After a whirlwind Soft Opening week that far surpassed my expectations, today, Tuesday September 26th is our official Grand Opening!
The night before our soft opening, I compiled a series of panoramic photos that I took throughout the build-out. It was an emotional moment to see that all of the frustrations and roadblocks that we encountered over the last months were well worth it. The ambiance at Vanillamore is everything that I always dreamed it would be. The view into our kitchen is exactly what I always pictured in my head. Our retail shelves and pastry case blow me away.
Not only are we a fully operational restaurant, we have so much more to offer to the Montclair community. Everyone that I’ve met so far around town and those who have come into Vanillamore this week have been unbelievably gracious, warm, and welcoming.
On the first night of our Soft Opening, my emotions got the best of me, so I would like to reiterate all of my thank yous:
– My husband, for his incredible patience, support and love. He also has some pretty good carpentry skills and was able to build anything and everything I asked for. Thank you, I love you! You’re welcome for giving you an opportunity to buy all of the power tools you ever wanted.
– My parents, for their endless support in every single way. None of this would be possible without your help. You’ve been by my side in every meeting, with every decision, and during many late nights finalizing all of the details.
– My sister & brother-in-law, for always checking in to see how things were going, for loving unique restaurant concepts as much as I do, and for making the trek our to Montclair for opening night with my sweet 5 week old niece.
– Our manager Jason, who has been working with me at Vanillamore since before construction began. Thank you for your hard work, dedication, and passion for our restaurant. You’ve been a great partner and friend, and your impact on Vanillamore is greatly appreciated.
– Our social media manager & content creator Lauren for her talent, passion and vibrant personality. You have been a joy to work with, and you’ve brought the Vanillamore brand to life through your photos & videos. How crazy is it to see everything up on the video wall?
– All of our consultants, contractors, PR firm, and vendors along the way, many of whom have already been into Vanillamore. Thank you for your guidance & support along the way!
– Last, but not least, a thank you to our entire staff for their hard work over the last couple of weeks. Our delicious savory menu has been fine tuned by our sous chef Steven, our back-of-house staff has been doing a great job executing our recipes and menus, and our front-of-house staff have been providing warm and welcoming hospitality and service.
I can’t wait to continue to share Vanillamore with all of you.
