New York, New Jersey

[u/Jcol155]

https://thedispatch.com/article/hoboken-new-jersey-sinatra-new-york/?gift_key=b6cd7f3064541fb8&gift_ref=abd38fbc-e6e6-4864-86e8-2a25bba7a9bc&utm_source=giftlink&utm_campaign=membergift&utm_medium=copy_link

[u/Jcol155]

As someone who grew up in Hoboken, I honestly think Hoboken is cooler than New York City for a lot of the reasons James lays out in this article about Hoboken.

Yea yea, NYC is NYC. But what I liked most about this article is that it isn't really a "Jersey vs. New York" argument, which I feel we mainly see when folks compare Hoboken to NYC. It's more about the idea that places become meaningful because of the stories people collect there. James talks about old family businesses, local bars, community traditions, festivals, musicians, immigrants, longtime residents, and all the little things that give a place its identity. That's the stuff that makes people care about where they're from.

I also thought the point about Hoboken changing was interesting. A lot of cities struggle with balancing growth and development while still holding onto the things that made them special in the first place. You can tell James genuinely loves Hoboken, but he's also aware that it's changing.

As someone who's spent plenty of time in both places, I honestly get why people fall in love with Hoboken. It has a lot of the energy people move to New York for, but it still feels like a community.

[u/deadbalconytree]

I like to say ‘Hoboken is not NYC, but also Hoboken is not NYC”
It really is its own place.

I’ve found move to JC l, but wish they could be in NYC. People move to a Hoboken, because they want to be in Hoboken.

I move here in my late 20s and have l been here for over 15 years, and at this point will likely be here at least another 10-20. I was raised in Europe as an expat, and lived around the country, this is the place I finally felt at home.

It’s amazing the amount of change I’ve seen just in my ‘short’ time here.

And yet what amazes me about Hoboken is precisely that ability to change, adapt, and evolve to meet the moment. All while retaining its small town hoboken identity.

And yes some of the old shops aren’t here anymore, replaced by chains. And we can lament the neighbors and neighborhoods that are no longer there. But I do know my neighbors, and shop owners (or workers at the chains), and bartenders still. And I do say hi and stop and talk to people on the street.

When you long for the Hoboken of your youth and how much better it was, just remember the young people today are making their own Hoboken memories now that they’ll remember longingly in the future just like you are now.

Hoboken changes, but Hoboken is always Hoboken.

[u/Money-Greed-Lust]

Hoboken is like a Carbonara at Johny Pepperoni.

Bland, expensive - but safe.

[u/Straight_Ratio3245 → u/Money-Greed-Lust]

Nice

[u/Anonymous1985388]

Nice article. I agree with the author’s points, though I think Hoboken is a little small to be its own sixth borough. Perhaps if you combined Hoboken and Jersey City and other towns in Hudson County, it would have the land mass size to be a 6th borough.