The Montclair Girl Team 
It may feel as if summer has just begun, but we’re approaching the end of July here in the Montclair area. It’s been another busy week in Essex County, and we’ve got all the Montclair news to keep you up to date. Among the highlights: the historic Bellevue Theatre is set to reopen in the fall, following Montclair Film’s announcement of its lease deal; Adam Sandler makes another stop in Montclair to dine at Paper Lantern; and QuickCheck in Montclair will close its doors on July 24th. Read on for all the news in Montclair and the surrounding Essex County towns for the week ending July 20th, 2025.
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Among the Headlines (read on for full stories):
- Historic Bellevue Theatre to Reopen in Fall 2025 After Montclair Film Inks Lease Deal
- NJ Coffee Shop, Roast’d Coffee, to Open 5th Location in Montclair
- New Jersey’s Ties to the 2025 Emmy Award Nominations
- Montclair Welcomes Pilatte, Its First Women-Only Pilates Studio
- NJIT Plans Full Restoration of Newark’s Historic Yellow Cab Building
- Adam Sandler Dines at Paper Lantern in Montclair
- Luxury Consignment Shop ‘The RealReal’ Opens First NJ Storefront in Summit
- QuickCheck in Montclair to Close on 7/24
- Montclair Dog’s First-Ever Event Happening at Pineapple Express Barbecue on 7/26
- Celebrity Chef Morimoto to Open New Montclair Restaurant on 7/31
Historic Bellevue Theatre to Reopen in Fall 2025 After Montclair Film
Inks Lease Deal
Photo Credit: Montclair Film
Montclair Film has signed a multi-year agreement to operate Montclair’s historic Bellevue Theatre, which has been closed since 2017. Located at 260 Bellevue Avenue, upgrades and operational capacity are scheduled for fall 2025, just in time for Montclair Film’s annual Film Festival, taking place October 17th to 26th this year. The team is expecting to be in full operation by early November. Click here for more.
NJ Coffee Shop, Roast’d Coffee, to Open 5th Location in Montclair
Photo Credit: @roastd_fortlee_jc
Roast’d Coffee, a Hasbrouck Heights-based coffee spot with other locations in Fort Lee, Jersey City, and Nanuet, New York, has announced its plans to open a fifth outpost in the MTC. Located at 49 Claremont Avenue, the cafe will serve specialty coffee beverages and pastries, as well as roast its beans on-site. An opening date has yet to be announced, but as of this writing, renovations of the space are underway. Click here for more.
New Jersey’s Ties to the 2025 Emmy Award Nominations
The nominations list for the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, taking place on September 14th at 8PM this year, has been announced. Whether it be through the actors, directors, composers, or producers, many Emmy-nominated projects have ties to New Jersey, including Abbot Elementary, The Bear, Black Mirror, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Last of Us, Martha, Mountainhead, Nonnas, Patrice: The Movie, The Penguin, Severance, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Hacks, andSuper/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. Click here for more.
Montclair Welcomes Pilatte, Its First Women-Only Pilates Studio
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Pilatte, Montclair’s first women-owned reformer + mat Pilates and fitness studio, officially opened its doors at 35 Belden Place. Along with pilates classes, the space features a self-serve mini coffee bar for all its guests to enjoy. Intending to create a safe space for women of all cultures, especially those who wear hijabs and wish to uncover, Pilatte has established itself as a women-only space. Click here for more.
NJIT Plans Full Restoration of Newark’s Historic Yellow Cab Building
Newark’s The Yellow Cab Building, a historic site now under the ownership of NJIT, marks the origin of the city’s taxi industry. Located at 19 Sussex Avenue, the property will undergo complete restoration in hopes of returning the building to its former glory. NJIT plans are to restore the building to its original state, as it looked when it was first established in 1909, according to Jersey Digs.
Adam Sandler Dines at Paper Lantern in Montclair
Photo Credit: Paper Lantern
Adam Sandler is currently calling Montclair home while his production company, Happy Madison Productions, films its newest Netflix Comedy, Roommates, starring Adam Sandler’s daughter, Sadie Sandler. A few weeks ago, the actor was spotted playing basketball at Rand Park, and this past week, he paid a visit to Montclair’s newest Sichuan + Chinese restaurant, Paper Lantern. After dining at the eatery, the Paper Lantern team was able to snap a selfie with the celebrity.
QuickCheck in Montclair to Close on 7/24
The QuickChek located at 146 Valley Road #1 will close its doors on July 24th, 2025. Jeff Sowa, the sales manager at Montclair Bikery, shared with Montclair Local that there are rumors of another convenience store taking its place.
Montclair Dog’s First-Ever Event Happening at Pineapple Express Barbecue
on 7/26
Montclair Dog, a new community group dedicated to celebrating the community, its pups, and local businesses, will host its first-ever event on July 26th at Pineapple Express Barbeque. Located at 1 Lackawanna Plaza, Montclair, “Dog Days of Summer” will feature summer vibes, frozen treats + cold drinks from the host restaurant, live pet portraits, and local vendors.
Celebrity Chef Morimoto to Open New Montclair Restaurant on 7/31
Photo credit: Jeffrey Elkashab, @nj_native_
MM by Morimoto, a new Montclair restaurant led by the Food Network’s Iron Chef, Chef Masaharu Morimoto, will open on July 31st, 2025, at 193 Glenridge Avenue, formerly the Maddox + Musuko space. This update comes over a year after the project was first announced in Montclair. Reservations went live on Resy on July 16th, 2025. Click here for more.
Play Cafe Milk + Mayhem Opening in Montclair This Fall
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Valley Road in Montclair will soon welcome a new play cafe for both adults and children called Milk + Mayhem this upcoming fall. Located at 147 Valley Road, the cafe will be a space where parents can unwind and enjoy a cup of coffee while kids play in an engaging and fun environment. Aiming to open this fall, construction is currently underway. Click here for more information.
Last Day of Montclair Flea’s Vintage Vibes Crawl is Today
Montclair Flea’s town-wide vintage shopping event kicked off on July 19th and ends today, July 20th. Vintage Vibes showcases retro clothing, antique furniture, vinyl records, and more from shops such as Gallery 427, Free + Wild Thrift, and Connie’s Vintage Trunk. Maps can be found at Lackawanna Plaza, located at 1 Lackawanna Plaza, starting at 11AM. Participants who complete their maps by the end of the weekend will receive a prize. Click here for more.
Luxury Consignment Shop The RealReal Opens First New Jersey Storefront
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The RealReal, the world’s largest online designer resale platform with brick-and-mortar consignment shops located across the U.S., is now open at 20 Beechwood Road, Summit. The Summit locale marks the brand’s 16th storefront and first Garden State outpost, according to Jersey Digs.
Owner of Walnut Street Kitchen to Open New Beverage Bar in Nutley
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Bev Lascina, the chef + owner behind Walnut Street Kitchen and Walnut Street Bagel, has announced plans to open a new beverage bar called Bevs at 94 Bloomfield Avenue, Nutley. The new spot, aiming to open in late August or early September of this year, will take the place of Bev’s former bar, called COVID-94. Click here for more.
Local Nonprofit to Stage Matilda The Musical to Support Bloomfield Child Battling Cancer
Each year, the Charles Seller Foundation produces and performs a summer musical to benefit a resident struggling with medical bills. This year, the non-profit will present multiple performances of Matilda The Musical to raise funds for Matteo Campoverde. Also known as “Mighty Matteo,” Matteo is a 9-year-old from Bloomfield currently battling B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Plays will be shown at Bloomfield High School on July 31st, August 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th, and 9th at 7:30PM. Matinee showings take place on August 2nd and 9th at 2PM.
The Hudson Rose in Nutley to Close 7/26 + Reopen Under New Concept
This Summer
The Hudson Rose, a Nutley restaurant known for its American cuisine and crafted cocktails, will close its doors at 238 Franklin Avenue on July 26th, 2025, with plans to reopen later this summer under a new concept. “Chef Andrew Riccatelli and General Manager Eric Bender have been working behind the scenes on fresh ideas for months, and they’re thrilled to unveil [them] soon,” GAC Hospitality, the restaurant management company behind the Nutley eatery, shared with The Montclair Girl. Click here for more.
Eviction Notice Posted at Newark’s HashStoria, a Dispensary Owned by
Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon
HashStoria, a Newark cannabis dispensary owned by Wu-Tang Clan rapper Raekwon, is facing closure after an eviction notice was spotted on the front door of the 799 Broad Street storefront. According to Jersey Digs, the business, which first opened in November 2024, has accumulated $500,000 in unpaid rent, late fees, and other contractual debts over the past two years.
Essex-Hudson Greenway Project Breaks Ground on Newark Section
On Tuesday, July 15th, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the first mile of the Essex-Hudson Greenway Project, a multi-million-dollar state-run initiative aiming to transform NJ Transit’s former Boonton Line into an almost nine-mile linear state park stretching from Montclair to Jersey City. With this phase of construction totaling $69.2 million, the Newark segment marks the single largest investment in state history for the acquisition and development of a new state park. This section, expected to open by the end of 2026, will allow walkers, joggers, and cyclists to travel from Branch Brook Park Drive to Broadway on an ADA-accessible trail. Click here for more.
East Orange Farmers’ Market Returns for 2025
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The 2025 season of the East Orange Farmers’ Market kicked off on Tuesday, July 15th, at the East Orange Train Station, located at 65 City Hall Plaza. Until September 30th, the market will take place every Tuesday from 1PM to 7PM, featuring local vendors, live entertainment, food and drink options, and more.
CBS Announces Cancelation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
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CBS has canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, effective May 2026. According to CBS News, this was “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late-night” and is “not related in any way to the show’s performance, content, or other matters happening at [CBS’s parent company] Paramount.” The show’s host, a Montclair resident, shared the announcement with his audience during the taping of the July 17th episode.
Montclair Shelter Reopens Adoption Room After Respiratory
Illness Sickens 27 Cats
Montclair Animal Shelter temporarily closed its cat adoption area on July 3rd, after 27 out of its 60 cats became sick with a respiratory illness. According to a Facebook post made by the animal shelter, each cat is recovering gradually. The main adoption room was reopened on July 17th.
Montclair History Center Awarded $5k to Build Black Heritage Trail Marker at Historic Crane House
The Montclair History Center has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the New Jersey Historic Trust’s Discover NJ History License Plate Fund to create and install a Black Heritage Trail marker at the Crane House + Historic YWCA Museum. The marker will honor Montclair’s Black YWCA, “served as a vital haven for Black women and girls from 1920 to 1965, providing opportunities for leadership, education, personal growth, recreation, and housing at a time during segregation and discrimination in Montclair,” according to a statement. Following the installation, the center plans to host a community event and unveiling at the museum.
Montclair Public Library Serves Free Lunches to Children This Summer
The Montclair Public Library’s Free Summer Lunch program has returned for 2025. From Monday to Friday, until August 22nd, the library, in partnership with local non-profit Toni’s Kitchen, will serve free lunches to kids 17 and under from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at 50 South Fullerton Avenue. After that time, any remaining meals will be made available to all visitors, no matter their age, until the library closes for the day.
Donations Needed to Reopen Clary Anderson Arena This Fall
The Clary Anderson Arena Association is seeking donations to help reopen the arena at 41 Chestnut Street, Montclair, this coming fall. The organization has set a goal to raise a minimum of $350,000. The funds will go toward buying necessary arena equipment and essential repairs to the ice plant. “Without the community’s contribution, Clary Anderson will not reopen,” the organization has stated.
Montclair State University Announces Tuition Increase for 2025-2026 Year
Montclair State University will increase tuition by $471 this upcoming school year, meaning that in-state, full-time undergraduate students will pay $16,854 per year. To “maintain its longstanding commitment to affordability,” according to a statement, the university will grant more than $42 million in institutional aid to students, the highest amount ever given thus far.
Montclair + Essex County Summer Bucket List: 50 Must-Try
Activities for 2025
The Montclair Girl has created a free and downloadable summer bucket list of activities featuring 50 local things to do, including outdoor adventures, foodie spots, must-attend festivals, and more. Readers can expect to find ideas like walking the South Mountain Reservation Fairy Trail, paddleboarding at Verona Park, and more. Download our guide to a local Montclair + Essex County summer here.
106-Year-Old Tree at Bloomfield High School to Be Cut Down 8/7
“Big Red,” a purple beech tree located on the corner of Bloomfield High School, will be removed from the property on August 7th, 2025, after standing for 106 years as a beloved part of the town’s landscape. As per TapInto, the tree, first planted in 1919, is being cut down due to safety concerns.
High Temperatures Lead to Code Red in Newark
From July 15th to July 17th, Newark experienced temperatures in the 90s and a heat index as high as 104°F. A Code Red alert, a health warning issued in advance of extreme heat and humidity, and a heat index of 100ºF or more, was issued that week. Residents were advised to take precautions to prevent heat-induced illnesses.
