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Maxwell's Live Music Venue In Hoboken, N.J. Closing After 35 Years

HOBOKEN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Maxwell's, the famed venue that put Hoboken, N.J. on the map for live music, was preparing to close its doors for good Wednesday night after 35 years in business.

As 1010 WINS' Gene Michaels reported, the club at 1039 Washington St. held a block party on 11th Street between Washington Street and Hudson Place, beginning Wednesday afternoon, to commemorate its final night.

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While some visitors were enjoying the evening, all were sad to see the end of the road for the storied venue.

"This is a special place, and they'll never really replace it," one man said.

"These are regular people and this is a wonderful place. I'm sad to see it go," another said.

"REM would play here, or Nirvana played here on their way up. It just had a lot of heart," a third said.

Many said the end of Maxwell's would mean the end of Hoboken as a place for live music.

But in a Bloomberg News report, owner Todd Abramson said as Hoboken has gentrified, residents have lost interest in the concerts at Maxwell's. He also said the parking regulations geared toward area residents have been trouble for some visiting bands, and some live music fans do not like the bar scene that has come to resemble a Florida spring break scene, the publication reported.

Maxwell's opened in 1978 in a space formerly occupied by a tavern frequented by workers at the Maxwell House Coffee factory that was then located nearby. The venue has hosted a vast assortment of A-list bands, from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Smashing Pumpkins to David Byrne and Joan Jett.

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