Who We Are

Courtlyn is the second generation of Coffee Corral, taking over the business just two years after Coffee Corral was initially opened by her father. Courtlyn brought the energy, innovation, and vision to propel the store forward to what it is today. While naturally committed to the coffee side of the business, Courtlyn’s main focus is on the service and community aspect of Coffee Corral.

Courtlyn is known as “the big picture”, in that she is always keeping an eye out for the next move and keeping Coffee Corral dreaming big. She is the silent contributor to the big changes or improvements that keep Coffee Corral unique and thriving; though, she spends more time behind the scenes then front and center. Courtlyn also doubles up as our event planner and coordinator and can be credited with the year-long schedule of events that take place in The Corral. It is safe to say Courtlyn’s touch is on all things Coffee Corral.

Courtlyn is deeply passionate about the community surrounding the store. Her favorite aspect of the business is all the good Coffee Corral is able to do because of the community around the stores. Courtlyn is the heart behind the multiple Dog Adoptions, Giving Tree, and fundraising efforts. While her heart has definitely gotten us into trouble at times, it also keeps Coffee Corral’s mission strong. She is a proud woman business owner and is dedicated to inspiring other young girls to dream even bigger.

When not working, Courtlyn can be found hiking or playing with her four Miniature Pinschers that are undoubtedly her four-legged children and the love of her life, Erich. Despite working lengthy hours, she manages to crush at least a book every week, and enjoys cooking and tending to her ever-growing collection of indoor plants. She loves to travel, and has had a new level of travel-inspiration sparked through origin trips visiting coffee producers in the more recent years. Hobbies and interests aside, at the core of Courtlyn is her passion for horses and riding. Since she began riding horses at the age of four, she has become an accomplished equestrian, excelling in both Hunters & Jumpers on the national level against some of the strongest competition in the country. If you ask Courtlyn why she works so hard, she’ll always tell you it is to keep her in the saddle!

Erich is the energy and breathe of fresh air Coffee Corral was missing before him; he keeps things fun and is loveable to a fault. Erich had initially started on the customer side of the counter at Coffee Corral, but after being asked on a date by Courtlyn in 2016 the rest quickly became history. After making a career change in early 2020 after Courtlyn & Erich married, Erich joined the Coffee Corral team full of energy and a fresh perspective.

Erich is known as “day to day”, staying in the moment and dealing with the day to day issues as they arise; ultimately keeping the business running as smooth as possible. Erich handles all of our green bean sourcing, roasting, profiling, and wholesale. He not only is credited with keeping the coffee tasting delicious, but keeps our roaster and true coffee operation running seamlessly. Erich’s laidback yet fun personality makes him easy to love and an awesome addition in both stores. He brings a casual, welcoming way that is genuine and rounds out the character of the stores. Despite excelling in the coffee itself, you can find Erich doing every job there is—from taking orders, to making drinks, keeping The Corral looking its’ best, and so, so much more. Coffee Corral simply wouldn’t be what it is without Erich and he is the epitome of what it takes to be a business owner. Although if you find him wondering around The Corral, let him know “Courtlyn said to get back to work!”.

When not at work, Erich also enjoys spending time with his four-legged children and Courtlyn. While he loves all of the dogs, his special boy is a rescued Min Pin, Bark Twain. Erich is an athlete in every sense of the word, and enjoys everything from spending time at the gym, playing soccer, surfing, running, and biking. If you have spent any time in Monmouth County’s local parks, you have undoubtedly passed Erich on a trail while he knocks out a casual twenty-plus mile run, or is hiking with Courtlyn and the dogs. He has recently started training for and running Ultra Marathons, taking his commitment and level of fitness to a whole new level. He is always down to talk fitness, gear, or cars and easily becomes friends with everyone who he meets.

Rich found himself entering the door of Coffee Corral in the summer of 2017 with a warm welcome after coming from possibly the worst job at “Dunkin Gonuts” with a normie level knowledge of coffee into a whole new world of specialty coffee.

Rich enjoys getting chatty Kathy with his favorite customers about new places to eat, drink, fishing, and their crazy day-to-day stories. As for the coffee, his go-to drinks are a light roast pour-over and espresso, lots and lots of espresso.

Rich is big into music, so he loves going to as many shows as possible where you can find him throwing down in the pit. He enjoys hitting the gym, going for hikes, checking out new coffee shops and breweries, reading comics, working on my graphic design studies, and Skateboarding.

Rich is an integral part of keeping all aspects of Coffee Corral running smoothly, from the bar, to equipment, to the coffee, and leading the teams at both stores. He is always great for a fresh idea and innovation, and brings a unique artistic eye to the team. He is loved not only by customers, but by his team and does an amazing job of keeping a friendly and fun environment in the stores. Without a doubt, Rich makes working fun!

Jess is a livelong Monmouth County Beach girl, growing up locally with her parents, two sisters, and her 14-year old German Shepard, Max and her (borrowed) Welsh pony, Delilah.

Jess loves to travel and can be found visiting Disney at least yearly, if not more. However, she would also love to explore Europe as well. Jess also enjoys baking and hitting up shows on Broadway. Her ultimate life goals include reading 100 books every year, preferably on a beach, and appearing on and winning Jeopardy.

Jess didn’t drink coffee before she started working at Coffee Corral, though she has certainly crossed the line to “coffee geek & aficionado” since joining the team in 2018. Despite her expansive coffee knowledge and palate, she still thoroughly enjoys tea, too. Though, her go-to coffee is an Oat Milk Latte with Cinnamon and Honey.

Jess is the sunshine of Coffee Corral. She has a uniquely special way of making everyone feel like a long-time friend, and always knows everybody’s name and regular order. Undoubtedly, Jess holds Coffee Corral to the highest of customer service standards. She manages at both stores and keeps all aspects of the stores running smoothly with the best of service. Having Jess on your team is like getting first pick for your soccer team in elementary school—you know you’re going to win!

Jess’s favorite part of work is the customers, friends, and community.