Does the Hard Grove sound familiar?
Before local residents Evelyn Padin and Carmen Mendiola decided to go into business together by buying the Hard Grove Café in 2005, it had already been in the news several times. Previous owner Domenick Santana had often publicly fought with one-time Jersey City Mayor Bret Schundler to extend the hours when dancing was permitted in establishments around the city. Santana also had established a kind tradition: giving out free meals to needy people each year on Thanksgiving. Santana started the giveaways when he saw a man scraping coins together on that holiday to eat. Now, the restaurant invites volunteers and serves full Thanksgiving meals to dozens of needy residents each year. All they have to do is come in and say they are there for the Thanksgiving meal. The flamboyant Santana eventually bought the famous Stone Pony down in Asbury Park and sold the Hard Grove to the two women. Evelyn Padin, who is Puerto Rican, and Carmen Mendiola, who is Cuban, saw an opportunity to buy a restaura
