Three-minute read

• Nicol New Jersey, a new racket sports club, is opening in Oceanport at the RiverWalk Center.
• The facility features courts for padel, squash and pickleball, along with a cafe and bar.
• Co-founded by top-ranked squash player Peter Nicol and his wife Jess, the club aims to foster a community atmosphere and grow racket sports participation.

OCEANPORT — Nicol New Jersey, a racket sports club that offers padel, squash and pickleball under one roof, is just about ready to welcome its first players.

The 20,000-square-foot racket facility, located at the new RiverWalk Center at 850 Oceanport Ave., is expected to have its soft opening this week.

Co-founded by husband and wife team Peter and Jess Nicol, Nicol New Jersey has four indoor pickleball courts, three squash courts and two indoor padel courts. Outdoor pickleball and padel courts are planned as well.

“I grew up playing a number of racket sports,” said Peter Nicol, formerly ranked as the No. 1 squash player in the world. “I played squash and tennis in the same place and it was affordable. It was accessible. It wasn’t a country club.”

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The Nicols, who also own Nicol New York City, a squash club in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen, are poised to showcase padel at the Jersey Shore, and give racket sports enthusiasts a place to play squash and indoor pickleball too.

“I love this environment,” said Nicol, who says it reminds him of his upbringing in Scotland. “The whole community went to this place to socialize, to maybe eat a little bit, and to play sports. Kids would come play sports and do their homework and parents would be playing on another court while they hung around.”

Padel, the fastest-growing racket sport in the world, originated in Mexico and uses a solid racket. It’s played in doubles. “It’s the perfect combination between squash and tennis,” said Rodrigo Magalhaes, director of rackets.

There are not many padel courts open to the public. In the Jersey Shore area, they are in private hands, Nicol said.

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Besides the racket courts, the facility will have a cafe and bar serving beer, wine, cider and smoothies. Customers can either buy a membership or come and pay to play.

“We want to make it like a community,” Peter Nicol said.

There’s also a Spear clinic inside. Spear, a physical therapy provider, has 55 locations, mostly in New York City and four in New Jersey.

Nicol is the first business to open at RiverWalk Center, the new retail plaza under construction along Oceanport Avenue.

Developer Michael Abboud and his development partner, Chris Ilvento, owner of Ilvento Builders & Developers, are building the $25 million project on 12 acres at Parker’s Creek on the Oceanport side of Fort Monmouth.

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“There is such a vibe of strong community here,” Jess Nicol said. “I am so lucky to be here.”

There’s a demand for a place like Nicol New Jersey, Peter Nicol said. The Jersey Shore area has a “huge demographic of racket sports players.”

“There’s tennis clubs and tennis courts everywhere,” he said. “There’s that community who wants to play racket sports.”

Jess Nicol said they are connecting with area schools, including the Ranney School in Tinton Falls, that are interested in using Nicol’s squash courts for their racket programs. They also plan to offer summer programs and camps for young players at all skill levels. Coaching also will play a major role at Nicol New Jersey, Peter Nicol said.

“A big part of our business is our junior program,” Jess Nicol said. “Our ultimate mission is to get more people playing racket sports, but it starts with kids and that is our history, that is really how we built our business.”

David P. Willis, an award-winning business writer, has covered business, retail, real estate and consumer news at the Asbury Park Press for 27 years. He writes APP.com’s What’s Going There column and can be reached at dwillis@gannettnj.com. Please sign up for his weekly newsletter and join his What’s Going There page on Facebook for updates.

The owners of a New Jersey restaurant held a community celebration and are set to officially reopen their business more than a month after they were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

On Sunday, March 30, 2025, Emine and Celal Emanet held a celebration in Haddon Township, New Jersey, and served food to show their gratitude for their community’s support and to also mark the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month.

“We are a small business,” Emine Emanet said. “You know everywhere is small. But we have a big heart for all of everybody.”

 The couple’s restaurant, Jersey Kebab, officially reopens on Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

“I’ve been missing them,” Steve Barton, a Haddon Township resident, told NBC10. “They’ve been sorely missed throughout this entire ordeal.”

The restaurant – located on 150 Haddon Avenue – has been closed since Feb. 25, 2025, when ICE officers raided the business and arrested Emine and Celal Emanet.  An ICE spokesperson said the two Turkish citizens were in the United States illegally. While Celal Emanet was released from custody with an ankle monitor, Emine Emanet remained in custody at an ICE detention center in Elizabeth, New Jersey, for two weeks.

Immigration attorney Joseph Best told NBC10 the couple moved to the United States from Turkey in 2008 on a religious visa.  According to Camden County officials, Celal Emanet applied for a green card before the visa expired. Emanet said his application was denied three times and the couple has been in limbo since 2016.

During Emine Emanet’s detainment, the couple received support from both New Jersey leaders as well as community members. During a press conference in late February after their arrest, Haddon Township Mayor Randall Teague described the couple’s restaurant as a “pillar” in the community.

“We consider this situation maybe somewhat different than some of the other ones that we hear on TV where there’s criminals and rapists and so forth coming into our country,” Mayor Teague said. “They came in here legally and they’re trying to stay here legally.”

Teague also said the family has participated in Toys for Tots drives and organized food drives that have “left a lasting impact” on the area.

The couple’s arrest occurred amid a nationwide push from President Donald Trump’s administration to detain immigrants who entered the United States without the proper documents.

“This family is a family that embodies the very best of Camden County. And now they’re torn apart by this broken immigration system,” Camden County Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said in February. “It is time to stand up for good people. It is time to stand up for humanity. These folks do not deserve this. These folks do not deserve this. Fix the immigration system and let’s fix it now.”

Haddon Township residents also donated more than $327,000 to a GoFundMe in support of the family.

On Tuesday, March 11, a judge set a $7500 bond for Emine Emanet’s release. She was released and reunited with her family the next day after the nonprofit Envision Freedom Fund successfully posted the bond.

While the family is back in business, their legal battle continues.

“We have to prove ourselves,” Celal Emanet said on Sunday. “We are here. We have business. We’re regular people. We don’t have a criminal record. We pay our taxes so I hope they are going to accept it.”

Community members who attended Sunday’s celebration said they will continue to support them.

“They never let us down,” Barton said. “We are not going to let them down.”

The couple’s next court date is scheduled for the end of May 2025.

Retiring in the Garden State does have it perks.

According to the yearly report from Seniorly, Best of Senior Living Awards for 2025, New Jersey has the second best senior living facilities across the country and 19 award-winning facilities. The Garden State also has the top two best retirement communities in the Northeast.

The online marketplace for senior living communities analyzed data from 500,000 online reviews, across 60,000 facilities across six categories: cleanliness, dining services, staff ratings, value, care services and overall resident satisfaction. Only 336 facilities were chosen, according to the report.

To qualify for the award, communities must be in the top 5% of their consumer sentiment ratings, be free of serious licensing violations for the last 36 months and have no evidence of negative media coverage for the last 24 months.

New Jersey was recognized on three lists. Here are the findings:

Best Senior Living Facility

New Jersey’s Arbor Terrace Mount Laurel in Burlington Country lands in the No. 2 spot on the list. The facility offers Memory Care and cost for this community starts at $5,500.

“Arbor Terrace Mount Laurel offers a harmonious blend of expert care and vibrant community life, designed to enhance the well-being of its residents. With a focus on personalized care, the community provides an environment where residents can thrive, supported by a team that understands the importance of deep connections,” the website reads.

Best Senior Living Facility: Northeast Region

According to the report, New Jersey also has two of the best senior living facilities in the Northeast Region.

1. Arbor Terrace Mount Laurel in Mount Laurel
2. Brandywine Living Monarch at Livingston

Top states with award-winning facilities

These communities are vital to our senior living infrastructure and often provide high-quality care at exceptional value, said Seniorly.

• California
• Texas
• Florida
• Arizona
• Washington
• New Jersey
• Georgia
• New York
• Illinois
• Michigan