Sparkly gems and jazzy sounds at Roca Jewelers and Music Center
ROCA JEWELERS AND MUSIC CENTER
151 Washington Ave. | (973) 759-5752
Jose Roca has been a business owner in Belleville for 30 years. Originally, he had just a jewelry shop. However, 12 years ago, a small music store became available and he moved his business into the space. Rather than dumping the music equipment, he embraced it -- and wound up with a unique and funky business. He still sells and repairs jewelry, but he also sells and repairs all kinds of musical instruments. Roca also stocks vinyl records, cassettes, toys, chess sets, artwork and more. The store is organized almost like a thrift shop and is a great place to root around, looking for a hidden treasure. Roca describes himself as the "last man standing," a small business owner who has remained open and rolled with 30 years of changes. Stop by his shop and you might find a true collectible stashed in the corner.
It's almost time for the cherry blossoms to bloom at Belleville Park. BELLEVILLE PARK
Belleville Park, an extension of Branch Brook Park in Newark, is an early 20th-century green space designed by the Olmsted Brothers architectural firm (founded by the sons of esteemed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted). In the spring, the cherry blossoms burst into bloom and the park co-hosts a Cherry Blossom Festival with Branch Brook Park that is second to none. The parks contain more than 4,000 trees, the largest collection in the United States. Belleville even calls itself the Cherry Blossom Capital of America. Stop by through April to see why the name fits. Visit essexcountyparks.org.