Lots going on this week. Here is what you need to know, from a federal immigration enforcement action downtown to a new bar planned for Lackawanna Plaza.
Two Kitchen Workers at Raymond’s Detained by ICE
Two kitchen workers from Raymond’s, the longtime Church Street diner, were detained by federal immigration agents Wednesday morning on their way to work on Bloomfield Avenue, part of a broader enforcement action in town that may have swept up as many as five or six people. The Montclair Civil Rights Commission has since condemned the enforcement actions “in the strongest possible terms” and confirmed some of those detained are being held at Delaney Hall, the Newark facility Governor Mikie Sherrill has flagged for documented violence and poor conditions. Read the Pod’s full report on the ICE detentions and the community’s response.
Montclair Property Taxes Increase an Average $1,540 Per Property Owner
Township Manager Stephen D. Marks sent property owners a letter breaking down why the average Montclair tax bill is rising roughly $1,540, or about 6.8%, this year: a $160 municipal increase driven by a $2.5 million jump in employee health costs, an $847 school tax increase, and the first $558 installment of the voter-approved school referendum, partly offset by a $26 decrease in county taxes. Marks’ letter also addresses the “2027 preliminary tax” line appearing on bills, which he clarifies is a placeholder set at half of 2026’s final total, not a forecast of next year’s actual rate. Read the Pod’s full breakdown of the tax letter.
Tous Les Jours Closes on Bloomfield Avenue, Lenwich Reportedly Moving In
Tous Les Jours, the French-Korean bakery at 520 Bloomfield Ave., has closed after about 20 months in business, and the building’s owner says NYC-based sandwich shop Lenwich is expected to take over the space. Lenwich has operated in New York City since 1989 and recently expanded into Hoboken; a Montclair opening date has not been announced.
Industry Tavern to Replace Pineapple Express at Lackawanna Plaza
Industry Tavern is coming into the former Pineapple Express Barbecue space at Lackawanna Plaza, filling the spot left vacant since chef and owner Damon Wise’s abrupt closure announcement in January. Developer David Placek, whose BDP Holdings owns the plaza, had said at the time his team was already working on “new and exciting concepts” for the space. Details are still thin: no ownership, menu or opening date has been confirmed, though the name suggests a bar-forward concept rather than Pineapple Express’s family barbecue setup. This is a different business from the Industry Tavern Restaurant Group operating in the Atlanta area.
