Maplewood

If you are looking for a town with a quick commute that is a combination of Mayberry and big city sophistication then Maplewood is the place for you. Maplewood is a township located in Essex county. It is bordered by West Orange and South Orange to the north, Newark and Irvington to the east, Union to the south, and Millburn to the west.  The town has a population of almost 24,000 and covers of area of just 3.879 square miles.

The housing stock is lovely and varied with a mix of Colonials, Tudors, Victorians and bungalows. There are many 19th and early 20th century properties in Maplewood, most of which have modern upgrades and beautiful exteriors.  Design styles that are predominantly found in Maplewood include twenties clapboards and brick Colonials, although there are also a few condominium developments in town.  Many of the buildings in town were designed by famous architects and landscape designers, including Guilbert & Betelle, Olmstead Brothers, John Russell Pope, and William E. Lehman.

Pedestrian friendly and environmentally conscious, there are public parks accessible from every neighborhood. The township has a downtown center known as “the village” which features a movie theater, restaurants, shops, a small bookstore and a supermarket.  The structure of the village has remained virtually unchanged since the 1950s. It was voted the #1 Downtown in NJ by NJ Monthly Magazine in 2015.

Maplewoodians pride themselves on being involved citizens who get active in community organizations. The town is known for being home to many actors, designers, writers, musicians and other creative people. Maplewood places much emphasis on diversity and community and is a great place to raise a family.  It is often voted to be one of the most desirable places to live in the United States.

The town shares a school district with neighboring South Orange. Columbia High School is known for its wide selection of advanced placement courses, strong arts curriculum and champion fencing team.

The Vibe
Check out some of these places and websites to get a feel for Maplewood’s unique vibe:

• A Paper Hat
• Ani Ramen
• Artie’s Brick Oven Pizza Co.
• Baker St Market
• Baker St Yoga
• Brave Floral
• Chutzpah Kitchen
• City Workshop Mens Supply Co
• General Store Cooperative
• Kimaya Kama
• Maplewood Community Pool
• Maplewood is Green
• Maplewood Mercantile
• Maplewood Porchfest
• Maplewood Village Alliance
• Matters Magazine
• Meus Shop

• N&K Prime Market Place (butcher)
• NJ Fencing Alliance
• No. 165
• Parkwood Diner
• Perch Home
• Restaurant Lorena’s
• Shakti Yoga
• South Mountain Reservation
• Spaces by Hollie Velten
• The Able Baker
• The Apothocarium Dispensary
• The Maplewood Club
• The Village Green
• Toy Division Toy Store
• Village Trattoria
• Words Bookstore

Unique To Town

• Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts is a 100 seat theater and 1600 square foot community room available to the public
• Dicken’s Village – A festive gift from the business community to the local residents + visitors. Dickens Village brings to life various scenes from Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol in miniature houses arranged in Ricalton Square.
• Girls Night Out is a fun night of shopping, dining, music and promotions co-sponsored by Allison Ziefert Real Estate Group of Compass.
• Maplewoodstock is a free annual concert featuring local and national bands held the weekend after July 4.
• The Historic Murals of Maplewood are a series of murals, each focusing on an aspect of the history of Maplewood, painted by the artist Stephen Juharos. They are located within large arched niches in the Maplewood Municipal Building.
• Ultimate Frisbee was invented in 1968 by students at Columbia High School in Maplewood.
• William Lowell invented the wooden golf tee at the Maplewood Golf Club in 1921.