Fashion lovers hold onto your hats… or maybe we should say “hold onto your handbags” because a brand new fashion experience has entered the Jersey City landscape. Earlier this month, Youssoufiani, a leather craftsmanship studio, opened its doors on July 1st, 2024 to aspiring designers and fashion enthusiasts alike. Located at 33 Wayne Street, this historic studio space welcomes eager creatives to get hands-on with leather goods and design customized accessories. Read on to learn more about this one-of-a-kind experiential learning opportunity in Jersey City, New Jersey.
How It Started
Armenian-born founder Ani Youssoufian first moved to New Jersey in 2010. After returning to Armenia for a brief period in 2018, Ani moved back to the Garden State in 2022 and became a resident of the Jersey City community. Since then, she began working on the concept and strategy behind Youssoufiani. When the stunning historic unit at 33 Wayne Street became available, Ani saw the potential to bring her vision to life and began the process of opening her leather craftsmanship studio. The name Youssoufiani pays homage to Ani’s Armenian roots, combining her first and last name and using mirror images of the Armenian letter “Y” to create its chic logo.
The Hoboken Girl sat down with Ani to dive into the backstory behind Youssoufiani and learned that above all, Ani always had a strong passion for creativity and design. She took sewing classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she specialized in designing handbags and footwear. As time went on, Ani discovered her fascination with structured materials. She also took leatherwork classes where she learned the craft and the skills she teaches today at Youssoufiani. Her obsession with handbags was brought to the next level when she realized she could create designer-quality bags independently. “I always pay attention to the bag”, she told HG.
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Ani’s enthusiasm for learning helped her dream up the idea of Youssoufiani in the first place. Her investment in design-related education had fulfilled her in a way that she wanted to share with others. So she thought… why not create a space for creative minds to invest in experience and get a designer-quality bag out of it, allowing students to really see the fruits of their labor? Ani told us “It’s pretty rare that people have the chance to design their own high-quality handbag”.
What to Expect
One of the best things about Youssoufiani is that students need no prior experience to start designing. Ani shared, “We offer a diverse range of courses to cater to various interests and skill levels. This includes one-session courses for those looking to grasp fundamental leatherworking skills quickly, as well as multiple-session workshops designed for more complex projects and advanced techniques. Our curriculum is thoughtfully structured to accommodate the needs and interests of all our students.”
Ani says “Whether you’re joining as a hobbyist or seeking comprehensive knowledge in leather craftsmanship, this is the place for you!”. The courses at Youssoufiani cover everything from basic leatherworking techniques to more advanced skills. Students can also customize their designs with personal touches such as embossing, monograms, fasteners, and more. In terms of designs, students can create wallets, key chains, passport holders, handbags, and even leather bracelets and acquire skills such as leather cutting, saddle stitching, edge finishing, hardware installation, and zipper integration to name a few, but the list goes on. As always, personal style and creativity are paramount.
How To Book a Class
To book a class, visit the website to explore class options. Whether booking a one-day class or a longer, package-based course, each class description includes a series of lessons with a bird’s eye view of what to expect during the course. Classes are approximately 2.5 hours, which provides students with ample time to complete their projects with ease. These leather-crafting classes are great as solo endeavors, but also make great group activities and can seat up to six students.
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If you need help deciding which course would be best for you, book a free consultation online or call the store at 551-200-7042. Be sure to follow @youssoufiani on Instagram for updates and new class options.
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Hoboken St. Patrick’s Day 2025: Bar Crawl Schedule
Now that Valentine's Day is over, it's time to start thinking about all things St. Patrick's Day. The Hoboken St. Patrick's Day parade dates back to the 1980s, but after being permanently halted in 2012, some St. Paddy's events in Hoboken have become somewhat controversial. What was once a day that celebrated a 26-year tradition and hosted NJ’s biggest parade, turned into a day filled with arrests, public drunkenness, and chaos for law enforcement. Either way, these bar crawl events happen annually — this year, there are six that have been announced so far. Most are organized by PubCrawls.com, while other events are put together by local businesses in an attempt to calm the chaos. We've rounded up all of the crawls happening locally for easy browsing. Read on for a list of the St. Patrick's Day bar crawl events happening in Hoboken, New Jersey for 2025.
Behind the Bar Crawl
The LepreCon Crawl is a privately-organized event, coordinated by Pubcrawls.com, that quickly took the place of the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Per its name, it’s a Hoboken bar crawl held on the first Saturday in March. The event became known as a cause of public drunkenness and bar fights, leading to arrests, hospital visits, local complaints, and other issues. Per TapInto, the presence of law enforcement was increased in an effort to curb rowdiness, especially after the crawl’s one-year hiatus during the pandemic. Increasing police presence and publicizing fines have reportedly helped decrease issues to an extent, though the event is still frowned upon by many local residents and businesses.
Read More: Irish Bars in Hoboken + Jersey City
The City of Hoboken has been trying to crack down on this event. Mayor Bhalla has urged both residents and businesses not to participate — though many local businesses say that participation is crucial to keep business afloat during a slow season.
2025 St. Patrick's Day Bar Crawls in Hoboken
Official Hoboken LepreCon Bar Crawl 2025
Saturday, March 1st | 11AM
Participating Bars: The Ainsworth, Baja Mexican Cuisine, Black Bear, The Ferryman on 1st, Grove Station, Hoboken Biergarten, House of 'Que, The Lola, Madd Hatter, The Pig + Parrot, Psycho Mike's Therapy Bar + Grill, The Shannon, The Shepherd + The Knucklehead, Tally Ho, Union Hall, Wicked Wolf, and Willie McBride's.
Learn more about this event and how to get tickets here.
Official Hoboken St. Patrick's Day Bar Crawl
Saturday, March 1st + Saturday, March 8th | 2PM
Participating Bars: The Ainsworth, Birch, Fat Taco Tequila Bar, Green Rock, Mike's Wild Moose Saloon, River Street Garage, Texas Arizona, and The Waiting Room.
Learn more about these events and how to get tickets here.
Hoboken Luck of the Irish Bar Crawl
Friday, March 14th | 5PM
Participating Bars: Madd Hatter and more.
Learn more about this event and how to get tickets here.
Hoboken Shamrock Stroll Bar Crawl
Saturday, March 15th | 12PM
Participating Bars: The Ainsworth, Baja Mexican Cuisine, Black Bear, The Ferryman on 1st, Grove Station, Hoboken Biergarten, House of 'Que, The Lola, Madd Hatter, The Shannon, The Shepherd + The Knucklehead, Tally Ho, Union Hall, and Wicked Wolf.
Learn more about this event and how to get tickets here.
Hoboken St. Paddy's Day Bar Event 2025
Saturday, March 15th | 12PM
Participating Bars: Birch, Brass Rail, Fat Taco Tequila Bar, Green Rock, The Lola, McSwiggan's, Mike’s Wild Moose Saloon, River Street Garage, Texas Arizona, Union Hall, and Wicked Wolf.
Learn more about this event and how to get tickets here.
See More: Egan + Sons: A Classic Irish Pub in Montclair
Hoboken Official St. Patricks Day Bar Crawl
Monday, March 17th at 5PM
Participating Bars: The Ainsworth, Black Bear, Grove Station, Hoboken Biergarten, House of 'Que, The Lola, Madd Hatter, The Shannon, The Shepherd + The Knucklehead, Tally Ho, Union Hall, and Wicked Wolf.
Learn more about this event and how to get tickets here.
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