At the end of a storm comes a rainbow, and for these new businesses, whose grand openings were derailed during the pandemic, the rainbow has arrived. The Garden State gradually welcomes a new boutique hotel, a fine dining restaurant, and a chic, new salon this summer

by Jessica Jones-Gorman

BACK TO HER ROOTS
After ten years working in the hair industry, Brianne Wickline took a chance and opened a shop in her hometown of Red Bank this past January. Eight weeks after she hosted the grand opening of Feather & Line Hair Studio, the global pandemic forced her nonessential business to close. But the young stylist persevered, offering at-home styling advice on her social media accounts and keeping clients abreast of her salon’s reopening. Wickline is now back in her studio, utilizing the industry’s most current balayage, blonding, and precision cutting techniques. Located at 23 Mechanic Street, the shop specializes in dimensional color and precision cutting. For a full list of services, visit featherandlinehairstudio.com

A BOUTIQUE HOTEL REOPENS IN WARREN
Located on Liberty Corner Road in the historic township of Warren, the Somerset Hills Hotel recently received a makeover and will be reintroduced as part of Hilton’s Tapestry Collection this summer. Surrounded by rolling hills and lush forestry, the boutique hotel is situated off Route 78, 35 minutes from Newark Liberty International Airport. Neighboring Basking Ridge offers guest amenities like fishing, golf, and hiking in Lord Stirling Park. Guest rooms were recently updated to feature a contemporary design and TAP, a gastropub led by an award-winning chef, was added to the hotel’s lobby area. Serving American cuisine, the restaurant offers 20 different microbrews and a range of hand-crafted cocktails. A spacious outdoor veranda overlooks grand oak trees and lush gardens. For more information or to book a room, visit tapestrycollection3.hilton.com. The hotel is currently accepting reservations for August 31 and beyond.

SEASONED CHEFS
James Beard Award-winning cookbook writers Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer have been writing about home cooking for years, and last July, the duo pooled their culinary experience to open the much anticipated Canal House Station. Located in an abandoned and fully renovated railroad station in Milford, the restaurant’s breakfast, lunch, and Sunday dinner menu was a hit for eight months before the pandemic shuttered all eateries. But the seasoned chefs reinvented, creating a pickup site on the restaurant’s back porch so that patrons could enjoy it in the privacy of their homes. The restaurant serves up delicious portions of poached salmon, shrimp remoulade, Caesar salad, fried chicken on a brioche bun, and more. The restaurant is open Thursday through Sunday and is BYOB. Visit canalhousestation.com.