First Street Store to Sell Trendy Tableware

Imagine hosting a successful dinner party, impressing your guests with interesting tableware, and then skipping the whole cleaning the dirty dishes part.

That's a scenario that Adam Merran, owner of the forthcoming store Bio and Chic envisions. The store, located at 262 First Street, is scheduled to open in early April and will sell fashionable and organic tableware that is disposable and biodegradable.

Bio and Chic is a first ever retail spinoff of the French wholesale tableware supplier First Pack, which has been in business for over 30 years and serves among other notable clients Madison Square Garden and several casinos.

Merran is a member of the family that runs First Pack. Originally from France, he came to the United States to oversee First Pack's American operation. While working out of a Hoboken office Merran got the idea to open a retail storefront.

“The idea is to take cool items and offer them to the Hoboken community,” Merran said.

Bio and Chic will sell plates, utensils, napkins, trays, cookware and other items. Many of the products are made from wood, bamboo, paper, palm leaves or even sugarcane and cornstarch. While some products are renewable most can be thrown away without harm to the environment.

Merran said the products that Bio and Chic will sell can be bought for a reasonable cost.

“Consumers might be scared of going green because of the cost, but we try to make things nice looking to add value,” Merran said.

Merran said First Pack pays close attention to its global production process, from design to manufacturing, and that Bio and Chic will carry First Pack's most innovative products.

“It's going to make Hoboken very advanced in eco-friendly tableware,” Merran said.

In addition to opening just in time for warmer weather and outdoor parties, Merran said Bio and Chic will maintain a vendor table during the city's upcoming first ever Green Fair on April 21. In the meantime customers can shop from the company's online store, which features international shipping.

Coming soon: a home furniture store opens midtown, a yogurt joint opens downtown, and a craft shop moves across town.

The Business Beat covers businesses opening, closing, renovating, relocating and celebrating anniversaries in the Mile Square. Have a Hoboken related business tip? Send an email to alanskontra@hotmail.com.