New Cape Coral coffeehouse will feature taste of New Orleans, including fresh beignets

The flavor of The Big Easy is coming to Cape Coral.

PJ’s Coffee is bringing its beignets, New Orleans sandwiches, award-winning coffee and even king cake to Cape Coral Commons.

It will join Crumbl Cookies, First Watch, Mission BBQ and Firehouse Subs at the former Circle-K site on the northwest corner of Pine Island Road and Del Prado Boulevard.

“We feel like we picked a good spot,” said Susan Wright, who co-owns this franchise with partner Mike Herren. “We started looking a couple of years ago.”

Restaurant news:Popular downtown Fort Myers ice cream, coffee shop reopens in new location

They bought a house in Cape Coral in 2021, “before we signed a lease (for PJ’s), putting the cart before the horse.”

Wright was one of the first six people to start opening stores for Five Guys and was the fast-food chain’s Florida regional manager for 15 years. In 2008, she opened Five Guys Coral Walk in the Target-anchored plaza on Pine Island Road, just a mile away from PJ’s.

“I remember there was nothing here,” she said. “I hoped it would grow. Lo and behold, it took off. That franchise did well.”

Before her career with Five Guys, Wright was a design and construction director for PJ’s.

“I wanted to be a coffee shop owner, but had little kids,” she said. “I just wasn’t the right time. For me, building this store is a dream come true.”

The culmination of that dream is just a couple of weeks away.

Wright is looking at training her staff this week or next at the latest.

“We are all hired up,” she said. “We have an awesome team. We found some really great people. Baristas and shift leads — they are the ones who will build the business. They are all local.

“We are shooting to open Memorial Day weekend, if not right after by June 1.”

Beignets and beyond on the menu

When it does open, customers will find fresh-baked pastries, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, coffee, teas, smoothies, Red Bull-infused energy drinks and more.

“Bakery items are baked fresh every day,” Wright said. “Nothing comes in frozen. We are going to have beignets, New Orleans sandwiches, king cakes during king case season, muffulettas, cake balls that are married to our flavored coffee lines. All of it is made fresh every day. Order a sandwich and it will be made to order. Nothing is sitting around.”

PJ’s is known for its beignets and coffee.

“Our beignets stand alone,” Wright said. “I think they are better than Café Du Monde’s (French Market Coffee Stand in New Orleans). Drive through and we can give you a dozen in less than six minutes.”

The Granita — a frozen coffee drink with cold brew, espresso, milk and sugar — “like a slushie dressed up however you want” is a popular order “with a lot of caffeine” at PJ’s.

The iced coffee uses a cold-drip process that produces less acidic coffee.

“The espresso is really yummy,” Wright said. “And to me, the cold brew is the best. No one does it like we do. We spend more money on our products than our competitors. You can taste it.”

Customers come first

Customers can choose indoor or patio seating or opt for the drive-thru.

“We will have hand-held POS (point of sale systems) in the drive-thru for more than four cars," Wright said. "That way you won’t be out there for more than four or five minutes.”

Go inside and you’ll find baristas as well as a new AI technology in the form of a self-kiosk.

“If you don’t know what you want, go to a side (kiosk) and take your time to figure it out,” Wright said. “Order your food when you’re ready. It takes all the pressure off.”

That care for customers will also be found all around Wright’s coffeehouse — in the cleanliness, safety and community feel of it.

“I want people to know we care,” Wright said. “It’s in all we do. We are a brand franchise, but we’ve been able to keep it all about family. When we sell a bag of coffee, we teach you about it — how to grind the beans, brew it, how to enjoy it.

“It’s all about customers and small business. We will never get away from that.”

Wright plans to hold a grand opening celebration with a “big announcement” about three months after the initial opening.

A fast-growing area

This is the second PJ’s Coffee to open in Florida, with the first “in a gas station in Largo.”

 “PJ’s is not really known around here,” Wright said. “This one is considered a pioneer in the market. There’s a lot of excitement building.”

Wright was considering retirement when the opportunity for her own store came up.

“I really didn’t want to quit working,” she said. “I enjoy mentoring. This is totally up our alley. We may do more stores after this and we will have a food truck. We are from Chicago and are big pizza people. We will see what happens.”

In case you missed it:'Ultimate sports lodge' coming to Cape Coral: What we know

PJ’s Coffee New Orleans was founded by Phyllis Jordan in 1978 and has more than 160 locations operating nationwide. According to its website, 23 new stores opened in 2022, and Florida, Texas, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi are listed as fast-growing markets. For more information, go to pjscoffee.com.

PJ’s Coffee, 1519 NE Pine Island Road, Cape Coral; hours will be 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday to Sunday with days and hours subject to change; catering and delivery are also available; pjscoffee.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram.

Robyn George is a food and dining writer for The Fort Myers News-Press. Send scoops and news to rhgeorge@gannett.com.