Kevin Smith’s New Jersey

Kevin Smith’s New Jersey

A feature revealing the locations used in Kevin Smith’s films, such as “Clerks” and “Chasing Amy.”

You’ve watched Kevin Smith’s movies, with their quirky characters and wacky plotlines. Haven’t you ever wished you too lived in the View Askewniverse? Well, maybe you can’t hang out with Banky and Brody and T.S. and Holden and Alyssa and Gil Hicks, but you can spend a day cruising through Kevin Smith’s New Jersey and visit the places seen in Chasing Amy, Clerks, and more…

Start out by visiting Red Bank, NJ which is Smith’s hometown. Here you can scope out several sites from the View Askewniverse. Start out at 10 Bridge Avenue, the House of Coffee and then head to Take a Shot Billiards Club at 6 Bridge Avenue - both were used for background shots in Chasing Amy. At 2 Bridge Avenue you’ll find The Galleria, which is where Holden and Banky said goodbye at the train station in Chasing Amy.

(Credit LiveTheMovies.com)

Make your way two minutes across town to Mechanic Street, which is where Holden and Alyssa argue in the rain in Chasing Amy.

Mechanic Street. (LTM)

Across the way on Broad Street you’ll find Jack’s Music Shoppe - in Chasing Amy Holden and Banky live about the shop, and there are scenes inside the store as well as on the front steps.

Downtown Red Bank. (LTM)

You’ll also see Prown’s Department Store, which was used for background shots in Chasing Amy; and Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash, the comic book store owned by Kevin Smith (which he sometimes pops into). The store hours are: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thurs: 11am - 6pm, Friday: 11am - 7pm, Saturday: 11am - 6pm, and Sunday: 12pm - 5pm.

Your new favorite store! (LTM)

The store is full of great artifacts from the films, and amazing merchandise to buy. Much of it is signed by Kevin Smith himself! The store was used as Brodie’s Stash in “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.”

Brodie! (LTM)

Oh hey, Buddy Christ. (LTM)

From there, head down to 10 Peters Place where you’ll come across Red Bank Catholic High School, where Banky waxed philosophical about pursuing underage girls in Chasing Amy. Around the corner at 3 Harding Road is View Askew Productions, the office for Kevin Smith’s production company. It’s nothing special to look at, but who knows who you might run into?

View Askew. (LTM)

Once you’ve gotten your fill of Red Bank, why not take a drive down the coast and check out a few other locations? Start by heading up to The Marina Diner on Route 36 at Seeley Street in Belford; this is where Silent Bob gave his speech to Holden and Jay about love in Chasing Amy.

Marina Diner. (LTM)

Continue over to 58 & 60 Leonard Ave in Leonardo, which is the Quik Stop and RST Video where Smith worked and filmed Clerks. This location has also been seen in “Chasing Amy” and “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.” From there cruise east over to Posten’s Funeral Home at 59 E. Lincoln Ave in Atlantic Highlands, where Julie Dwyer’s funeral was held in Clerks.

An epic filming location. (LTM)

From there, head south to Asbury Park. Here you can find the Asbury Park Boardwalk where the first scene of Dogma takes place and where Holden and Alyssa play Skee Ball in Chasing Amy. Nearby at 1401 Ocean Avenue is the Berkeley Hotel, which was used for the comic book convention in Chasing Amy.

Asbury Park Boardwalk. (LTM)

Finally, end at 179 Chambersbridge Road in Brick Township, the Ocean Ice Palace, which is where the hockey game in Chasing Amy took place.

Now that you’ve spent a day living with an askew view, go relive your sightseeing by catching up on your favorite Kevin Smith flicks - you may never know anyone like Jay and Silent Bob, but at least you can say “I’ve been there”!

- Christina LeBlanc, Executive Editor