A Beautiful, Charmed Life: Morristown Business to Close After 44 Years

There it sits on Speedwell Avenue, a specialty shop like none other. It has stood the test of time, watched generations grow and helped countless customers look and feel better about themselves.

But now it’s time for retirement. So Jim and Bessie Broome, owners of Beauty Charm Company, will close the doors on their specialty shop on Aug. 23 after more than four decades in business.

Jim Broome showed up to northern New Jersey in the early 1960s with $40 in his pockets and a job with the Lock Joint Pipe Company. A chance meeting with a wig wholesaler led Broome back to school, where he became an expert in hair replacement, custom hairpieces and styling.

He then worked door-to-door, saving up enough money to open retail spaces. He did just that, with locations in Newark, East Orange and Morristown – the store that lasted the longest.

“We tried to be the friendliest place in town by offering personalized service that we hoped would build our customers’ trust,” Broome said in a statement. “We always tried to get people to smile. A robot can’t give you a hug or talk to you.”

With the average Morristown business’s lifespan lasting just 15 years, the Broome’s store had an impressive run.

“It’s time for us to take some time and enjoy life now,” said Jim’s wife Bessie. The couple plans to travel and spend time with their 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

“I’m proud that we’ve been able to make a living while providing a service that made people feel and look better,” Jim Broome said. “We’ve been very blessed.”