Maplewood Has Become Home To A Thriving ‘Garage Bar’ Scene

Lots of people clear a space in the corner of the garage where friends from the neighborhood can gather for a cold beer or two. Usually, this amounts to nothing more elaborate than a few camp chairs and a battered mini-fridge set up near an old street sign hanging on the wall.

John Garbarino has converted his Maplewood garage into a cozy neighborhood tavern, inspiring his neighbors to do the same.
Photo Credit: *Courtesy of John Garbarino*

Paul Milo

04/03/2019 12:53 p.m.

John Garbarino, however, has taken his own homemade pub to the next level. Or maybe the level beyond that.

The Maplewood resident has transformed his garage into what amounts to a working tavern (but not a business; here, the beers are free for friends and guests) roughly modeled on the Spring Lounge near his former home in New York City, where he met his wife before they moved to Jersey several years ago.

Adorned with furnishings like a fireplace, an old carved wooden sign, donated bar stools and repurposed church pews he purchased on Craigslist, from the inside, the GarBar definitely appears to be far more “bar” than “gar” these days.

Garbarino was inspired to convert his 400-square-foot garage, with its wooden, cathedral ceilings, after noticing it had the “bones” of the pubs he enjoyed while he lived in the city. He also wanted a proper pub within easy walking distance, as was the case in the Village. In suburban Maplewood, the bars aren’t nearly as close.

“Nowadays I walk to my local in 10 seconds,” Garbarino wrote on his web site. “ I see all my neighborhood friends and share a few freshly poured pints of Brooklyn Brewery beer and throw a few games of darts.”

Garbarino has hosted up to 100 people at his GarBar, which has become so popular Garbarino has begun helping his fellow Maplewood residents set up garage pubs, as well as inspiring others to create their own GarBars.

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