Olivia Fisher 
There is nothing more local for The Local Girl to share than a guide to the oldest surviving businesses in New Jersey. The Garden State has seen thousands of businesses come and go over the centuries, but only a few have been around since 1898. Here at TLG, we did the work of scouring newspapers and deep diving through the internet to uncover as many businesses as we could that have been serving New Jersey for over 128 years. These businesses range from restaurants and pharmacies to breweries and law firms. Read on for a guide to the oldest businesses in New Jersey.
Albini Pharmacy Hoboken | 401 Adams Street, Hoboken
Albini Pharmacy has served Hoboken since 1880. Bartholomew Albini worked as a clerk before buying the drug store in 1921. Bartholomew named it the Owl Pharmacy, which it was called until his death in 1951. Today, the spot is run by Salvatore Migliorelli.
Read More: Hoboken’s Oldest Family-Owned Italian Eateries + Restaurants
Applegate Farm | 616 Grove Street, Montclair
Applegate Farm opened in 1848 when dairy farms were scattered across Essex County, something unheard of today. As a farm, the business was owned and operated by the Sigler family. Its modern story of ice cream and summer treats began in 1980 when Betty Vhay became the owner. Her nephew Jason Street, who was studying business in college, was drawn to his aunt’s farm. In time, he took over the property and turned it into the ice cream spot many know today.
Barnsboro Inn | 699 Main Street, Sewell
The Barnsboro Inn is a 1770s tavern with a patio bar serving a casual American menu of pub grub, steaks, and seafood. It was built in 1720 by John Budd. On March 19th, 1776, John Barnes petitioned the judges of the Gloucester County Court to license his house. Over almost 250 years, the business has been known as the Spread Eagle, the Crooked Billet Inn, and the Barnsboro Hotel.
Black Horse Tavern and Pub | 1 West Main Street, Mendham
Black Horse Tavern and Pub is New Jersey’s oldest continually running restaurant, dating back to 1742. The menu features American classics that reflect post-Revolutionary War cuisine. The space first opened in 1740 as a stagecoach stop.
Campbell Soup | 1 Campbell Place, Camden
Campbell Soup was founded in 1869 by Abraham Anderson and Joseph Campbell, and today it is one of the largest processed food companies in the country. It is headquartered in Camden. Campbell brands now include Pepperidge Farm, Pace, V8, and Prego.
Clinton House | 2 West Main Street, Clinton
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The Clinton House, located in Clinton, was established in 1743, and the current structure was built in the 1820s. The house even had guest rooms, but this was discontinued in the 1950s. The menu includes a variety of dishes like burgers, seafood, sandwiches, chicken, and steak.
Cranberry Inn | 21 Street Main Street, Cranbury
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The Cranbury Inn has been around since the 1750s. In 1750 and 1765, two taverns were built to provide travelers with a place to eat, drink, rest their horses, and sleep. Famous diners included Soong Mei-ling and her entourage in 1943, as well as a Prince and Princess of the Netherlands, Albert Einstein, Brooke Shields, and the entire City Council of Moscow in 1995. The menu here has wings, burgers, pasta, salads, and seafood.
Day’s Ice Cream | 48 Pitman Avenue, Ocean Grove
Day’s Ice Cream is the oldest continuously operating business in Ocean Grove. It first opened 149 years ago in August 1876. The owners, brothers William F. and Pennington Day, also owned ice cream shops in Asbury Park, Morristown, and Newark. The ice cream spot has numerous flavors, waffles, and a spacious seating area.
Demarest Farms | 244 Werimus Road, Hillsdale
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Demarest Farms was founded in 1886 when George Washington Demarest purchased a parcel of land on the border of Hillside and Saddle River. In the 1910s, his son Lincoln inherited the farm and started fruit orchards on it with his sister Annie. Lincoln passed the farm to his son, George, and his wife, Elizabeth. The couple passed it to their son Peter and his wife, Marsha.
Ho-Ho-Kus Inn + Tavern | 1 East Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus
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One of Bergen County’s oldest buildings, the Ho-Ho-Kus Inn + Tavern, was constructed in 1796 by Andrew Zabriskie as a home for his son, John. It was once used as a parsonage and first became a tavern in 1890. Over the years, it has been known by several names, including the Zabriskie House, Villa Inn, Mansion House, Wayside Inn, Washington Inn, Estephe’s Hotel, and Paddy Burke’s. Ho-Ho-Kus purchased the building and property in 1941 from Mrs. Jacqueline, a resident and the last owner of the Inn. In 1953, it was leased to Helen Wilson and her brother, Gordon Butler. Helen’s son, Dick, later ran the business as the Ho-Ho-Kus Inn. After he retired, it became Claude’s Ho-Ho-Kus Inn and became a favorite dining spot of President Richard Nixon. In 2009, Gordon and Laurie Hamm reopened the building following a $1.5 million renovation project.
Johnson & Johnson | 410 George Street, New Brunswick
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Brothers Robert Wood Johnson, James Wood Johnson, and Edward Mead Johnson founded Johnson & Johnson in 1886 with 14 employees. Johnson & Johnson opened its first factory building on Neilson Street in New Brunswick. Throughout its history, Johnson & Johnson has created many things, such as sterile surgical products, the first commercial first aid kit, and the first prescription contraceptive gel.
Laird & Company | 1 Laird Road, Scobeyville
Founded by Robert Laird, Laird & Company is the oldest licensed distillery in the country. It received License No. 1 from the U.S. Department of the Treasury in 1780. Laird & Company ceased its New Jersey distilling operation in 1972, but still blends, ages, and bottles its products in Scobeyville. The business is owned and operated by the 9th generation of the Laird family. In 2023, Lisa Laird-Dunn became the first female owner of the business.
McCarter & English | 100 Mulberry Street Newark, + Various
McCarter & English is a law firm founded in 1845. It is one of the oldest law firms in the United States. It began in Newton as McCarter & Keen and today is headquartered in Newark. The McCarter family is notable throughout Newark history and has been immortalized in the Newark section of Route 21, more commonly known as McCarter Highway.
Read More: About Hoboken’s Historical Firehouses + Their Significance
Moores Tavern | 402 W Main Street, Freehold
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Moores Tavern opened in 1787 as a stagecoach stop at Monmouth House. The Moore’s Tavern Team told TLG, “…our establishment was a meeting ground for patriots to gather and discuss strategy and ill content for the British crown. As legend has it, icons of colonial American history such as George Washington and Molly Pitcher may have once passed through our doors.” Over the decades, the space continued to reinvent itself and was even a speakeasy during Prohibition. Today, it is known for its American-style plates and a menu featuring soups, salads, sandwiches, pizza, and wings.
Nassau Inn | 10 Palmer Square, Princeton
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The original Nassau Tavern was built as a residence in 1756 by Judge Thomas Leonard. When Thomas passed away in 1759, the space became the College Inn. Guests and customers included Paul Revere, Robert Morris, and Thomas Paine, who stayed the night more than once. In 1776, the Signers of the Declaration of Independence rested here while passing through Princeton. At the turn of the 19th century, Christopher Beekman and his wife, Grace Otis Beekman, retired. John Gifford took over the hostelry, changed its name to Nassau Inn, and hung a sign picturing Nassau Hall over its entrance. When Christopher Beekman, the original innkeeper, retired, he passed the business to John Gifford, who named it the Nassau Inn. In 1937, the original location closed, and a larger space was built at 10 Palmer Square in Princeton.
Provident Bank | 111 Wood Avenue South, Suite 200, Iselin + Various
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The Provident Institution for Savings was originally chartered by the State of New Jersey in 1839. It was the first mutual savings bank in state history. Today, Provident Bank is the oldest community bank in the state. The bank has locations in Belleville, Bloomfield, Clifton, East Brunswick, Little Falls, Jersey City, Maywood, Newark, and Toms River.
Prudential Financial | 213 Washington Street, Suite 11, Newark
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Prudential Financial was founded in 1875 by John F. Dryden, initially selling only burial insurance. It was originally called The Widows and Orphans Friendly Society and then the Prudential Friendly Society. In 2001, it began trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
Renault Winery Resort | 72 North Bremen Avenue, Egg Harbor City
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Renault Winery is the oldest active winery in New Jersey. The vineyard was first planted in 1864 by Louis Nicolas Renault, a French immigrant from Mareuil-sur-Ay. Today, the winery includes a resort, two restaurants, a hotel, and a golf course.
Rocky Hill Inn | 137 Washington Street, Rocky Hill
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A tavern license for the Rocky Hill Inn was given to the Harrison family in 1745. George Washington visited and stayed in the Inn during the Revolutionary War. The Harrison family sold the Inn to Isaac Stout in 1825. In 1860, Wesley Morris took over the space, renaming it the Dey Hotel. Thirteen years later, it became the Danley Hotel, and I. E. Stryker purchased it. By 1880, it became the Rocky Hill Inn again. The menu includes salads, steak, chicken pot pie, burgers, and tacos.
Sergeantsville Inn | 601 Rosemont Ringoes Road, Sergeantsville
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Originally named for the Sergeant family, the Sergeantsville Inn has had many renovations, business names, and owners. Open since the early or mid-1700s, the Inn even served General George Washington. When the Inn opened, or the structure was built, it is not fully certain.
Stokes Farm | 23 Dewolf Road, Old Tappan
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In 1873, Stokes Farm was established by Isaiah Stokes, an English immigrant. He purchased 40 acres of land in Old Tappan and started the farm with a vision of growing and selling farm-fresh products to the locals. In the 1900s, the farm passed to his son Joseph, then Joseph’s daughter Madeline and her husband Ernie Binaghi. Madeline and Ernie’s son, Ron Jr., dropped out of NYU music school to lend a hand on the farm. Ron married Jean, and together they expanded Stokes Farm by opening a roadside stand in 1955. Over time, the couple sold their produce at the Paterson Farmers Market and, in 1966, rebuilt the farm stand to accommodate its growing venture. Stokes Farm is a longtime vendor at the Union Square Greenmarket in NYC.
The Elysian Cafe | 1001 Washington Street, Hoboken
The Elysian Cafe is the oldest continuously operated bar and restaurant in Hoboken. This spot first opened in 1895 as Dillenger & Jeffson’s. In 1910, John L. Himes operated a cafe and restaurant here. Today, it serves a French bistro-style menu. Click here to read more about the Elysian Cafe.
T.M. Ward Coffee | 944 Broad Street, Newark
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T.M. Ward Coffee Inc. was established in 1869 and serves hotels, restaurants, cafes, and gourmet retailers. Today, it is owned by the 4th and 5th generations of the Ward family. All of the roasted coffee is Kosher certified, sustainably sourced, and packaged in the United States.
Verrilli’s Bakery | 3 Martin Luther King Avenue, Morristown
Since 1898, Verrilli’s Bakery has been serving hot pizza, fresh sandwiches, homemade bread and Italian baked goods in Morristown. The business was founded by Leonardo and Antonia Verrilli. It was run by the family until 1988, when Tony Dimogerodokis purchased it. As of 2018, it is run by Tony’s daughter, Kristi and business partner Harper Hoffman.
W. Van Winkle & Co. | 2 Station Square, Rutherford
Founded in 1692, A. W. Van Winkle & Co. is the oldest business in New Jersey and the nation’s oldest real estate firm. Today, the company helps those selling, buying, and renting in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Ye Olde Centerton | 1136 Almond Road, Elmer
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Ye Olde Centerton has been continuously operating since 1706. It first opened as a stagecoach stop. Today, it is a popular spot for seafood dishes and steaks.
See More: The 50 Best Restaurants in North Jersey
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