Asbury Park coffee shop owner is not afraid of hard work, thanks to grandmother's lesson

ASBURY PARK - Nancy Jonson, owner of The Art of the Bean and Leaf in Asbury Park, picked up her entrepreneurial spirit from her grandparents in the Philippines.

“My grandmother, Hermogena Malinay Jonson, had 11 children and running this business was how she and my grandfather were able to sustain their family,” Jonson said.

“My grandmother was selling rice in the market and was always a businesswoman throughout her whole life," she continued. "She also sold wares and sugar cane in her store, as well. I was only a small child when this happened, but I watched her even at that age and it had an impact on me. Everything she touched turned to gold and I got my perseverance from her.”

Jonson’s father emigrated to the United States when she was 3 years old, and she came with her mother and two brothers two years later.

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“My father wanted more for his family and the American dream, at that time, was very strong and everyone wanted to come to America to reach that golden ladder, so to speak,” Jonson said.

After Jonson graduated high school in America, she decided to attend college in the Philippines while living with her grandmother.

“I went back to the Philippines,” Jonson said. “My father would always talk about life back home and his own experiences there. I couldn’t relate to him when he talked about life there because I was so young when it happened. I wanted to go through those experiences on my own and get a feeling of what he meant."

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'I wanted to be independent'

“He was also nervous about the lifestyle there,” Jonson said. “Many young people back there got into trouble with teenage pregnancy and drugs. He was always worried something would happen to me. Both of my parents were overprotective, and I was stubborn in my own right and hard-headed. I wanted an explanation from them as to why I couldn’t make my own choices at that age. I wanted to be independent and be with people my age and go through my own experiences.”

Jonson believes the second time in her native country was the best thing that ever happened to her.

“I understood my parents more and I could relate to what they were saying,” Jonson said. “I was there for seven years for school, and I became closer with my grandmother, as I lived with her the entire time that I was over there. She gave me that trust and freedom and I never broke it. I would go on to live with her until she passed away, and then I went back to see my family in America.”

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After coming back to the United States with a degree in economics, Jonson had trouble finding a job.

“I had the knowledge, but not the experience,” Jonson said. “Many places that I applied to did not think that the longevity was there. They were not going to hire someone that they thought would leave in a couple of months. It all just came down to being overqualified.”

Her mother recommended she go back to school.

“I took some loans out and studied courses that included (information technology) programs, in addition to other programs offered by the government,” Jonson said. “I saw something that interested me, which was the Financial Institute of Technology.

"I learned how to work in the financial field and with a teacher that was a certified broker," she continued. "I also learned to use a computer, which really intrigued me. I passed an exam that determined whether I would receive government funding. I ended up graduating in 1997 and then I got help in applying for jobs as well.”

Jonson had a growing desire to move to New York City.

“I got the New York bug,” Jonson said. “I started working for a company that was the largest manufacturer of baby clothes for about three and half years. I wanted to do something different after that. I got a job as an assistant for Glenhill Capital. I worked there for 21 years and that turned out to be my career, until COVID-19 closed our operation down."

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Finding America's Cup

“I always thought that I would retire with Glen Hill, but after we closed, I had to reassess my life,” Jonson said. “My husband and I needed to work because we were not rich, and we had to provide for our daughter. I decided that I wanted to open a coffee shop, but I wasn’t sure how much it would cost me to realize my vision. I started looking at established businesses and I eventually landed on my now location in Asbury Park, which was, at the time, America’s Cup.”

The America's Cup owner, Ross Blanco, was looking to get out of the business. “The original owner wanted me to make my own name for myself from taking over this business,” Jonson said. “He was more comfortable sticking with me because I wanted to keep the shop looking the way it was from the beginning.”

Jonson opened the renamed Art of the Bean and Leaf in January 2022, where, as the name suggests, she sells coffees, teas and pastries.

“I sell coffees, cappuccinos, lattes and mochaccinos,” Jonson said. “I sell The Dirty Jersey, which is a chai espresso with chocolate and milk. I also make a red velvet latte, which is also a very big seller. I have a signature latte, The Morning After, which is a flavor with sugar-free vanilla and a shot of espresso and milk and The Afternoon After, which is hazelnut with espresso and milk.”

Jonson foresees a bright future.

“My plans include growing it out, but also possibly have another location,” Jonson said. “What we have right now is the heart of the business. It’s not just a coffee shop. I want it to be a place where people can gather and forget their troubles for a good hour or two. I want my customers to find a place where they can relax.”

The Art of the Bean and Leaf

Location: 633 Cookman Ave., Asbury Park

Owner: Nancy Jonson

Website: facebook.com/artofbeanandleaf/

Phone: 732-988-2000

Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: The Art of the Bean and Leaf owner has plans for Asbury Park shop