Eric LeGrand Will Open Middletown Coffee Shop This Spring

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — An Eric LeGrand Coffee House will open this spring in Middletown.

LeGrand is the former Rutgers football defensive tackle who became paralyzed in a 2010 Rutgers vs. Army football game. After his life-altering injury, he returned to Woodbridge, where he grew up and where he still lives to this day. In 2021, LeGrand became an entrepreneur and opened a coffee shop on the ground floor of the Avenue & Green luxury apartment building (10 Green Street) near the Woodbridge train station.

The opening of his new coffee shop in Middletown is his first expansion outside of Woodbridge. A LeGrand Coffee House will open in the Middletown ShopRite Plaza on Rt. 35, he announced.

They are targeting a spring 2026 opening; an exact date was not given yet.

"For quite some time now, I have been getting asked, 'Are you going to open up more LeGrand Coffee House’s?' Well, I’m super proud to announce that LeGrand Coffee House will be officially opening up in Middletown in Spring 2026!!!" LeGrand posted to his 146,000 followers on his Facebook account Thursday morning.

"It is not easy running a small business, and I have to put my trust in a lot of people since I physically cannot do it myself," he continued. "I can’t thank my staff and the people behind the scenes at our first location enough for all of their hard work, creating a space for people to enjoy great coffee, feeling comfortable while there and leaving satisfied."

"My partners (who were customers) and I are excited to continue to bring unity to the community with A Daily Cup of bELieve to Middletown and welcome all of you through our doors."

LeGrand grew up in the Avenel section of Woodbridge. He was a football standout at Colonia High School and went on to a promising D1 college career playing right down the road for Rutgers. However, it was during a 2010 Rutgers-Army game that tragedy stuck: LeGrand took a hard hit and suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury.

At the time, LeGrand recalled lying on the Rutgers football field, unable to breathe and thinking he was going to die. He is now a quadriplegic and uses a wheelchair.

LeGrand's story has been used to illustrate a growing awareness about the dangers of football.

LeGrand has expanded into other products: In 2023 he launched a bourbon line, saying that bourbon and coffee are two of his favorite drinks. His bourbon is called Eric LeGrand Kentucky Straight Bourbon. LeGrand and business partner Brian Axelrod donate $5.20 of every case sold to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, which is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury and improving quality of life for individuals and families impacted by paralysis. To date, the LeGrand team has raised close to $2 million for spinal cord research.

He also at one point created a short-lived beer, partnering with Bolero Snort Brewery in Carlstadt to create BULLIEVE, a coffee blonde ale made with his signature Costa Rican beans from his coffee business.

LeGrand says he still loves the game of football. He's also a motivational speaker and has done sports analysis for ESPN, Sirius, the Big Ten Network and Rutgers radio.

https://legrandcoffeehouse.com... His Woodbridge coffee shop is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week. Hours are unknown for his new Middletown store.

He sells his coffee online through Instagram and the shop's website: https://legrandcoffeehouse.com...

Visit www.ericlegrandwhiskey.com and follow them on Instagram @legrandwhiskey.