By Cathy Miller

This week’s person of the week is Malia Corde, owner of the Asbury Coffee Mill

A wonderful story unfolded in Asbury a couple weeks ago, sort of a flash food drive organized by a local eatery meant to ease the impact of COVID-driven food insecurity in the area. Here’s the scoop!

The Asbury Coffee Mill is a family-owned cafe in the historic Asbury. Built in 1862, the building formerly housed a general store, a deli and a furniture store. Owner Malia Corde said, “We opened our doors on March 25, 2016, after extensive renovations, hopefully providing the structure another 150 years of service to the community.” 

Originally from Long Island, Malia and Gary moved to New Jersey shortly after their wedding. They’ve resided in Asbury for 25 years. “We love our home and our community and have raised all three of our sons here,” Malia said happily.

For 20 years, before opening the restaurant, Malia worked for a parent-led non-profit organization based in Newark, the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network, to improve outcomes for children and young adults with special needs. Malia recalled, “When Kyle, our oldest child, aged out of public school, the adult system of care was going through major changes. It wasn’t meeting Kyle’s needs. That’s one reason we opened the restaurant. We wanted a place in our community where Kyle could have meaningful social interactions and be a part of something.”

How long did she consider the restaurant before “taking the plunge?” Living in town, Malia mused, “We drove by that building many times over the years and joked about buying it. After Superstorm Sandy, it sat vacant for a long time. Eventually it went into short sale and we decided to go for it.” Renovations began with visions of a coffee shop serving baked goods. As renovations progressed, that vision evolved into a full restaurant serving breakfast and lunch.

No stranger to stepping up to help out, among other things, Malia runs an annual clothing drive and a holiday gift drive. She recently decided to organize a food drive for two local food pantries overwhelmed by the dire needs of families in these difficult times.

Malia recalled, “It touched me to see how quickly people came on hard times due to the loss of a job/income from COVID-19. I watched on television as food insecurity increased for families across the country. … Our restaurant has always been about the community.”

It didn’t take long to set the Food Drive wheels in motion. After placing a sign outside the restaurant and posting the food drive on Facebook, word spread as friends and customers shared the information.

“Gary and I weren’t surprised by the generosity that we experienced, even from people we didn’t know,” she said. “Our customers are our extended family and we continue to be very grateful for them and thankful to be able to help others. Part of who we are is about giving back.”

The beneficiaries of the food drive were NORWESCAP Food Pantry in Phillipsburg and Open Cupboard Food Pantry in Clinton. Based on the families they serve and their current inventory, each organization requested several specific items.

Using the restaurant as the drop-off location made the food drive fairly simple to organize. Everyone, including donors, wore gloves and masks to minimize the risk of exposure to coronavirus. It was good seeing customers they’d not seen in months and meeting people from the community they’d never met before. 

Over the course of four days, two hours each day, the drive amassed over 900 pounds of food and personal care items.

Malia and Gary, with help from staff members Priya Gupta and Nina Fitzsimmons, collected, organized, and packed everything for delivery. All of ACM’s staff are high school and college students who’ve been substantially impacted by the virus. 

As thanks for their generosity, Malia served fresh homemade scones and coffee to the donors. She explained, “Baking is my first love. As my way of thanking people for their kindness and generosity, I offered them something that means a lot to me.”

Of course, now that the food drive is over, it’s on to the next event.

They will host a drive-by parade and fundraiser on May 30 to support the Franklin Fire & EMS, who aren’t currently able to fundraise. People can join the parade by lining up behind the blue Subaru on Maple Avenue (next to the MWA offices) beginning at 2:30 p.m. The parade starts at 2:45. Additionally, the Asbury Coffee Mill will be donating 10% of their sales that day.

A Slow Reopening

May 16 marked Asbury Coffee Mill’s partial reopening after two months of lockdown. “Our goal for the Coffee Mill from the very beginning has been to serve the community – we’re really looking forward to serving the community again,” Malia said excitedly.

For now, ACM is open for take-out and curbside delivery Fridays 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Although their dining room is closed, they are still offering their core menu: high-quality coffee, homemade baked goods, cooked-to-order breakfast, fresh salads and specialty sandwiches.

The most efficient way to place an order at the Asbury Coffee Mill website. Shop, pay and await a text for pick-up time!

Music and Levity

While Malia Corde is the owner/executive chef of the Asbury Coffee Mill, Gary Corde oversees the music component, showcasing local musicians from surrounding communities. Gary noted, “We’ve had live music since the day we opened. It’s an important part of our business.”

Friday night Open Mic, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., currently on hiatus, is open to any musician who wants to perform, just walk in and sign up. You never know what you’ll hear!

Sunday morning Acoustic Brunch, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., presents one act, booked in advance. Once the dining room reopens, the Acoustic Brunch will resume.

Local artists and photographers are highlighted on a rotating bimonthly schedule, with their works professionally exhibited and available for purchase.

2020 would have been the third annual Asbury Arts & Music Festival. With summer events in limbo, Asbury Coffee Mill opted to cancel their festival this year. But it’s not all bad. Earlier this year, Malia and Gary established the Asbury Arts & Music Festival academic scholarship, to be awarded to a 2020 graduating senior for art or music.

The deadline for applications has been extended to June 30 due to the pandemic.

SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS! They need us and we need them.

Asbury Coffee Mill, 432 Old Main Street, Asbury, NJ 08802     Phone: 908-574-2147

Web: www.asburycoffeemill.com     FB: www.facebook.com/asburycoffeemill/

If you would like to nominate someone for person of the week, please reach out to Cathy Miller at info@insidewarren.com