HILLSBOROUGH: At new businesses, you can bounce, eat healthfully, dance and buy flooring or doors

By Andrew Corselli, Staff Writer
   As spring has sprung in the township, so have new businesses.
   One of those businesses is Joy2Dance, an instructional dance studio at 178 Route 206 that opened its doors on April 16.
   Joy2Dance was started by Robert Chukrallah and Connie Edmonds, who have been dancing together for more than 18 years and competing together for six years. They specialize in all styles of social and competitive dancing for children through adults.
   ”(The reception has) been quite good,” Mr. Chukrallah said. “We have a sign on Route 206 and we’ve been getting quite a few calls from just that sign alone. Also, we’re getting calls from people looking us up on Google. There’s a lot of excitement about dancing.”
   Mr. Chukrallah said that he thought Hillsborough strategically placed between Princeton, Piscataway and Somerville. The fact that there’s only one other dance studio in the township, on the other side of town, didn’t hurt, Mr. Chukrallah said.
   The hours for Joy2Dance are 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The studio, which can be reached at 908-431-5146 or www.joy2dance.com, is also offering a free salsa dance class on Friday from 7 to 8 p.m.
   ”We just love to dance and we like to see people smiling while they’re dancing,” he said.
   Another recently opened business in town is the Spoon and Sprout Café, a completely vegetarian eatery located at 378 South Branch Road in the Kingsbridge Center. Owner Geetha Jayaraman decided to open up in the township to expand on her other business.
   ”I already had a place in Hillsborough for my wholesale production, and I was looking for a bigger kitchen space and the space came with a retail front,” she said. “(Instead of just having a storefront) I decided to do what I’m passionate about — cooking.”
   What sets Spoon and Sprout Cafe, which opened on Jan. 15 and had its grand opening on March 12, apart from everything else is that it’s the only completely vegetarian eatery in the township, according to Ms. Jayaraman.
   ”Fantastic,” Ms. Jayaraman said of the reception. “People are very supportive. They love the food. I’m trying to create a menu with the balance of nutritional value as well as tastes. It’s more like an eclectic menu; it’s not any particular menu from any particular region. We use fresh ingredients, and everything is freshly made. We really don’t buy anything that is pre-made; everything gets started from scratch.”
   Spoon and Sprout’s hours are noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. The cafe can be reached at 908-333-3229 or at www.spoonandsproutcafe.com.
   Jump!Zone, a national chain of indoor inflatable party and play centers for children, also launched this month. The store, located at 6 Jill Court near the cinema, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 8 and had a grand opening on April 16. It can be found at www.jumpzoneparty.com or 908-428-8515.
   The store is an 18,000-square-foot play zone located in the Hillsborough Business Center behind the Hillsborough Cinemas, and is intended for children ages two through 12 years old. It includes inflatable games such as bouncers, jumpers, slides and moonwalks. It can be scheduled for birthday parties, and also has arcade games, concessions and a parent’s lounge with flat screen televisions and free Wifi internet access.
   Hillsborough Floor Coverings International held its grand opening on April 2. The store is located at 249 Homestead Road, and owned by Nancy Shipley.
   Ms. Shipley opened the store after her senior project manager position at Chubb Insurance in Warren was eliminated in late March.
   “I always wanted to own my own small business,” she said. “I have a business degree in business administration from Saint Elizabeth.”
   The Flemington resident, who made a smooth transition from corporate America to small business owner, has seen “steady growth” at FCI, she said. Her style and way of doing business make her stand out from the competition, she said.
   ”I am shop at home, so people find me online or through word of mouth,” she said. “I make it very convenient for the customer. I talk to them and bring samples to their home. I help them pick the correct product and correct coloring based on their lifestyle.”
   Hillsborough Garage Door Store has bought the builder next to where they were renting space. Its new address is 176 Route 206.
   They install and repair all kinds of doors, and service most makes and models of garage doors and openers.
   They invite, “Call us if your garage door doesn’t work.”