An oasis can be a sight for sore eyes for anyone walking in a desert. In Montclair, however, it proves to be one of the most reliably hidden fashion staples in town. Oasis, located at 40 Church Street, has been a go-to spot for the trendiest pieces of clothing and jewelry for over 30 years. Read on for more about Oasis, a boutique in Montclair, New Jersey — as well as more about the spot’s options for the upcoming fall season.
About Oasis
Fashion-lover Rafi Rachman founded the store in 1981 and moved from Soho to Englewood, then Ridgewood, and finally, Montclair. He moved Oasis to its current location in February 2007 and has not regretted it since. “This street always has traffic throughout the day, and there are people of all ages, races, and cultures coming into our store,” he said.
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The store is always categorized by color and season; crop tops and bralettes are laid out on the table right when you walk in, black-and-white clothing is hung toward the left, and last-season pieces are to the right. The newest tops, pants, matching sets, and jackets are featured in the middle of the store so they cannot be missed, and browns and greens prove to be the most popular colors for the fall from the store’s current inventory. Toward the back of the store, maxi dresses in the latest and next seasons are featured in an array of colors to the right while jeans and select jewelry pieces are displayed to the left. Behind the checkout counter and up the staircase is the sale section where random tops, skirts, and outerwear can be found at even more discounted prices.
The Oasis Experience
Oasis stands on the principle of making the regular shopping experience an even more enjoyable, and affordable, one. While department stores and online shopping are the majority favorites in today’s world, Rafi prides himself on the fact that his store is “Mom-and-Pop”-like where the experience relies on the needs of its customers and motivates him to always stay on top of the latest fashion trends. He handpicks every contemporary piece in the store from showrooms he visits in California and New York City including indie brands like Emory Park and Mustard Seed, and he is always making sure it is as affordable as possible for all customers.
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Rafi believes treating every customer with kindness and “delivering service with a smile” is crucial to maintaining the success of his business. Dorit, his wife, is an essential part of this as she is the manager of the store and helps customers one-on-one when they try on pieces in the dressing rooms. Liz, one of the store’s employees, has been working there for a year and a half and loves her job. “My favorite part might be unboxing the new inventory every three weeks. It’s also fun to help pick things out for people,” she said. The store has an active social media presence via its Instagram where employees post their dressing room favorites. Whether you are looking for a “G.N.O.” outfit or a fun dressing room excursion with your besties on a hot September day, Oasis is the store that will definitely quench anyone’s thirst when the other go-to clothing store chains aren’t cutting it.
The store is open from 11AM-7PM Monday through Saturday and 11AM-6PM on Sundays.
