As Kids Die Of Food Allergies, A Hoboken Coffee Shop Remains Nut

HOBOKEN, NJ — The owners of a corner café in Hoboken have been especially cognizant of the fact that May was National Food Allergy Awareness Month, a time to remember that eating the wrong ingredient can end the life of a person with a food allergy. In fact, in one of several heartbreaking stories recently, a California teen named Aly West passed away in January due to something she ate at a school dance.

Jessica and Jeff Dyer, who live in Hoboken, have a young child with a nut allergy, so they were spreading awareness even before they opened their coffee shop, Joey No Nuts, in fall 2019. They decided to make the shop nut-free so that parents and kids would have a place to eat without the terror of wondering about cross contamination or hidden allergens.

"We decided to make our coffee shop nut-free because our oldest daughter is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts," Jessica Dyer said Tuesday, "and we know how important it is for people with these allergies to feel included and to have a safe place to enjoy great coffee and baked goods without worrying about cross-contamination."

The mile-square city of Hoboken has dozens of restaurants and independently owned coffee shops, but Joey No Nuts is the only one that dedicates itself to being nut-free.

Almond Milk Problems

These days, coffee shops often offer almond milk in addition to other milks, making it more likely that a child could ingest a nut product through cross-contamination.

In the four years since opening, the shop has had to evolve.

Five months after the mom-and-pop opened up, it had to close due the covid pandemic, then reopened only with window service. But the service proved popular among people who couldn't come inside, such as parents with large strollers and dog owners. The shop has not resumed indoor dining in their small space, but there are chairs outside.

The shop has attracted local regulars and even actor Joe Pantoliano, who reportedly owns a home a few blocks away.

Sit And Sip Safely

The spot also has attracted people from Bergen County and other areas of New Jersey who have few spots where they can sit, sip, and feel safe.

"Customers with nut allergies are always very excited to find our shop," Jessica Dyer said. "Some live in town and others seek us out from all over! People often purchase gift cards online for their friends and family who live in Hoboken."

Gluten And Nut-Free Donuts

Liz of Hayley's Donut — a gluten-free, nut-free, and soy- and sesame-free company in Hudson County — recently approached the shop to do a contest in advance of National Donut Day this Friday, June 2.

"We’re giving away a $20 gift card and she is donating a dozen donuts to one lucky winner," Jessica said. "Her donuts are nut/gluten/soy/sesame free (she does use coconut, which isn't actually a tree nut nor a top eight allergen)."

The contest can be found on Instagram here.

Schools And Up In The Air

Despite increasing awareness about the dangers of food allergies — an anaphylactic reaction to an allergen can cause someone to stop breathing and quickly go into shock — some people still downplay them. Or they complain about not being allowed to bring food to schools, or having to be cautious around a child with an allergy.

Last month, Lianne Mandelbaum of Livingston, who runs a group called No Nut Traveler, told Good Morning America that she traveled on United Air with her son last month to check out a college in Texas, she followed airline policy and spoke with a flight attendant, but was treated with disdain.

"I went up to speak to the flight attendant, and I said, 'My son has a life-threatening peanut allergy. I would appreciate it if you could just tell the surrounding rows to be careful,' " she said. The attendant refused, but the airline has a clear online policy saying that travelers should notify an attendant. READ MORE: Livingston Mom Blasts Airline Over Nut Allergy Response

And many school districts fail to state a clear and consistent policy from school to school about how they handle food allergies, with protocol seemingly different from class to class.

This only forces a child and parents to have to continuously remind others about the situation and ensure that they understand the risks. And even when people are informed, tragic mistakes still occur.

Mile-square Hoboken is home to more than a dozen independently owned coffee shops, each with its own personality and special treats. Among them, Joey No Nuts offers a range of coffee, latte, and beverage varieties, serves a limited menu of baked goods, and displays some of the owners' artwork.

Joey No Nuts is located at 638 Willow Ave., a walk of about a mile (17 minutes, according to Google) from the Hoboken train terminal. Find out more here.

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