Jay’s Crazed Confections has opened up his “Off Boardwalk Concessions” location inside the Voorhees Town Center mall, offering cotton candy, gourmet flavored popcorns and clusters, chocolates and chocolate bars, sno-cones, and on “FRY-day” Fridays he offers funnel cake and fried Oreos!
The location in the Voorhees Town Center (Echelon mall to us older folks) is in the area of the food court but closer to the center steps. You may remember the kiosk area was a fresh cookie bakery at one time.
Owner Jay (who lives in Voorhees!), likes to say that he “traffics in smiles”! All of his transactions are based around a fun and delicious experience, which for most brings back memories of the boardwalk, carnivals and good times with their families… and smiles.
Now I know what you’re thinking… the Voorhees Town Center is not what it used to be, but Jay tells me he’s been very pleasantly surprised with the foot traffic he gets inside the center.
There are a few businesses open inside the mall including Boscov’s and Bath and Body Works, several non-profit groups, as well as the Voorhees municipal offices and Camden County store. And yes many still just like to walk the mall even if there are more empty stores than open.
And when Jay starts making his popcorn, caramel dipping sauces, funnel cakes or chocolates… the aroma fills the mall and pulls people in.
Jay has a successful confectionary business on weekend where he brings his sweet treats to festivals, events, parties and even weddings.
The Voorhees Town Center location is a perfect fit for him as he currently is open at the mall Monday through Friday 10am-7pm. As the weekend festival season winds down and the holiday shopping picks up, he may add weekend hours.
To be honest, Jay himself wasn’t really sure what to expect from the Voorhees Town Center when he signed on. But he needed a commercial space to create his Jay’s Crazed Confections, and thought if he was going to pay rent for a “kitchen”, he might as well go with a location that has the potential for direct retail sales.
And while its only been a few weeks, he has been very happy with the results at the Voorhees Town Center since opening.
Off Boardwalk Concessions – Voorhees Town Center and Your Event
Owner Jay actually has two different but related businesses in play here.
Jay’s Crazed Confessions are the sweet treats that he creates; from delicious chocolates to the gourmet popcorn.
Off Boardwalk Concessions is an expanded version of that initial chocolate and gourmet popcorn business, where he added additional deliciously fun items like cotton candy and funnel cakes so that he could bring the boardwalk experience to events, parties and even your wedding!
And now he also has a homebase at the Voorhees Town Center!
Jay has come to this business in a unique way, leaving behind a career that many will find surprising!
His sweet tooth based business has been in operation for several years, and prior to that Jay was a successful local real estate attorney!
The humble beginnings of his growing candy empire starts with simply being a caring dad and trying to help his daughter enjoy some of her favorite candies… while cautiously managing her food allergies.
Feeling that it was just too risky to trust manufacturer’s ingredients lists, Jay started making his own treats for his daughter, such as his now signature caramel popcorn.
Jay soon turned those initial efforts into a side business where on weekends he would travel to different town festivals and fairs selling his chocolates, popcorns and other treats.
A few years later as the pandemic was upon us all, the family was planning an outdoor party for his daughter, who asked if she could have a cotton candy machine.
She was really asking for more of a toy sized one, but Jay being in the candy business researched cotton candy machines and found out two things:
- First, cotton candy machines aren’t really that expensive.
- Two, people REALLY love cotton candy, especially when the “cones” are made right in front of them. It’s fun to watch!
But back to his daughter’s party!
With the pandemic restricting people’s abilities to go into restaurants and stores and wanting to give his daughter something to do when so many things were shut-down, Jay made a deal with his young daughter to bring her in as a partner.
If she would buy the cotton candy machine, he’d buy all of the supplies, and together they could work the fairs and outdoor events that were still taking place during the pandemic. The two would split the cotton candy profits 50/50.
Well as I already hinted at… it turns out selling cotton candy at events and parties was a very successful item for them!
Which is where the second brand started evolving… ”Off Boardwalk Concessions”.
They quickly added snow cones, lemonade, more varieties of popcorn and other delicious treats.
Jay can bring the full boardwalk snack experience right to your house party, event or town festival!
He shares that to boost the business in the beginning, friends around South Jersey would sponsor “Off the Boardwalk” to come into their neighborhoods and set up their stand… and sell product to the neighborhood families while also spreading word of the business.
The delicious candies and popcorn, and the curiousness of watching a cotton candy cone be created… lead them to a new successful business.
Quickly things shifted to being more of an event and party based business, selling the experience and fun of “Off Boardwalk”.
With his daughter now focused on school and friends again, it’s primarily a one man show with three different ways of reaching customers!
Off The Boardwalk Cafe – Yes Moments
Jay describes his day as “Yes Moments”.
When a family is in the Voorhees Town Center and approach his stand and a child says “Mommy can I have a cotton candy?” and the answer is “Yes”… There are smiles all around! And that’s what he calls a Yes moment.
Jay loved being an attorney and found many wonderful moments in that career, but being a “Sugar Pusher” (as he describes himself) just brings a different level of enjoyment.
But everything is all balanced so that he can successfully run the Voorhees store, create his confections, and attend weekend festivals.
A new addition to Off Boardwalk is customers can come into the Voorhees Town Center and make their own candy bars! Check with Jay for details and pricing.
With the holiday season approaching Jay can also create custom holiday gifts and even custom candy bars for a unique and perfect gift for your friends, or business.
So if you are shopping in Boscov’s at the Voorhees Town Center, pop into Bath and Body Works, or have business with the Municipal offices… walk down and say hi to Jay, and bring home some treats for the family!
Voorhees Town Center
Now I’ll close with some comments on the Voorhees Town Center, as I am sure people reading this are going to have comments and questions on the Facebook share.
I’ll likely do a more focused article on the current plans for Voorhees Town Center. Several years ago there were plans in motion to sell the property to a new developer who was interested in a new direction for the mall.. but the pandemic cancelled those plans.
So I will summarize by saying yes Boscov’s is still open and appears to be doing very well. The other national retail brand in the facility is Bath and Body Works, which is located on the first floor below the Voorhees municipal offices.
A few fitness oriented businesses are in the mall as well as a variety of nonprofit organizations targeted at helping children with drama or just having a place to hang out.
The Voorhees municipal offices are on the second floor as are is Camden County store. A Neurological health facility also calls the Voorhees Town Center Home.
And a large independent furniture store is getting ready up to take over a big portion of the former Macy’s Department store space. I also believe an additional food vendor or two may be coming in.
But more on that at a later date.
Links and Locations
Jay Crazed Confections – Off Boardwalk Concessions
Voorhees Town Center – Food Court Area
Voorhees NJ
Hours are Monday – Friday; 10am – 7pm.
Weekend hours may be added later in the year.