Wife-And-Husband Team Open Hair Salon, Coffee Bar In Caldwell

CALDWELLS, NJ — A new hair salon and coffee bar in Caldwell is a dream come true for an up-and-coming hairstylist from New Jersey, its owners say.

When Mane.Lobby opens its doors at 461 Bloomfield Avenue this weekend, it will represent an emotional milestone for Cee Ruzzielle, the inspiration behind the scissors at Caldwell’s newest business.

It’s the culmination of a long journey for Ruzzielle, who used to adorn her bedroom walls with cutouts from fashion magazines while growing up in the 1980s and 1990s. Those walls – which bore witness to a collage of influences from Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Vibe, The Source, and XXL magazines – served as a font of inspiration that eventually led her to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. There, Ruzzielle’s initial dream of becoming a wardrobe stylist took another twist when she found her “true calling” as a hairstylist.

After attending beauty school, she honed her skills as an assistant in prestigious hair salons in Hoboken and Edgewater, learning from leading hairstylists and makeup artists. Years of hard work paid off when Ruzzielle got a chance to collaborate with renowned brands like NIKE, Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie. She soon achieved another milestone by working as a hairstylist on sets for Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and Harper's Bazaar magazines, the very publications that once adorned her childhood walls.

Now Ruzzielle – who runs Mane.Lobby along with her husband and co-owner, Jason Wills – is getting a chance to spread her wings and fly with her own business. Aside from the emotional meaning it has for her own arc, the café is also a special tribute to her father, a musician and coffee lover who passed away before witnessing her personal triumph.

Here’s what to expect when you walk into Mane.Lobby, the wife-and-husband team say:

“What makes this salon truly unique is that upon entry, clients are welcomed by the complimentary coffee bar, M.L Café. This coffee bar offers Italian-brewed espressos, lattes, macchiatos, cappuccinos and more … Also, to tie in the musician part of her father, each month an in-house band serenades clients and all who of the community who would like to stop in to take in a great performance.”

With her husband and daughter by her side, Ruzzielle will be holding a grand opening event from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23. It will include giveaways, complimentary refreshments and live music from an in-house band. Learn more about this local business here.

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