Northern New Jersey is made up of individuals who fuel the community with their businesses, art, and innovative ideas. For May, The Montclair Girl is highlighting five locals who make Essex County + beyond the vibrant, one-of-a-kind place it is. Read on for a list of locals to watch in Montclair + Northern New Jersey for May 2025.

Iveliana Diaz | Poet + Author

Photo Credit: Melissa Stefan

Little Falls resident Iveliana Diaz has been writing since she was a child. “I had used [writing] as a way to journal and share my thoughts on whatever I felt I needed to put down on paper,” she shared with The Montclair Girl. Now, she is the author of Me vs. You (but mostly me), a collection of poems that serves as “an ode to those [who] are battling with the need to compare their life with others,” as per Barnes + Noble. With her work, Iveliana hopes to help her audience find validation and empowerment. “I hope that my book can be that hand to hold and that needed hug,” she said.

Iveliana’s Local Favorites: Sook in Ridgewood + BARE Aesthetics in Closter

Keep up with Iveliana on Instagram and find Me vs. You (but mostly me) at Barnes + Noble and Amazon.

Read More: 5 New Jersey Locals to Watch in April 2025

Lisette Scott | Founder of Jam+Rico

Photo Credit: Lisette Scott

Montclair resident and designer Lisette Scott is the founder of the jewelry brand Jam+Rico. Inspired by the connection between culture, storytelling, and creativity, and the vibrant history of the Caribbean, “the brand tells bold stories through statement pieces rooted in heritage and handmade artistry,” Lisette told MG. “Every Jam+Rico piece reflects that energy and is a way for me to celebrate heritage while creating something modern and meaningful.” With her brand, Lisette hopes to empower others to express themselves and honor their roots. To achieve this goal, Jam+Rico regularly hosts hands-on jewelry workshops in the community, “offering a space to learn, connect, and create,” Lisette said. “It’s a joy to see people of all ages discover something new and walk away with something they made themselves.”

Lisette’s Local Favorites: SLA Thai, Savor Creole, Sankofa Cafe, Anthropologie (where Jam+Rico often hosts pop-up shops), + MC Hotel (where Jam+Rico hosts jewelry workshops).

Keep up with Lisette and Jam+Rico on the business’s website and Instagram.

Richard Seidenberg + Stacey Feder | Founders of Red House Roasters

Husband-and-wife duo, business partners, and coffee lovers, Stacey Feder and Richard Seigenberg, first began their coffee roasting journey years ago by roasting beans on the back porch of their New Jersey home. In 2009, the duo opened their first roast house in Weehawken. After some time, the business moved to its current location at 308 Mount Pleasant Avenue in Newark under the name Red House Roasters. Now operating as a wholesale business, Red House Roasters distributes its high-quality beans to restaurants, cafes, and offices in Montclair, Hoboken, Jersey City, Asbury Park, and more. “Since inception, we’ve been focused on the product and making sure it’s exemplary. That, and supporting the community. Everything we can do to impact the community is what we’re about,” Stacey said. With a desire to contribute to the vibrant community of Essex County, Red House Roasters is a partner of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and the We Are All Music Foundation, and donates to the Montclair-based nonprofit Toni’s Kitchen.

Keep up with Richard and Stacey and their business on their website and Instagram, and read about Red House Roasters here.

Beverly Malbranche | Founder of Caribbrew

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Several years ago, entrepreneur and Newark resident Beverly Malbranche migrated from Haiti to attend college in the United States. Growing up in the Caribbean, she saw the hardships of her community at a young age, and after receiving a college degree in Business Administration, Beverly wanted to use what she learned to give back to the Caribbean community of Newark, New Jersey. “I always wanted to create something that not only celebrates high-quality coffee but also makes a meaningful social impact,” Beverly told The Montclair Girl. Enter Caribbrew, a coffee shop serving island-inspired brews and pastries, at 73-87 Clay Street. This spot opened as a flagship shop in November 2024. In the future, Beverly hopes to open more Caribbrew locations around Northern New Jersey.

Keep up with Beverly + Caribbrew on the business’s website and Instagram, and read about Caribbrew here.

See More: 10 Hoboken + Jersey City Locals to Watch in May 2025

Daniela Vitali | Founder of The Acorns Project™ + Chief Acorns Officer

Photo Credit: Daniela Vitali

Throughout many cultures, the acorn is a sign of hope, prosperity, growth, strength, and new beginnings. Inspired by a symbolic dream of acorns falling on her, Glen Ridge resident Daniela Vitali founded The Acorns Project™, a collection of hand-painted acorns designed to reflect their rich symbolism. “I created The Acorns Project™ to bring inspiration, hope, and love to those who receive our products; no matter what age or what you are experiencing in your life,” Daniela shared with The Montclair Girl. On Daniela’s website, locals can shop the Mystique Boxes, which come with a randomized set of hand-painted acorns in an engraved wood box, as well as a kid-friendly kit that provides all the tools to create three hand-painted wooden acorns. In 2025, the company also plans to launch The Acorns Project™ x  Artist Collaborations, a line featuring limited-edition acorns painted by local artists in their style. In the future, Daniela plans to open a brick-and-mortar studio + store and collaborate with local charities and organizations that align with the messaging of The Acorns Project™.

Daniela’s Local Favorites: Giotto’s Cafe, Boschetto, Le French Dad, BelGiovane’s, The Pie Store, GiftBar, + Salt Air(e)

Keep up with Daniela and The Acorns Project on its website, Instagram, and YouTube.