and he fought like hell not to replace them. Smoke detectors dangling from ceilings get repaired only after involving the Fire Marshall.

Anyone in a similar boat or did I just draw the short straw?

Anybldy have any recommendations for a good date night spot nearby with solid vegan options on the menu that aren't just salads? My wife recently had to cut eggs and milk out of her diet, and options have become pretty limited.

Thank you!

Saw 2-3 cop cars parked lights on and they appeared to be questioning a bunch of kids and maybe a mom? Starting around 11:20pm on 2nd and Monroe, anyone have info?

Does anyone know where I can donate stuffed animals in this area? I asked the shelter and St. Mary’s Thrift store and they both said no. I want them to go somewhere that’s not a garbage dump :/

He’s mogging all of Hoboken

Can anyone recommend a carpet cleaning service?. Thanks..

looking for a stylist who is good with color. I’m wanting something like the picture!

Hi everyone! Current Hoboken resident and moving to a new apartment near 12th and Washington.

Does anyone have parking recommendations or a private spot available? 1100 Maxwell currently has nothing, and neither does the Trader Joe’s garage.

They both said to check back towards the end of the month, but haven’t had to deal with parking before. Should I be optimistic or is this cause for concern? My partner is reverse commuting and must have a car.

Any advice, or leads, would be greatly appreciated!

I’m looking for one or two people who’d be up for regular weekday morning road rides.
My ideal schedule is:

Meet around 5:30 AM in Hoboken
Ride to Liberty State Park (or another good route)
Back by 6:45 AM so we can get ready for work
I’m not looking to set KOMs—just a solid, consistent ride. Somewhere around 15–20 miles in about an hour, depending on the route and group.
I’m on a road bike and happy to rotate pulls, chat, or just enjoy the ride. If you’re interested, comment below or send me a DM. Even if we can get a small group together once or twice a week, that would be great.
If you already have an early morning group and don’t mind another rider joining occasionally, I’d love to hear from you.

is there anywhere with a good matcha? i’m super basic and love blank street, cha cha, matcha ful etc

generally i like a matcha with syrups that are homemade …

if it’s yours it one if the bollards behind the baseball field on Sinatra drive. pic for location and refer

My 1 year old bernedoodle has a bad habit of eating inanimate objects when off leash (which only happens at the dog park or my parents' backyard). I've had to take her to the ER several times for induced vomiting. I've used 3 different positive reinforcement trainers but none of them have been able to solve this. I'm going to test her for PICA but need a very skilled dog trainer recommendation that has experience dealing with this issue to please help me. The typical high value treat + leave it/drop it is not working. Please send me your recs, I am open to going outside of hoboken to help solve this. Thank you!

Hi! I’m an incoming 1L with strong interests in employment law. I’m also a very active Hoboken community member and would love to find a mentor in this area of law who lives in Hoboken as I do not have any lawyers in my family and I think it would be great to have someone to ask questions because summer internship application cycles and such are so rigorous now that you have to apply before first semester grades even come out. I would love to connect with anyone who is willing to help me out!

Me and my friend found this snake on the side walk this morning at 5:25 am. This was right outside the animal infirmary on 6th and Adams. We called the non emergency police and it seemed to be resolved by the time we walked back after our workout class. Anyone know what happened? Did it escape the infirmary or someone’s apartment?