Careers don\u2019t necessarily develop in a straight line. For example, Thomas Maroulakos \u201910 studied Fashion Design at Montclair State, yet he and his brother Dean \u201807 are best known for reimagining New Jersey\u2019s dining scene.<\/p>\n
So how does one go from fashion professional to restaurateur? In Maroulakos\u2019 case, it started at Montclair State.<\/p>\n
\u201cMontclair State was the only college I applied to,\u201d he tells us. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of a family thing. My parents, wife, brother, and sister-in-law all attended Montclair State. I chose Fashion Design as my major, and by the time I started my career in luxury fashion Dean, who earned his MFA at Montclair State, was already working as a theater set designer.\u201d<\/p>\n
But corporate life was not as satisfying as he had hoped. \u201cAlthough I grew up in Wayne, I spent a lot of time in Nutley, where my grandparents lived,\u201d he says. \u201cDean and I heard that the Nutley Pub, an old neighborhood bar, was up for sale.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dean had already gotten a taste of the restaurant business through investments with co-workers, and he had been applying his theater design skills to dining environments. The brothers teamed up to transform the local dive into Cowan\u2019s Public, which opened in 2015. The restaurant combines the best of everything \u2013 gourmet menu, craft beer, classic cocktails, and 1930s charm \u2013 into a stellar casual dining experience.<\/p>\n
With Cowan\u2019s Public up and running, they were soon looking for their next project. The Barrow House, a 230-seat farmhouse in Clifton set on land that was once a farm and grove, became the next Maroulakos hit, and Skop\u00f3s Hospitality Group was born. They added The Vanguard, in a Harrison location that was once a 1940s factory, and Franklin Social \u2013 Tavern and Garden in Jersey City, which calls to mind a colonial public house. A fifth location is on the horizon. While each of the Skop\u00f3s restaurants has a unique menu and atmosphere, all share a commitment to creating memorable experiences for patrons.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs the company grows, expansion becomes more efficient,\u201d Maroulakos notes. \u201cBut it can be hard to let go. Finding the right people makes all the difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maroulakos credits his Montclair State education with preparing him to be a visionary leader. \u201cThe Montclair State program covered the totality of the field,\u201d he explains. \u201cIn addition to textiles and the craft aspects of fashion design, I learned business and statistics. Public speaking, which was part of several classes in addition to a course on its own, prepared me to make presentations.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn fact, some of my most valuable classroom experiences weren\u2019t even in my major,\u201d Maroulakos adds. \u201cI took a class on the creative process,\u201d he recalls. \u201cIt was so inspirational that it changed my entire perspective. Sometimes the things you don\u2019t think you\u2019ll get anything out of end up being the most transformative.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maroulakos\u2019 time at Montclair State was life-transforming in other ways as well. \u201cI met my wife on campus,\u201d he recalls. \u201cI remember the day we first passed each other on a stair landing in University Hall. We had an instant connection!\u201d<\/p>\n
With four-going-on-five businesses in northern New Jersey, Maroulakos finds himself passing through Montclair State fairly regularly. \u201cI admire the growth of the University these past years,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n