Millennials, it’s time to move over and let Gen Z claim their power on the Montclair and Essex County scene. Bringing fresh ideas, tasty food, and a deep commitment to social impact to the table, these business owners are all born between 1997 and 2012 and thus part of the Gen Z cohort. Read on for more about a few local Gen Z business owners and entrepreneurs in the Montclair and Essex County area.
Anacia Sessoms — Enchantment Of Gardens
Photo Credit: Enchantment Of Gardens
Anacia Sessoms is a Native American and Black woman who hails from Montclair. She is a fashion designer and founder of Enchantment Of Gardens, which she launched in November 2021 as a way to combat the waste of the fashion industry. Through upcycling textiles and incorporating mixed media, Anacia creates wearable one-of-a-kind luxury fashion artworks for women of color and for women of all sizes that are not just inclusive, but also sustainable. She has partook in Newark Fashion Week and the New York Fashion Week. In May 2025, she will complete her BFA in Visual Performing Arts from Montclair State University.
Read More: LGBTQ+-Owned Businesses to Support in Essex County
Efi Mihalis — Efi’s Gyro
Photo Credit: Efi’s Gyro
In June 2021 at 18 years old, Efi Mihalis opened a restaurant on the corner of Bloomfield Avenue and Park Street. This Montclair food spot has since changed its name to Efi’s Gyro to highlight its founder. Located at 521 Bloomfield Avenue, this is a casual and cozy space with outdoor seating and an expansive menu. The Mihalises immigrated from Greece and have called Montclair home for a long time, which allows Efi to share her Greek roots with the community. The menu includes Efi’s grandmother’s secret tzatziki recipe, meat and plant-based gyros, souvlaki, rice bowls, Greek salad, onion rings, zucchini sticks, baklava, and fried feta sticks. A second location will soon open at 171 River Drive in Jersey City.
Hailey Vincelette — Threads by HaileyV
Photo Credit: Hailey Vincelette
Since 2021, Hailey Vincelette has been selling handmade bracelets. She is a graduate of West Essex Regional High School and has roots in both Verona and Roseland. Her bracelets are made using plastic beads, clay beads, thread, and more. Hailey also sells necklaces and rings. With over 3,000 sales, you can shop her collection on Etsy.
Sienna Sage — Flourish by Sage
Photo Credit: Flourish by Sage
The visionary behind Flourish by Sage is Sienna Sage. Originally from East Orange, Sienna brings a vibrant mix of Guyanese and Australian heritage to the hair care scene. She understands the textured hair journey and birthed her brand as a response to the needs of the textured hair community. Flourish by Sage’s 3-in-1 LOC method product lineup is specially designed for various hair types and goals while still being clean and convenient.
See More: Gen Z Business Owners + Entrepreneurs in Hoboken + Jersey City
Ryan Kundan — Everything Nice with Spice
Photo Credit: Everything Nice with Spice
In June of this year, East Orange’s 17-year-old Ryan Kundan opened his first restaurant, Everything Nice with Spice. Located at 13 North Harrison Street in East Orange, this spot serves Caribbean cuisine. Ryan, a junior at Newark School of Fashion and Design, opened the space with his mother, Shavana Kundan. Hailing from Guyana, Shavana felt that the Guyanese food scene was absent from her area and it needed to be represented. The menu is infused with flavors of Guyana and features cassava balls, duck curry, jerk chicken sandwiches, dhall puri, fried channa, and so much more. Ryan, along with 27 other teenagers, participated in the “Boss Up” program at Essex County Community College. This ten-week course taught the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and provided the students with a $500 stipend to develop and launch their own businesses. Ryan found that the stipend was not the most valuable take away from the course, but rather the skills he developed.
