New businesses are putting up the “OPEN” sign in NJ’s second largest city

• Dogdrop, a membership-based urban dog daycare brand, will open its first New Jersey location in Jersey City.
• Gemini is a new cafe at 506 Jersey Ave. in Jersey City that had its grand opening on Aug. 5

New residents are moving into the state’s second-largest city, Jersey City.

To meet their demand, new businesses are putting up the “OPEN” sign. They include a cafe offering dishes of the Latin diaspora and the first New Jersey location for a canine daycare chain.

Any information about new businesses opening in Jersey City in the fall and winter can be sent to kaulessar@northjersey.com.

Gemini

Paloma Mejia has worked in restaurants for over 20 years, including 15 at Liberty Prime Steakhouse in downtown Jersey City before it closed its doors in December.

But Mejia, a native of the Dominican Republic, has always looked to run her own eatery. Now, she is doing it with Gemini, a new cafe at 506 Jersey Ave., less than a mile away from her old workplace.

The restaurant/coffee bar is having its grand opening on Aug. 5 after a soft opening. Patrons coming to Gemini will be entering a familiar space, as it was the former location of Subia’s Vegan Cafe.

“I just liked the location so much. I like the flow of the people walking around, like the young families that live in this area,” Mejia said.

The new spot, Mejia said, will continue the healthy dining of the old business through the Latin American cuisine on the menu.

“It’s a mixture of modern with old-time, classic Latin dishes, but coming from a healthy approach,” Mejia said. “In the menu, I feel like it is embodied pretty much from the ingredients that we use. All of our sauces, everything that we use to season, all of our meats, all of our salads are homemade.”

Some of Gemini’s offerings include the traditional Mexican dish huevos rancheros (baked tortilla bowl with sunny-side-up egg, black beans, Mexican corn, tomato sauce, and pico de gallo) for $12, and the South American dish chorizo arepa (corn arepa topped with spicy chorizo, guacamole, fried egg, and pico de gallo) for $16.

There are also American items like the impossible meatball sub (Vegan Impossible Beef meatballs & tomato sauce in a sub sandwich) for $18, as well as various breakfast treats and beverages.

Gemini is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit https://www.gemini-jc.com or call (201) 432-7639.

Dogdrop

Coming this fall, a new daycare for Jersey City dog owners will be unleashed.

Dogdrop, the membership-based urban dog daycare brand, will open its first New Jersey location at the Hudson House Collection, the three-building, luxury mixed-use development on Coles Street and 15th Street near the Jersey City-Hoboken border.

Dogdrop allows owners to drop off their canines without an appointment and pay only for the time they use, from a single hour to a full day. Membership includes access to any Dogdrop location in the U.S., which are smaller-format and run by highly trained staff, and can be found in California, Texas, Colorado, Florida and Delaware.

The Jersey City location is an entirely indoor, climate-controlled facility that features three dedicated play areas organized by dogs’ energy levels and temperaments. Dogdrop staff are trained in pet CPR, first aid and dog behavior. Dogs joining Dogdrop complete a complimentary Good Fit Test before entering group play with other dogs.

The Hudson House Jersey City location will be owned and operated by local franchisee Jonathan Allen.

“We want dogs to go home happy, tired and excited to come back, while giving pet parents the flexibility and convenience they need,” Allen said. “Although Dogdrop is a national brand, every location is locally owned and operated, and I’m excited to become part of the Hudson House community and build relationships with residents throughout Jersey City.”

For more information, visit www.dogdrop.co.

Ricardo Kaulessar covers Jersey City, including race, immigration, and culture, for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: kaulessar@northjersey.com

Twitter/X: @ricardokaul