One visit. That’s all it takes to be a believer in the magic that exists in a small shop in Towaco. Landauer Cafe is a place that claims to simply sell German-style baked goods and chocolates, most made on-site. But the quality that oozes from everything here is because of the magic that owner Christina Renfer puts into it. All of it. It all comes from her hands.
“One of my customers gave me the greatest compliment I’ve had in a long time. She said, ‘you know, Christina, coming here is like coming home.” To Christina, the people who come in are her family.
This is not an isolated opinion. There is a sense of community in this small shop. And a community almost literally sprung from it.
When she opened her cafe, there was nothing around. It was a dilapidated building. People thought she was a little crazy opening up in such an overlooked location. But she saw magic in this place, so she got to work. And not just on her home-baked cookies or handmade truffles. She was bringing that magic to the town itself.
It was from here that she began the Towaco Civic Association back in 2004, an organization that continues to serve the businesses of the area today. And that ignored passthrough evolved into part of the beautiful hub it is today, across from the Towaco train station and Rails Steakhouse, at the very heart of Towaco. In March, Landauer will be here in the heart of it all for 20 years.
Christina is more than just a resource for the history and business landscape of Towaco. She’s a treasure.
“When it really matters, when people are in trouble, and they don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring, this community - all of them - came together for the shops. When everything was forced to shut down, I posted movies of everything I was doing inside (instagram.com/landauercafe/). And they were there. They came to support us. This is the most important thing,” Christina declares. “Because when it mattered, they came. That’s something that I’ll never forget and I’m very grateful for.”
“I chose to self-quarantine for 100 days - from March 17, 2020 through Mother’s Day - to make sure people could trust me with their food. They could trust me with their lives. People weren’t going to Shop Rite, but they were coming to Landauer, with no contact. I had to be transparent with them. People put in an effort to come here — they need to know how much that was appreciated.”
Landauer Cafe isn’t something that Christina operates on a whim. She didn’t simply open a store, any store, just to support herself and her family. She pours herself into this place. The treats she prepares, the special coffees she pours, the food she serves, it’s all done with care. With pride. It’s an extension of who she is. She expects quality from what she brings in to make sure that she’s delivering quality in what she serves to her customers. Even those who are just passing by, stopping for a quick sweet indulgence or specialty coffee — you know, those people who just don’t know that they’re family. Not yet. But by the time they do, they know that they’ll be back.
Because there’s something magical about coming home, even if it’s for the very first time.
For more about Landauer, visit landauercafe.com and visit them at 632 Route 202, Towaco.