eMAZZANTI TECHNOLOGIES
701 Grand St.
(201) 360-4400
emazzanti.net
This computer network service has been growing strong since 2001. Owned by the husband-and-wife team of Carl and Jennifer Mazzanti, it has about 400 clients and a staff of 19 that’s growing by the month. The company offers security, design, thousands of products, and monthly Incare Support, as well as acting as the IT department for smaller clients.
“We knew Hoboken was right strategically,” Jennifer says. “The largest city in the world is across the river, and we could also spread out into New Jersey.”
They are already outgrowing their 2,000-square-foot space but insist that they “won’t look outside of Hoboken, where we have built a life.” They live at Maxwell Place and have two boys, ages 4 and 2.
Carl’s favorite eatery was Schnackenberg’s, which is currently closed for renovations. Carl has nicknamed it “Schnacky’s.” The couple likes to work at the Malibu Diner. “We go at night when we have a big project,” Jennifer says. “We put a ton of paperwork on the table and stay late.” Another “local haunt” is Elysian Café.
“We are huge proponents of shopping local,” Jennifer says. “I shop the boutiques on Washington instead of ordering on the Internet. It’s like us versus Best Buy—the same issue.”
Garden Street School of Performing Arts
1018 Washington St.
(201) 683-9100
info@gardenstreetmusic.com
gardenstreetmusic.com
Founder Annie McLoughlin started with about 20 students seven years ago when the school really was on Garden Street. Now it has more than 500 students in its larger digs on Washington. Classes include piano, guitar, violin, bass, woodwinds, brass—basically any instrument—as well as composition. A huge dance department for two-year-olds to adults includes ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, Irish step, Zumba, yoga, and fitness classes.
Musical theater is also a big draw. “We work with Broadway directors and actors,” McLoughlin says. “Everyone on my staff has worked on Broadway or has Masters or Doctorates. They worked in Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, they’re from the Royal Ballet or the Rockettes. It’s a high caliber of professionals.”
As for her own background, she says, “I’ve pretty much done it all in the performing arts—professional dancer, musical theater, acting, and singer/songwriter.”
When McLoughlin and her husband decided to “settle down and have a family,” they chose Hoboken. “It has a small-town mentality,” McLoughlin says. “It’s a community, you know your neighbors, but there’s a great city right across the river. There’s tons of work for us.” They have two boys, ages 5 and a half and 22 months.
“We want to raise our kids here,” she says. “We have no need to move to the suburbs.”
Interior Motif
629 Washington St.
(201) 418-9860
interiormotif.com
Stephan Elbaz, owner of Interior Motif, would like to start with a clarification: “We are not an interior design firm. We work with designers. We are a custom decorating source.”
Got it.
Elbaz, who has been in the trade for 21 years, has owned Interior Motif in Hoboken for 18. The company started out dealing mainly in shades and other window treatments, but has recently branched out into “full closet solutions and interior painting.”
“We have a large client base in Hoboken, along the waterfront from Jersey City, all the way up, in Manhattan, and Central Jersey,” Elbaz says. “We’re opening satellite locations in Hoboken, Jersey City, and the Paramus area.”
When it comes to window treatments, “soft” refers to curtains and drapes, and “hard” refers to shades. “The trend over the last few years has been for hard window treatments, versus curtains and drapes,” Elbaz says. “Shades have come a long way. You can get them manual, motorized, or special child-safety.”
Interior Motif has certified installers on staff, a trade-in allowance for old window shades, in-home consultation, and a program that allows clients to replace shades if they are not satisfied with their original purchase.
Though Interior Motif offers a number of manufacturers of window treatments, it is the exclusive Hunter Douglas Gallery dealer in Hudson County.
Elbaz had originally tried locations in Englewood and North Bergen, but he settled on Hoboken. “I saw where the trend was going, and Hoboken was the right place for me,” Elbaz says. “I instantly knew it was the right niche for the vibe and energy of the clientele.”
What he was seeing was “clean, contemporary lines, minimalist, very cutting edge.”
Incorporating windows, closets, and painting, Interior Motif can organize an entire living space.
“What I love about the job,” Elbaz says, “is that every project is different, every window is different, and every client is different.”
Starr Psychotherapy
306 Washington St., Ste. 202
(201) 706-8436
starrpsych.com
This psychotherapy practice gives new meaning to the phrase, “You are what you eat.” Therapist Talia Filipelli started in 2011 with traditional treatments for depression, anxiety, anger, and trauma.
“It evolved into considering mood food,” she says. She added Certified Nutrition Coach to her list of credentials. “I work with people with both types of goals,” she says, “mental health and healthy living.”
They’re connected. “If you don’t eat properly, you become depressed,” she says. “The food you put in your body affects your moods and how you feel at home or on the job, wherever you are.”
Food is our friend. “My whole life, I’ve loved food,” Filippelli says. “I come from a big Italian family, and I grew up eating very healthy food. I’ve noticed so many people have self-esteem issues and issues with body image and weight. What you put in your body can contribute to anxiety, low self-esteem, or depression.”
Most of her clients are from Hoboken, Jersey City, and North Bergen. “The biggest thing is people not eating fruits and vegetables,” she says. “I take clients on supermarket tours and introduce them to vegetables.” She also gives them easy vegetable recipes.
And last, “to bring it full circle,” she says, “I also became a Certified Personal Trainer. “I’ve been an athlete my whole life.”—07030