'Jerseylicious' Films at Savory Spice Shop Saturday

Just a month after served as the setting for ABC's '?' another East Broad Street business was selected as the location of choice for a television show.

Jackie Mittelhammer, who owns with her sister Becky Solheim, said they were contacted last week by the producers of the reality show 'Jerseylicious' to discuss filming in the shop on Saturday.

The show, which follows the lives of the employees of The Gatsby Salon, located in Green Brook, airs on the Style Network, with reruns viewable on Bravo. The salon underwent a multi-million dollar renovation before the series began filming in 2009.

"The producer called us on Thursday to run the idea by us," Mittelhammer said. "We were very excited. But then realized how taping in the middle of a busy Saturday could be met with many challenges."

Nutall said producers tarped the front of the shop for about an hour or so.

"Yes, on a Saturday afternoon," Mittelhammer said. "I was having a heart-attack! So people either thought we closed or were under construction. But they were trying to simulate a night scene, and at least it didn't take too long."

Mittelhammer said the production crew was amazing.  

"They set up, filmed, cleaned and put our store back together all within about an hour or so. I know they'll be back to shoot some night time scenes of the outside of our shop, too," she said.

Despite losing a bit of business on what is typically one of Savory's busiest days of the week, the co-owner said it was "really interesting seeing all the behind-the-scenes" work that goes into the production.

"We had Tracy and Gigi here filming a scene where they were trying to plan a dinner that Tracy was going to cook," Mittelhammer said. "Apparently, she's a very challenged cook, haha."

The entrepreneur explained how the spice emporium was "discovered."

"Some of the shows producers have shopped in our store before, so they knew of us," she said. "The producer said they thought of us when they began developing the idea for the scene. We were very excited that they even thought of us and were happy to be a part of a locally-filmed show."

Mittelhammer said she and her sister were told the piece will air on Episode 19 of the 20 episodes this season, most likely just before summer begins.

"We'll get a more definite date from the producer when we speak this week I think," Mittelhammer said. "We may get some nice exposure from this. Now we just can't wait for it to air!"