The Hoboken Girl Team 
It appears another chain has entered the Washington Street chat in Hoboken. Signage was spotted back in April on Wash between Bluestone Lane and Ben & Jerry’s for Aesop, a skincare and lifestyle brand now owned by L’Oréal. The location, 407 Washington Street, has been empty for some time, with JoJo Maman Bébé being its last tenant some years back. Now, as of August 19th, Aesop is opening its doors at 4PM. Read on for everything we know so far about Aesop’s arrival in Hoboken, New Jersey.
^ the space as of Monday, July 21st
On Aesop Coming to Hoboken
^ signage in April
The Aesop signage was spotted at 407 Washington Street in early April by our team, and it detailed that it would be coming to Hoboken in June 2025. Upon further research, a job description for a retail associate had been posted on LinkedIn for $21/hour as well. As of Monday, July 21st, new signage is up as Aesop gets closer to opening.
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The news came after another Starbucks was just announced in uptown Hoboken, as well as Sweetgreen’s Hoboken storefront becoming a reality in the old Drybar, with signage going up just a week before. An Abercrombie & Fitch also just opened in Hoboken as of June.
On August 19th, a rep close to the brand confirmed with us that the skincare store is opening today (8/19) at 4PM. The opening will be celebrated with wine, cheese, and other light bites.
About the Brand
Aesop is a skincare and lifestyle brand founded in 1987 by hairdresser Dennis Paphitis in Melbourne, Australia. The brand began as an extension of Paphitis’s salon work, where he experimented with adding essential oils to hair products. Over time, this led to the development of a standalone range of personal care items. Items are priced between $50-$100 for things like soap dispensers, body wash, and more.
The name “Aesop” was chosen as a nod to storytelling, and, according to the founder, as a subtle critique of the exaggerated marketing claims often made in the beauty industry. The company houses a range of skincare, haircare, body care, and fragrance products.
In April 2023, French cosmetics giant L’Oréal announced its acquisition of Aesop for $3.7 billion — the largest brand acquisition in L’Oréal’s history. The deal was finalized in August 2023.
Locals’ Reactions to the News
We posted on our social media about the signage when it was first spotted earlier this year, and while some appear to be excited, there is a noticeable — yet anecdotal — trend of residents being frustrated on social media about all the chains coming to the Mile Square.
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One commenter, @nesloyllek said, “sure let’s drive mom/pop shops & small business out to support large corp companies in little old hoboken — aesop has 19 stores less than 5 miles away. how is this good for hoboken ?” Others in the past have cited the high rent prices that have made it difficult for small businesses to have a storefront locally on Washington Street.
Still, however, some had a more positive reaction. “I received @aesop travel goodies from my first trip with @livekindred ️it was super luxe ⚡️,” user @xtina_moore shared, and “Washington is going to be smelling great” noted another user.
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