Charmed by Claire Offers Jewelry, Accessories

Claire Morris fell in love with Cranbury when she and her family moved from California to central New Jersey 16 years ago, and even though they decided to live in a different town, Cranbury was her first choice when it came to opening her women’s boutique, Charmed by Claire. 

“I call the town my Norman Rockwell world,” Morris said. “Business in Princeton was flourishing, so of course I looked there, but my heart belonged to Cranbury. It didn’t have the same kind of foot traffic that Princeton did, but I knew that if I built it, they would come.”

And indeed they have come. Charmed by Claire on Cranbury’s Main Street is like a candy store for women, a destination shopping experience for anyone looking for jewelry, whimsical gifts and clothing for the women they love or for themselves.

The store has an extensive selection of Vera Bradley handbags and accessories, along with the popular Pandora and Brighton jewelry lines and one-of-a-kind pieces from American artisans.

“I pride myself on having something for everyone,” Morris said. “In this economy, someone can come in and purchase something for five dollars or consider endless possibilities.”  

It was working with small business owner accounts at Merrill Lynch 11 years ago that made Morris understand the challenges and rewards of being a small business owner.  

“I realized I wasn’t made for corporate America and I was a round circle trying to push myself into square peg,” she said. “I also realized that you are never too old to find your passion. I knew I loved working with people and loved unique items. The light bulb went off when I saw that all of these small business owners that I was working with had the same interests and passion that I did. And that made me start thinking about what I love and finding something new to do around that.”

She made jewelry, so she started selling her own work out of her home, along with pieces made by individual women who also were artisans. She did that for three years before she worked up the courage to go out looking for a brick-and-mortar building to house her business.

Her first store on Cranbury’s Main Street, at only 300 square feet, was tiny, but it was enough to get her started. She quickly expanded into a space next door but discovered that she was still bursting at the seams with merchandise and customers. In 2009, she moved into her current location just down the street, a space ten times larger than her original space.

Morris says she is grateful for the success she has enjoyed and believes in giving back to the community. She partners with local non-profits and organizations to run special events where she gives a percentage of the sales back to the organization.

This will mark the third holiday season she has partnered with the local Brownie and Girl Scout troops selling ornaments. She underwrites the cost of production and the girls personalize the ornaments. They sell for five dollars each and 100 percent of the money goes directly back to the scouts. 

“We are lucky to have what we have and I am blessed to be surrounded by great people at the store and at home,” Morris said. “I believe that if everybody did something to help other people, what a wonderful world it would be.”   

Looking back at her life in corporate America, Morris says she would do it all over again, despite the long hours and the challenges that come with being a small business owner, including the 24/7 level of commitment that it demands.

“Every day I have at least one person who walks in the door who reminds me why I’m in this business,” she said. “Whether it’s somebody coming in for a special gift or somebody who is struggling and knows there is somebody here who will listen, you feel like there are people who have been sent to you divinely. Owning this store and running this business, I get to do something I love and make a living at the same time. How blessed am I.”