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Makeup mogul Bobbi Brown doesn’t do the expected. The day after she left her eponymous cosmetics brand in late 2016, she was on to her next project: opening a boutique hotel. The property (debuting this March) is located not, as you might think, on a cobblestoned street corner in downtown Manhattan. Instead, it’s just under an hour away in the quaint town of Montclair, New Jersey.
“After one visit to Montclair, my husband and I were hooked. We moved there the day we got back from our honeymoon,” says Brown. Soon after, her Montclair ties were cemented: “We got a dog, started a makeup brand, and had three babies.” It was the perfect location for the self-proclaimed serial entrepreneur to begin her next venture, the George Inn.
The redbrick Georgian estate now known as the George Inn was originally a private home built in 1902. It was later converted into a hotel in the ’40s and most recently underwent an extensive renovation, guided by Brown and her husband, Steven Plofker—their tastes informed from years of traveling and antiquing. In furnishing the 32-room property, Brown explains, “We sourced pieces during our travels, and other items were actually brought in from our personal collection.” Brown also infused a heady dose of Montclair (a town she describes “as the Brooklyn of New Jersey”) into the hotel. “I brought in elements from my favorite Montclair salons, gym, and restaurants. Even my favorite wine store will be part of the hotel!”
In anticipation of the hotel’s opening, Brown shares some of her favorite local spots to be enjoyed by hotel guests and day-trippers alike.
A local fitness favorite, Architect Studios offers a range of workout classes like Spin, TRX, and circuit training out of a smart, exposed-brick studio. “I love their HIIT class and their amazing personal trainers,” Brown says.
For Brown, “the best sushi this side of Tokyo” can be found at Japanese boîte Dai-Kichi.
Local creatives such as Evelyn McGee sit on the board of the town’s annual film festival. “This has become a defining event for Montclair,” says Brown. “It merges the town’s love for film and giving back.”
Founded by a New York City stylist, this women’s boutique is beloved for its au courant assortment. Shop labels like T by Alexander Wang, A.P.C., Ulla Johnson, Rachel Comey, and Clare V. in a sunny space that resembles an artist’s loft.
A gastropub serving casual fare out of a well-appointment dining room furnished with bentwood chairs and marble-top café tables, Brown says, “They can simplify and customize any dish on the menu, and it’s a great scene at the bar.”
Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center
Located on the campus of Montclair State University, Brown and her husband are founding members. “It’s an amazing place with so much history and such great children’s programs. Yogi was one of my favorite people,” she says. The museum serves to commemorate the local baseball legend with a permanent collection and rotating exhibitions.
Eric Salon
Beauty tips are to be taken seriously when the source is Bobbi Brown. She refers to this New Jersey–based salon as, “the best color, cut, and blowouts in town.”