MONTCLAIR, NJ — Montclair’s lauded restaurant scene continues to evolve, with a beloved gelato shop recently announcing its upcoming exodus from the township – and others also making a recent exit.

Last week, Guerriero Gelato announced that it will be closing its flagship location at 571 Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair this October. The gelato shop currently has outposts in Montclair, Caldwell, West Orange, Teaneck and Morristown.

Its owners said they have sold the Montclair and Morristown locations. The locations in Caldwell and West Orange will remain open.

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Guerriero Gelato provided a statement on social media about the reasons for the closures – and plans for the future. It reads:

“It is with a heavy heart that we announce that come October, Guerriero Gelato in Montclair will be closing its doors. This is very emotional for us, coming up on 10 years being here. We signed the lease on our first apartment here and this was the first shop we built out ourselves. We survived a pandemic together, we fed the people together, we marched for injustice together, we cried together, we celebrated together, and most of all we made friendships that will last a lifetime.

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“Let me be clear, our Montclair shop is popular … last year we had a record year! However, traffic and sales have no chance of keeping up with taxes, rents, the cost of living, labor and food. We hope that we can all make progress against the ridiculous cost of living and goods, and an opportunity opens for us to return to town in the future under more manageable circumstances.

“For now, all we do is sulk as we say goodbye, mourn the end of an era, plan to close our doors, and pray you all continue to follow us and patronize us in Caldwell and West Orange. We are just a few miles down the road with dedicated parking, your favorite staff members have been or will be relocated there, and we’ll have even more of your favorite treats!

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“With the sale of Morristown and Montclair now official, our reorganization is done. We turn our attention to our remaining shops that have been made stronger by consolidating our team and operations.

“Now it’s time to turn our attention to celebration. 2024 marks 10 years Bree and I have been the owners of a shop we have worked in since we were kids. Heck, the day we took over, Bree was still a teenager, we literally grew up here and now our kids are too, and next year will mark my 20th year here. Stay tuned!”

OPENING AND CLOSING IN MONTCLAIR

Guerriero Gelato is the second Montclair eatery to announce it is closing its doors in a week. On Monday, Brick Lane Curry House announced it will be closing its Montclair restaurant, with a final day of service scheduled for July 21.

Montclair has also seen other restaurant closings over the past two years, some of which involved new businesses and others that involved neighborhood landmarks. Read More: Another Montclair Restaurant Bites The Dust (2024 Update)

Palato Caffe & Cucina at 377 Bloomfield Avenue announced it was closing in March, with its owners saying they plan to “take a pause and re-evaluate our future.”

Eleven South on South Fullerton Avenue announced that it served its last meal in December 2023 after spending less than a year in business despite earning a “Best New Restaurant” medal from the Best of Essex magazine.

The Essex Restaurant Group, which owns The Maddox at 193 Glenridge Avenue and Musuko at 183 Glenridge Avenue, recently announced their closing – less than a year after they opened. Read More: 2 Montclair Restaurants Close For Good On New Year’s Day

In November 2023, Matt Harvey of Harvey’s Handrolled Bagels at 98 Walnut Street announced that he was taking a break from the bagel business. Read More: Montclair Restaurant Owner Is Taking A Hiatus From The Bagel Business

In October, Coffee & Cornbread in Montclair announced that it will be moving to another Essex County town and relaunching with a “takeout and delivery-only model” after a scam sabotaged its renovation plans. Read More: Montclair Restaurant Will Move To Belleville After Scam Drains Funds

In September, Daikichi at 608 Valley Road closed its doors after more than three decades of feeding the Montclair community. Read More: Sushi Restaurant In Montclair Is Closing After 35 Years In Business

And last July, the owners of Ruthie’s BBQ and Pizza announced that they were closing their restaurant at the corner of Chestnut and Forest streets after 16 years. Read More: BBQ Restaurant In Montclair Is Closing Its Doors After 16 Years

It’s also worth noting that Montclair has also seen its fair share of new restaurants opening in the past few years (catch up with just a few of them in the below articles):

The restaurant business is a notoriously difficult industry to succeed in, although some experts say the failure rate has been greatly exaggerated in many circles.

The National Restaurant Association estimates that there is a 30 percent failure rate in the U.S. restaurant industry, a figure that other experts say hits smaller businesses much harder than large ones.

According to the association, 98 percent of operators say higher labor costs are an issue for their restaurant, 97 percent cite higher food costs, and 38 percent say their restaurants were not profitable last year.

However, the restaurant and food service industries continue to expand nationwide, the group recently forecasted in their latest “State of the Restaurant Industry” report. The industry’s workforce is projected to grow by 200,000 jobs, for a total employment of 15.7 million and a prediction of $1 trillion in sales by the end of 2024.

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