“It’s going to be good”: PJ’s Coffee Natchez on US 61 near Stine will open in December or January
Posted at 4:13 p.m. on Tuesday, September 20, 2022
NATCHEZ – If all goes as planned, PJ’s Coffee’s Natchez will open in December or January 2023.
Tance Hughes, his brother Seth Hughes and Dallas Morris own the franchise, which will be located near Stine and Miss-Lou Family Dentistry at 112 US 61 South. The location once housed a Smoothie King.
Hughes, owner of Southern Designs in the former Kmart building on John R. Junkin Drive, originally planned to locate PJ’s Coffee in this area. However, as often happens, plans changed and the current location became available.
“Nothing happens in time,” Hughes said. “December is what all our people say. If someone asks me, I say January.
PJ’s Coffee Natchez will offer drive-thru and walk-in coffee and catering service. In addition to its famous PJ’s Coffee, the shop will offer donuts, pastries and lunch and dinner sandwiches.
Hughes, when looking for a franchise, was attracted to PJ’s Coffee because its coffee is direct purchased.
“PJ’s works directly with farms in Honduras and Nicaragua and imports coffee beans, which are sent directly to PJ’s in New Orleans and roasted there and sent directly to stores,” Hughes said.
Other such cafes buy coffee from different vendors and therefore don’t have control over the quality of PJ’s Coffee, Hughes said.
“Essentially, it comes straight from the farm. It’s a better product overall. And also because they work directly with the farm, they pay a little more for the coffee beans and create a better quality of life for the people who work on the farms,” he said.
Hughes said he received approval for exterior plans and colors on Tuesday. He said opening would be a little closer before he starts hiring staff and he’s not sure how many staff he’ll need.
According to Facebook, the Natchez branch of PJ’s Coffee will open no later than 6 a.m.
Hughes said the focus is now on getting the social media pages up and running and starting to collect followers.
“It’s going to be good,” Hughes said.
PJ’s was founded in New Orleans in 1978 by Phyllis Jordan. PJ’s Coffee serves a wide variety of hot, iced and frozen coffee drinks, organic tea, fresh breakfast and lunch sandwiches, freshly fried New Orleans donuts and pastries freshly baked on site, reports its website.