Nut-Free Hoboken Coffee Shop Celebrates First Anniversary

HOBOKEN, NJ — Joey No-Nuts Café, a nut-free coffee shop owned by locals Jess and Jeff Dyer of Hoboken, opened last Oct. 1, providing food, drink, and much needed relief to families with food allergies who often have to beware of coffee shops using almond milk or other allergens.

But soon after a pair of artists opened the shop, they encountered an unforseen circumstance.

"Just as we started to see business grow, covid-19 brought our customer base of commuters and parents to a sudden halt," said Jess Dyer on Tuesday. "Fortunately, our neighbors working from home discovered our shop and have become our loyal regulars!"

Jess had also recently given birth, so the quarantine was challenging. But the community helped the corner business survive.

"Thanks to strong community support, we’ve been able to remain open for business when many others have not been as lucky," she said. "Our customers have become our friends and we are very grateful for them!"

Besides the fact that the shop offers allergen-free eats and drinks, it also has a counter on the corner of Seventh and Willow Avenue, so patrons never have to come inside to order. This worked out well during the pandemic.

They even got a visit this summer from Hoboken native Joe "Joey Pants" Pantoliano, who lives nearby.

To celebrate their first year, the cafe will hold a raffle for customers who stop by on Thursday.

First prize is a $25 gift card, second prize a free pound of coffee, and third prize is a fancy drink of their choice.

"We’ll also have our Halloween skeleton 'Joey'outside for a photo op," Jess said. "He was a big attraction last year!"

She's also looking to hire.

"Our plans for moving forward include hiring a few experienced employees as soon as possible," she said, "so that we can focus on expanding our offerings in the way of homemade food and allergen-friendly gift baskets."

Follow the shop on Instagram for more information. Read an earlier Patch story about how the Dyers weathered the pandemic here.

New Jersey businesses can join Patch's Small Business Information Center here.

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