A storefront that has sat empty for almost two years in Jersey City's Heights neighborhood is finally showing signs of life. The address, 594 Palisade Avenue, is set to become a new restaurant and bar, with paperwork pointing to a familiar name in the city's bar scene behind the plans.
According to Jersey Digs, Jersey City's Alcoholic Beverage Control approved the transfer of a dormant, or “pocket,” liquor license to 594 Palisade Avenue at its October 20 meeting. That license was transferred to an entity called Paper Mache Ballerina LLC, which plans to open a new eatery in the Heights.
A pocket license is inactive and has no licensed premises until it is moved to a specific location. New Jersey’s municipal ABC handbook says that placing one at a site requires a place-to-place transfer approved by the local issuing authority; the state’s ABC Licensing Bureau also reviews retail license transfers submitted by municipalities for compliance. The transfer is therefore a licensing step tied to this address, rather than a general authorization to operate anywhere. New Jersey’s municipal ABC handbook explains the process, and the state Licensing Bureau’s role includes reviewing those transfers.
Property records reviewed by the outlet show Mary Snyder listed as the 100% owner of Paper Mache Ballerina LLC. Snyder is one half of Ed & Mary's, the bar she and her partner took over in 2019 when it was the former 9th and Coles bar in Downtown Jersey City, and the pair have run it ever since.
What Happened to Fox & Crow
The Palisade Avenue address was previously home to Fox & Crow, which announced its closure in 2025 after a decade-long run at the site. The space has sat dormant for nearly two years since.
Fox & Crow’s closure ended a 12-year run at the Heights address. The restaurant and bar was also a live-music venue, with its back room hosting local performers—an element of its identity that made it more than a neighborhood dining spot. That history gives the planned restaurant-and-bar replacement a familiar role to fill on Palisade Avenue, though its format and programming have not been announced. The closure announcement cited the venue’s 12-year run, while coverage of the closing noted its place in Jersey City’s live-music scene.
The property is currently listed as under contract on LoopNet, though the buyer remains unknown. Construction has not yet started at the location, leaving the timeline for any new opening uncertain for now.
Open Questions Remain
It is not yet clear whether Paper Mache Ballerina will end up being the public-facing name of the new restaurant, or whether that is simply the LLC behind the liquor license. The entity does not appear to have a social media presence yet, offering few additional clues.
Jersey Digs reported that it reached out to the ownership behind Ed & Mary's about Paper Mache Ballerina but had not received a response at the time of publication. Still, the liquor license transfer is a concrete sign that the Heights could be getting a new restaurant and bar in the not-too-distant future, even as key details about the project remain under wraps.
