The Cornerstone Commerce Center in Linwood is home to the first PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans in South Jersey. From the first step in the front door, there is something brewing to entice your tastebuds. Owners Wayne and Jean Heaton, local officials, new customers, and friends cut the ribbon recently on their completely remodeled coffee shop.
The Heaton’s recently retired from the healthcare industry. The nature of Wayne’s work required him to travel frequently from his Brigantine home to Philadelphia and surrounding areas. “To avoid traffic, I would leave home very early and find myself a nice coffee shop, and I would sit, open my laptop, and do some work while I enjoyed a cup of coffee until it was time for my meeting. I found that I really liked the sense of community that exists in a neighborhood coffee shop; they are welcoming, and people are friendly,” said Wayne.
That friendly atmosphere stuck in Wayne’s mind as he and Jean began searching for their next act. Wayne is a West Point Military Academy graduate, and while tailgating at an Army-Navy game last year, he crossed paths with a fellow West Point alum who is part of the PJ’s organization in the New Orleans Headquarters. The more they talked, the more it felt like PJs would be a great fit. The parent company provides franchisees with a business consultant to help them navigate any challenges that may pop up when starting a new business.
Both Wayne and Jean liked the care, craftsmanship, and consistency that goes into every cup brewed at PJ’s. Wayne explained what makes PJ’s coffee stand out is the consistency of flavor. “It is special at PJs because we are a farm-to-table with our coffee. The beans are not from distributors; they come from a direct trade with several farms in Central and South America. We like the idea that the coffee we serve is grown sustainably and supports family farms that are able to pay workers a fair wage.”
Cold brew is extremely popular. PJ’s founder, Phyllis Jordan, is the originator of cold brew. She came up with the concept of allowing water and coffee beans to steep for 24 hours. The steeping allows the coffee to pull in the flavor and removes two-thirds of the acidity. Jean and Wayne Heaton said their two daughters prefer iced coffee to hot. When they tasted PJ’s signature cold brew, they agreed it was the best coffee flavor they had ever tried.
All of the beans used in PJ’s coffees are consistent. The beans are roasted in small batches where the heat is controlled to ensure a medium roast with a full body flavor and a smooth finish. “Because of this attention to the roasting, we are able to guarantee a consistent flavor,” added Wayne.
brings a little sweet touch of New Orleans right to the customer: beignets. “These lightly fried soft, pillowy clouds are dusted with powdered sugar to be perfectly small, sweet, and tasty,” said Jean Heaton. She added that tea drinkers are welcome at PJ’s, as the shop offers several tea blends.
So, something sweet and tasty to go with that delicious cup of coffee or glass of cold brew may be in order. PJ’s Coffee has something that might be a perfect pairing that
Other breakfast or lunch options include items on a bagel such as sausage, egg, and cheese or bacon, egg, and cheese. You can grab a spinach and feta croissant or strawberry cream croissant. There are muffins and scones. Try a turkey and Swiss cheese on a Cuban roll, a club sandwich for lunch, or maybe a cookie with that latte.
There are coffees available all the time and PJ’s offers seasonal flavors that are a big hit. Through the winter holidays, flavors like peppermint bark or butter rum are sure to please, and don’t hesitate to try the cookie dough latte. It is delicious from the first sip to the last drop.
Aside from coffees, PJ’s offers latte, expresso, hot brew, cold brew, granitas, smoothies, velvet ices, and organic teas. Customers can order their beverages to meet the “Eat Fit” standards. Tell your barista to make your beverage “eat fit, ” meaning no sugar will be added to your coffee or tea. There will be less than one teaspoon of added sugar in your smoothie or blended coffee drinks. Eat Fit also means there will be fat-free milk in your beverage instead of 2% or whole milk.
Wayne and Jean are excited about PJ’s app for customers’ phones, which is being developed and rolled out soon. Wayne explained that customers can order ahead on the app, and someone will bring the coffee or whatever is on the order to the car. “By the time they pull up in their red sports car, we will be right there to hand them their order.” For the customer who would like to come in and sit down and relax, the Heaton’s have you covered at PJ’s. But for the customer hurrying to work, they have you covered as well by using their soon-to-be-released app.
Gift cards and whole coffee beans, mugs, T-shirts, and more are available. Community is a big part of PJ’s, and they will partner with local organizations and groups to help foster that sense of community. Discounts are offered for veterans and teachers. “We want to be where coffee meets community,” concluded Wayne Heaton.
Follow PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans on Facebook and Instagram. They are located at 1201 New Road in Linwood, suite 105, facing New Road. The hours are 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 6 a.m.-2 p.m. on weekends.