The holidays are upon us, which means we’re looking at the local retail landscape with a determined eye. We recently stumbled upon the new Mister Menswear store, located at 12 North Willow Street in Montclair. Natalie Haddad, the owner, also owns Monty, an innovative women’s store right around the corner from Mister. Read on to learn more about Natalie and her journey to opening her second Montclair store, Mister.
All About Mister, Monty + The Woman Behind Them Both
Natalie Haddad, who moved to Montclair nine years ago, has always been involved in the fashion industry. She studied apparel design in Seattle and has worked with designers such as Libertine, Tracy Feith, Trina Turk, and, most recently, Jonathan Adler. Five years ago, she left her job in New York City and opened Monty, also located at 12 North Willow Street, a clothing store that reflects what she wanted to see in women’s wear.
Read More: A List of Must-Shop Boutiques in Montclair
Monty has made a name in Montclair, and Natalie has cultivated lasting relationships with her clients and their partners. Many of Natalie’s patrons were requesting men’s wear, but she couldn’t figure out how to incorporate it into Monty’s space without it feeling overcrowded and an afterthought. The planets aligned when Natalie discovered a space available in the same building directly around the corner from Monty. She knew the time was right to open Mister, her men’s clothing store.
As a Montclair local, Natalie and her shops have become an integral part of the Montclair community and small business scene. Some of her favorite businesses and restaurants in the area are Vesta at 598 Valley Road, Grayford’s Since 1931 Antique Shop at 427 Bloomfield Avenue, Boschetto at 111 Grove Street, and Gioia Mia at 331 Bloomfield Avenue.
The Story Behind The Names Monty + Mister
When Natalie decided to leave New York City to live in Montclair, her friends affectionately nicknamed her Monty, short for Montclair. The name Monty spoke to her upon opening her store because it is a personal, sentimental reflection of her move to the town and her dream of opening her boutique. When choosing a name for her new men’s wear store, Natalie wanted it to begin with an M to be synonymous with Monty. The name also had to embody everyone looking for captivating clothing that is exciting and wearable yet practical and versatile. Mister embraces all of this.
See More: 10 Hoboken + Jersey City Creators You Can Shop From Online
Mister is open to those who want to browse, find a gift, completely transform their look, or treat themselves to something new. Designers to look for in Mister include Hansen Garments, De Bonne Facture, Toast, and Homecore.
The store is closed on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday and open from 12PM to 5PM Wednesday through Saturday. Keep up with Mister on Instagram here.
To stay up to date on the latest Montclair + Northern New Jersey news, follow @themontclairgirl on Instagram and TikTok, and sign up for our newsletter that shares the top stories in your inbox here.
Qahwah House: A Yemeni-Style Coffee Spot Opening in Montclair in 2025
2025 is just weeks away and coming with it is an abundance of new businesses to the Montclair area, including a Yemeni coffee shop, Qahwah House. Coffee lovers can be excited to know that this new spot, which will be located on the first floor of 493 Bloomfield Avenue, will serve all kinds of Middle Eastern-style brews, teas, and pastries. Read on for what we know about Qahwah House coming to Montclair, New Jersey in 2025.
The Details
Qahwah House, a Yemeni-style coffee spot with locations around the country, has put up signage at 493 Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair. The Montclair location will be the franchise's second location in New Jersey, with the Clifton location being its first. While an exact opening date is unknown as of this writing, locals can expect the shop to open sometime in the new year. The Montclair Girl team has reached out to the business and this piece will be updated with any further information.
Read More: New French-Asian Bakery Taking Over Former Lululemon Space in Montclair
About Qahwah House
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This Middle Eastern coffee shop was founded in 2017 by Ibrahim Alhasbani, whose family has been in the coffee farming business for eight generations. His goal in opening this business was to "provide the highest quality coffee and to bridge communities by sharing [his] own Yemeni culture," according to Qahwah House's website.
The menu of this new spot will consist of everyone's favorite trio: coffee, tea, and pastries. Montclarians can look forward to signature creations like Sana'ani Coffee, a medium roast coffee made with cardamom, a Middle Eastern spice, and Adeni Chai, a Yemeni black tea mixed with cardamom, nutmeg, and milk. For those who like their coffee brewed at home, Qahwah House will also provide retail coffee bags for purchase. To pair with a caffeinated drink, patrons will also find authentic baked goods on the menu, like the Khaliat Alnahl, a butter and cheese-filled roll topped with drizzled honey.
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Although the menu is rooted in Yemeni cuisine, it will include beverages and desserts from other cultures around the world, such as the Affogato, which is an Italian dessert made with gelato, milk, and hot espresso, as well as other fun treats like a pistachio-flavored cake, chocolate raspberry cake, and refreshers in the flavors lemonade, strawberry, mango, and dragonfruit.
See More: New Businesses Opening in Hoboken + Jersey City in 2025
To stay up to date on the latest Montclair + Northern New Jersey news, follow @themontclairgirl on Instagram and TikTok, sign up for our newsletter that shares the top stories in your inbox here, and check out our events calendar.
