Make no mistake, Downtown Cranford has become one of the hottest town centers in NJ with its influx of exciting new restaurants and shops! The recently opened ANTHEM STYLE + GIFT boutique has greatly added to the appeal of downtown, and customers are traveling from far and wide to check out this trendy store!

Anthem owner Cori Eberling grew up in Cranford, graduated from Cranford High School in 2005, and went on to work in retail and e-commerce merchandising. Cori said, “I’ve always wanted to open a store, and I knew if I didn’t try to do this now, I’d never pull the trigger.”

I’m always curious as to why business owners choose Cranford as their outpost. Cori said, “I looked at a lot of different downtowns. There are so many things going on here that weren’t around when I was younger–new businesses and restaurants. So Cranford pulled me back in! I really want to thank the local community for the great response. We’ve had such a good reception since we opened.”

The interior of ANTHEM is totally modern and hip, and unlike any other store in Cranford, with eye-catching decor and fixtures that reflect Cori’s style. It looks more like the types of boutiques you see in Montclair or Red Bank or even Manhattan. Cori designed the space herself, with the help of her mother and a local contractor. How impressive that a woman so young is not only operating her own business but also designed it from top to bottom!

The inventory is a mixture of women’s clothing, accessories, jewelry, and eclectic home goods and gifts. According to Cori: “Our primary demographic is ages 18-35, but we still cater to well beyond that. I try to have a little bit of everything for everyone.”

Anthem carries brands you might already know, such as Free People and House of Harlow (Nicole Richie’s beautiful line of accessories–I’ve bought several pieces myself!). But Cori seeks out independent designers you may never have heard of, ones whose designs are killer but without jaw-dropping price tags. “And I try to find designers who manufacture in the USA whenever possible. A lot of the jewelry is handmade in America.”

I asked Cori what’s been selling like hotcakes in the shop. She replied, “A vegan leather jacket that we carry keeps selling out. We even ordered it in another color, and that too has been flying off the shelves. The Swell water bottles are also selling extremely well.”

Anthem will be participating in the Downtown Cranford events we all look forward to, like sidewalk sales, Family Night Out, and so on. And there are always great sales going on in the store–head to the racks at the back corner of the shop to find the bargains!

The next time you need a gift for a special a lady in your life (it’s just about time to buy teacher gifts!), or if you need a killer outfit for the weekend, visit Athem first, because chances are, you’re going to find something perfect!

Anthem is located on the corner of North Union and Alden Streets. The shop is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm, Sundays 11 am to 4 pm. Follow Anthem on facebook and Instagram to get all the latest goings-on. You can also shop their extensive online collection at http://anthemstylegift.com/.