Lacey's Jersey Charm Combines Coffee With Garden State Pride

LACEY, NJ — For 30 years, Steve and Laurie Pfaff have been surrounded by coffee. Steve has a friend in the roasting business, while Laurie ran a cafe at Jersey Shore Medical Center for 20 years.

While the Pfaff's have been selling bags of coffee and boxes of K-cups for four years, they have been at their 415 Route 9 location for only a year. They started with farmer's markets and festivals, notably the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival in Edison.

Laurie started with the Jersey name four years ago selling jewelry and discovered a passion for things "Jersey." According to Pfaff, she feels the state gets a bad rap but there is plenty of pride within the state.

Pfaff decided to buy the domain name, Jersey Charm, for only $13 and felt it was important to show all 21 counties in their logo.

After discussing the direction of the business with her husband, Laurie Pfaff decided that Jersey Charm would sell coffee. The Pfaff's try to think of Jersey names for their specific roasts.

Some of the signature blends include Island Beach, Jersey Devil, Jersey Princess and Giddy Up. Giddy Up honors the horse, the official state animal. According to Pfaff, the Soprano Blend is a favorite among customers and the Surf's Up has doubled in sales since she changed the name from Morning Roast.

"People have a lot of Jersey pride," Laurie Pfaff said. "There's a big connection to Jersey, and when they see products with the Jersey name in it that customers have a connection to, they buy it."

According to Pfaff, there is a lot of traveling involved and the business is only run by her and husband. They have attended events in Virginia, Pennsylvania and all across the Garden State. While they could sell their product on sites such as Amazon and in the shop, Pfaff enjoys attending events and putting a face behind the brand name.

"We live in a world where everything is online, and we like to have the connection with our customers," Pfaff said.

The Pfaff's sell combo boxes such as the police-themed Officer's Combo. Hot Buttered Rum is the fall theme. It is a creamy, sweet and buttery beverage meant to be consumed with a shot of RumChata, Pfaff said.

Jersey Charm also features 10 different flavors in decaf. Customers can come in to the shop to mix and match their own boxes of coffee. Pfaff also estimates that they carry 70 varieties of coffee altogether.

"The locals are still discovering my shop, and some have even called it a 'hidden gem,'" Pfaff said.

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