While New Jersey locals took advantage of the much-needed downtime during this recent holiday break, all kinds of noteworthy news stories unfolded. The Montclair Girl has got it covered with a list of the news in the area that took place during the break, from one of Essex County’s beloved film festivals returning this year to the approval of an ordinance that reduces the use of single-use plastic products. Read on for six must-read news stories that you missed in the Montclair + Essex County area.
19th Annual West Orange Classic Film Festival Returns for 2025
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The annual West Orange Classic Film Festival, a cherished community event in the Essex County area, will return for its 19th year on January 12th. This festival, which runs every Sunday until March 2nd, will feature all kinds of 20th-century cult classics, including Family Plot, Clue, Purple Noon, Desperately Seeking Susan, and more. For $15 a ticket, locals can see these films at AMC DINE-IN Essex Green 9, located at 495 Prospect Avenue in West Orange. See the full list of films, schedule, and show times here.
Read More: New Businesses Coming to Montclair + Essex County in 2025
Inner City Cafe in Orange Gaining Attention on Social Media
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Inner City Cafe, located at 15 South Essex Avenue in the City of Orange, has gone viral on Instagram for its colorful interior. Guests can stop into this cozy spot and find paint-splattered walls, interesting art, and florals galore. Inner City Cafe also serves a menu of coffee, sandwiches, pastries, and more, as well as books, mugs, hoodies, and other merchandise. Stay tuned to MG for more on this spot in the coming weeks.
Ironbound Farm Market Opening in Lackawanna Plaza
This spring, Montclair will welcome a new farmer’s market to Lackawanna Plaza: Ironbound Farm Market. According to a video released by NorthJersey.com, the market will operate 365 days a year and bring “regionally grown food directly to the residents of Montclair.” This includes produce, meats, and premade meals. The official opening date is still unknown, but this post will be updated with any further details regarding Ironbound Farm Market’s future arrival in Montclair.
Montclair’s “Skip the Stuff” Ordinance to Take Effect on 3/1
Montclair is going green with the approval of “Skip the Stuff,” an ordinance that prohibits the administration of single-use products like plastic utensils, napkins, straws, and mini sauce packets from restaurant take-out and delivery orders unless specifically requested. This ordinance, which has been adopted by towns and cities across the country, was unanimously voted in favor by the Montclair Township Council on December 17th and will be in full effect on March 1st, 2025.
Target is Coming to West Orange
Essex County locals will have a new go-to shopping center this coming fall. According to Patch West Orange, Target is coming to West Orange at 235 Prospect Avenue. While an official opening date has yet to be announced, it is known that the developers have already started the renovations on the 23-acre property.
New Coffee Shop, Qahwah House, Coming to Montclair
A Yemeni-style coffee spot, Qahwah House, has plans to open on the first floor of 493 Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair sometime this year. With another location in Clifton, this spot will be the business’s second New Jersey location. While an official opening date is still unknown, Montclairians can expect a menu of Middle Eastern coffee, tea, and pastries, including Qahwah House’s signature Sana’ani Coffee, a medium roast coffee made with cardamom, and Khaliat Alnahl, a roll filled with butter and cheese and topped with drizzled honey.
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New French-Asian Bakery Opens in Former Lululemon Space in Montclair
Bloomfield Avenue and the surrounding streets are home to all kinds of foodie shops, from restaurants to delis to coffee shops to bakeries. 520 Bloomfield Avenue has remained vacant since October 2023, when Lululemon closed its doors to move to Willowbrook Mall. Signage spotted in the space in December 2024 by The Montclair Girl revealed that Tous les Jours — a French-Asian bakery originating in South Korea — was coming to the former athletic clothing store. Now, as of late-December, Tous les Jours is open in MTC. Read on for what we know about Tous les Jours in Montclair, New Jersey.
The Details
Tous les Jours, a French-Asian bakery, first opened its doors in Guri, South Korea in 1997. In 2004, after opening sites around the world, the franchise brought its innovative pastries to the United States. Since then, the business has opened more than 110 locations across the country, with 10 in New Jersey.
According to signage spotted at 520 Bloomfield Avenue in December 2024, the former Lululemon in Montclair was getting ready to welcome Tous les Jours' newest location. Per an Instagram post, the business was planning for an official grand opening this December and was hiring for various positions.
Read More: Signage Spotted for Mashed Burgers on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair
Now, we know that Tous les Jours has officially made its debut in Montclair as of December 27th, 2024.
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Tous les Jours means "every day" in French, and the bakery, which specializes in desserts, fun beverages, and coffee, makes its products fresh each day, per its website. Montclair locals can expect an expansive menu of baked goods, which includes cakes, savory and sweet breads, doughnuts, and more. The menu also features a combination of French and Asian pastries, like the Pain au Chocolat, a bread roll filled with chocolate, and the Honey Cheese Mochi Pancake, which is a flattened pancake stuffed with a honey and cheddar cheese mochi filling.
In addition, the bakery serves sandwiches, coffee, tea, and blended frozen drinks, like smoothies, in mango or strawberry, and frappes in the flavors matcha, mocha, and caramel. For customers who prefer to brew their coffee at home, Tous les Jours also sells its brand of coffee beans.
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The MG team has reached out to Tous les Jours and this post will be updated with any further comments.
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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.
