It would be easy to simply zip through Paramus while driving on Route 17. Or, to think that the only real retail destination there is the Paramus Mall. There are several local businesses in Paramus worth a visit, from bridal shops to gaming facilities. Keep reading for more information about shopping small in Paramus, New Jersey.
Aleana’s Bridal | 852 Route 17 North
View this post on Instagram
‘Tis the season for romance, as many proposals happen around this time of year. If a special someone popped the question, and it’s time to start looking at white dresses, look no further than Aleana’s Bridal. Owner and lead designer Svetlana Zakharina, has over 20 years of special-occasion designing during her creative career. This bridal shop has dresses from designers such as Sottero + Midgley, Allure, Rebacca Ingram, Pronovias, and more. There are also mother-of-the-bride options available. For those searching for something truly unique, Aleana’s provides services for custom gowns.
Read More: Newark Airport’s New Terminal A is Home to These Local NJ Businesses
Bijou Bridal + Special Occasion | 393 Route 17
View this post on Instagram
Located on Route 18 South, Bijou Bridal is a local favorite for special occasion wear. This store focuses on occasion wear for brides, bridesmaids, and evening wear. Designers include Justin Alexander, Nicole Miller, Mori Lee, Sorella Vita, Jade, Tarik Ediz, and more. Bijou currently has two active locations: the flagship store is in Paramus, New Jersey, and there is one additional store in Honolulu, Hawaii. A third store is coming soon in Pennsylvania. The store’s website has an events tab, so shoppers can see what trunk shows will be coming to this location.
Dragon Eye Gaming | 700 Paramus Park Suite 1305
Dragon Eye Gaming is a game store meets comic book shop meets card shop meets event space for tabletop games. The store sells a variety of games like classics, modern games, and tabletop games (Dungeons + Dragons and Warhammer). The store doesn’t stop there, as it has an extensive comic book collection as well as collectibles like Funko Pops and trading cards (Pokemon + Digimon). Dragon Eye also provides game players with tabletop space to have fun. There is a gaming membership tab on the store’s website with more information. There is also an event page where players can see what events or tournaments will be coming to Dragon Eye next.
Everything Bagel | 483 Route 17 South
View this post on Instagram
Everything Bagels are a classic, and it’s also the name of this breakfast + lunch spot. In 1991 Elliot Cohen + his partners got together and strived to be the leaders in the bagel industry. Everything Bagels has options for — well, everyone. Its menu categories include Authentic NYC Bagels, a Full Gluten-Free Menu, Pastries + Desserts, Delicatessen for Lunch, and Novelty bagels (customized to fit any occasion).
Fashion Corner | 321 Route 4
Fashion Corner has been in business for 68 years. In 1999, the company made its way to Paramus, New Jersey. It focuses on jewelry (such as engagement rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, + more), customer-wear jewelry, eyeglasses, and watches/watch repair. For those interested in hearing more, there is an option to get a quote from the website’s homepage.
Forte Piano Music Company | 159 West Route 4
Forte Piano Music Company has been serving the greater New York, New Jersey + Connecticut areas for over 20 years. It was founded by composer + performer Vladamir Zaslavsky. Forte provides a variety of piano sales and services including new + pre-owned pianos, piano rentals (for an event or for a home), a recording studio, a music school, a recital hall, tuning, and more. For those interested in more information, appointments can be scheduled for a virtual or in-store visit.
Fruitwo Bubble | 700 Paramus Park
Fruitwo Bubble is a bubble tea cafe serving the Bergen County area. In addition to bubble tea, Fruitwo also has lattes, milkshakes, waffles, coffees, and slushies. Drinks to try are the Matcha Bubble Drink, Brown Sugar Latte, or Mango Milkshake. Food options to try are the S’mores Waffle or the Caramel Chocolate Chip Waffle. Please note: This spot is temporarily closed.
Humdingers | 64 East Midland Avenue
View this post on Instagram
With a slogan like “Entertainment at its Best,” it’s hard not to think patrons will have a good time at Humdingers. Humdingers has playful options for all including: batting cages (with pitches from 35-82 mph), Boutique Bowling (with 12 lanes, and bowling games other than traditional 10-pin bowling), Arcade + Redemption (including Skee ball + VR games), and Laser Maze. Humdingers also holds a variety of packages for parties, companies, adults, special events, fundraising, school groups, and more.
Küche + Cucina | 489 Route 17
Originally opening its doors in 1986 in New York City, Owner Amir J Ilin moved to its current Paramus location three years later in 1989. Since then it has served the Bergen County area with decades of experience and 6000+ kitchen designs. Kitchen designs vary from pure modern to traditional period styles. In addition to kitchens, Küche + Cucina also has experience with bath vanities, closets, and multi-unit projects (like the Fifty 58, Paramus). Küche + Cucina takes great care with its customers allowing appointments for one person (family or spouse included) at a time to give each person that walks through its doors the care needed for each customer, and time to fully sanitize between meetings.
Mahtani Jewelers | 1425 Paramus Park
This family-owned + operated business prides itself on excellent service. Mahtani Jewelers showcases a variety including rings (engagement, bridal sets, + wedding bands), watches (including brands like Michael Kors + Movado), bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and a section for men’s jewelry (including rings, bracelets, pendants, and cufflinks). Shoppers who are unsure of where to start should consider Mahtani’s Top Five opinions located on its drop-down menu. Here is where the company’s top five picks for watches, rings, bracelets, earrings, and men’s jewelry are listed.
Mr. Cupcakes | Paramus Park Mall
View this post on Instagram
With a tagline like “Johnny Makes ‘Em Better” it’s easy to see how he got the name Mr. Cupcakes. Johnny Manganiotis founded Mr. Cupcakes in 2007. Since then he has expanded to four stores across New Jersey: Clifton, Hawthorne, Paramus, + Brick. Johnny prides himself in providing fresh-tasting cupcakes and great customer service to all. Patrons can try fun cupcake flavors like French Toast (Yellow cake with maple syrup and cinnamon baked inside, white frosting with cinnamon on top), Over the Italian Rainbow (Green, yellow, red layered almond cake dipped in chocolate ganache and topped with two Italian rainbow cookies), or Hot Chocolate (Chocolate cake dipped in chocolate ganache with Mini Marshmallows and hot cocoa on top). There’s also a menu called The Interns where shoppers can check to see what limited-time flavors are available. Mr. Cupcakes also has cupcake catering options available.
See More: An A-Z List of Local Brick-and-Mortar Hoboken Businesses to Support Every Day
Thumbody | 80 Route 4
View this post on Instagram
If shopping around for a cool place to create, make a stop at Thumbody. This cafe meets record store meets creative space for collaborators is a place to come in, grab a coffee + pastry, have a seat, and work or play. Some cafe items to consider are Spicy Mochaccino (One part espresso, one part Mexican hot chocolate, and one part steamed milk), Cortado (Double shot of espresso with equal parts of your choice of steamed milk, 8-ounce only), or Apple Chaider Latte (The pairing of apple cider and chai tea is the combination you didn’t know you needed). Shoppers who are looking for their favorite vinyl should make the trip to this store because Thumbody also carries hard-to-find vinyl records. For those who want to experience the vibe now, check out its Spotify playlist featured on its website.
