Q & A
Room at theInn
Bobbi Brown and Steven Plofker’s The George is a home away from home
WRITTEN BY LAURA ADAMS STIANSEN AND CINDY SCHWEICH HANDLER
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF LESLEY UNRUH
LIKE HOME, ONLY BETTER Brown partnered with home décor business One Kings Lane to decorate the public rooms on The George’s first floor.
(Right) Brown with her husband, Steven Plofker, and their dog, Biggie.
F
or years, Montclairians and
their neighbors mourned
Makeup artist, author and the
the lack of a place where
founder and former CCO of
they could put up out-of-
BOBBI BROWN COSMETICS
town guests. Their prayers
Age: 61
Resides: Montclair
were answered this spring,
when longtime residents Bobbi Brown
and Steven Plofker opened The George,
a boutique inn located at 37 N. Mountain Ave.
The couple transformed the old residential hotel The Georgian
Inn — which had formerly served as a private residence for
Charles Van Vleck — into an aery, chic space with rooms
bearing photographs of the famous (and the not-yet-famous
Plofker sons). Prices start at $279. We spoke with Brown about
the inn’s evolution from concept to community resource, and
how it fits into her current business plan.
32
FALL 2018 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE
BOBBI BROWN
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO OPEN THE GEORGE
INN? My husband asked me to work with him on
this project, and I jumped on it. The timing was per-
fect because I had just left my brand [Brown stepped
down from Bobbi Brown Cosmetics in 2016], and
I was very open to another creative outlet.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE MONTCLAIR? Montclair is
our town, it’s what we love and call home.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ROOM/ASPECT OF THE
HOTEL? I love the whole vibe of the place. It’s
interesting, relaxed, and comfortable — with a lot
of attention to detail. Since three rooms are named
after my sons, I can’t just choose one.
>