PJ’s Coffee is prepping to set up shop in North Richland Hills.
Coming to 5555 Rufe Snow Dr, suite 100, the new location will bring the New Orleans brand another step closer to its goal of opening a total of 180 stores across the Lone Star State.
An opening date has not yet been announced as the location is in the final stages of getting its drive thru permit approved. But franchise owner Andrew Browning says a summer 2022 opening is his goal. Along with a drive thru, the 2,292-square-foot location will include an outside patio to seat 16 guests.
“When the pandemic hit March 2020 it gave me time to sit and think about ways to get back to my entrepreneurial ways,” Browning shared when asked what attracted him to franchise with PJ’s Coffee. “I searched long and hard for something I would be passionate about and I kept coming back to community.”
When Browning, who attended Tulane University in New Orleans, found out a former teammate and his brothers had bought the whole company of PJ’s, he knew that he had found the right product and business. It’s also pretty neat that the cross street he’s opening his location at, Browning Dr, carries his last name.
“If you have ever been to New Orleans then you know the food, coffee and beignets are amazing and to be able to bring that to Texas was a no brainer,” Browning said.
Through his company, Browning Hospitalities LLC, Browning has agreed to open three PJ’s Coffee locations with a goal to open a total of six. He is planning to use his opportunity as a franchise owner to give back to the community and his employees. One such way he is giving back is through a program he started called “To College and Thru College” to encourage young adults to attend and graduate from college.
“Any high school barista that works for me a minimum of 9 months and has reviews of 4.5 or better, graduates high school with a minimum GPA of 3.5 and has an acceptance letter to college will receive $1,000 scholarship from my company,” Browning explained. “After their first semester in college if their GPA is above 3.5, they get an additional $1,000 scholarship… But that’s not all. If they graduate college in four years, they get $2,000 final scholarship money and if they graduate in five years, they receive $1,000 final scholarship money.
“My hope is I’m able to impress upon those young adults how important it is to invest in themselves and show them that as an employer and mentor I’m investing in them and their futures. I am beyond excited about this endeavor and being part of the North Richland Hills community,” Browning said.
Founded in 1978 by Phyllis Jordan (yep, that’s where the PJ comes from!), the brand serves a wide variety of iced, frozen, hot, cold brew, and nitro-infused coffees using only the top one percent of Arabica beans, as well as organic tea and fresh breakfast pastries.
PJ’s famous iced coffees are brewed daily using a special cold-drip process that protects the flavor and strength of the beans, while producing a coffee that is two thirds less acidic – a process that was pioneered decades ago by Jordan.
Some locations also sell beignets and king cake by the slice. The brand’s favorited seasonal drink is the King Cake Latte – a Mardi Gras favorite made with rich Espresso Dolce and steamed milk, flavored with vanilla and cinnamon, and then topped with whipped cream and purple sanding sugar. There’s also the cold brews – King Cake Protein Velvet Ice and Zulu Coconut Iced Mocha.
The brand began its North Texas expansion in 2020 when it opened its McKinney location on W University Dr. Since then, it has opened shops in Euless, Grand Prairie, Northlake, and North Dallas on Midway Rd.
David Mesa, chief development officer for PJ’s, told The Dallas Morning News in 2021 that the brand’s strategy for its DFW expansion is “working from out in” – meaning they create a base in the fast-growing suburbs before signing leases in Dallas proper.
Note: This article has been updated since its original publication to include comment from the owner.
