Paul Miller certainly was delighted to see a steady stream of customers not only come into his store in Sunday — but also leave with purchases. It’s a retailer’s dream.
Was it in conjunction with National New Jersey Day?
Perhaps.
Of course, when you co-own a shop called, Just Jersey, you can’t be sure, he said.
“Every day is New Jersey Day in our store,” he said. “We see every day as an opportunity to get people to appreciate all that we have here – maybe unravel some of the negative connotations in the process.”
The ‘we’ behind Just Jersey is Miller and co-owner Tina Bologna.
The two have co-owned and run the shop, located just off the Green in Morristown, for more than a decade now – or just after they came together to do a wildly successful school fundraiser over the holiday season that made them wonder if they were on to something.
What started as an idea they felt may have holiday appeal has blossomed into a 12-month-a-year business – in person and online – that continues to grow.
“This is our 11th year and we’re well over industry standard for year-to-year growth in retail,” Miller said. “There’s a lot of interest in what we sell.”
What Just Jersey sells is a mix of products that either feature the state – or were made by someone who lives in the state.
Products that feature the state, whether they be pillows, pennants, T-shirts, coasters or something to hang on your wall – often in the shape of New Jersey – are everywhere. As are numerous food products, everything from pasta to sauces to candy and more.
As much as the store benefits from locals, it has great reach.
Just Jersey has an active website, attracting sales all over the country and around the world. (It was a key to keeping the outlet going at the start of the pandemic.)
And there is a steady parade of former New Jerseyans who find their way back to the store when they are back in the area. (A pair of Jerseyans who now live in Northern Virginia were picking up some swag during our visit).
Miller said the biggest customers continue to be businesses looking for something different.
“We do a lot of gift baskets for new employees and interns,” he said. “In the summer, we work with groups that have brought over kids to study. We can offer the perfect personalized memory.”
Their biggest sales come during the holiday season.
“If New Jersey companies want to give their New Jersey employees something uniquely New Jersey, we can do that,” he said.
And, Miller notes: “It’s never too soon to be thinking about the holidays.”
The store features a lot of Morris County-based mementos – pillows for every town, for instance. But that’s just to serve the local consumer.
Miller said the store can customize products to match any location.
And it has been branching out to other locations in other ways, including a co-branded shop at Terminal A of Newark Airport.
“The Port Authority is wholly committed to changing people’s perception of New Jersey – starting with the fact that Newark Airport is a New Jersey airport, not a New York-area airport,” he said.
The goal, Miller said, is to spread the word about New Jersey everywhere.
“There are a lot of misperceptions about our state,” he said. “We want to celebrate all that is good about it – from the Shore to our parks and everywhere in between.”
Just Jersey, Miller said, doesn’t need a special day to do that.
“Every day is a celebration of New Jersey in here,” he said.
