Eric LeGrand's Woodbridge Coffee Shop May Open This Summer

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — Last Monday, Woodbridge's own Eric LeGrand donated a selection of his signature gourmet coffee roasts to hospital workers at Robert Wood Johnson Somerset, RWJ New Brunswick and Children’s Specialized Hospital.

The coffee donation was to thank doctors and nurses for their work in the coronavirus pandemic.

The coffee came from LeGrand Coffee House, the coffee brand LeGrand currently operates as an online-only business.

However, LeGrand is scheduled to open his first-ever brick-and-mortar coffee shop in Woodbridge, and it may open as early as this summer, according to his publicist. There is no set date yet.

As Patch previously reported, LeGrand's Coffee House will be located just steps away from the Woodbridge train station, at the new apartment building currently under construction at Rahway Ave. and Green Street.

These are the apartments going up at the former Lucas Chevrolet dealership property. It will consist of 232 luxury apartments and 12,000 square feet of retail space. LeGrand is their very first ground-floor retail tenant. The developer, Prism Capital Partners, is looking for other tenants to sign leases at the site.

At the time, an opening date for LeGrand's Woodbridge Coffee House was still far off, either later in 2021 or even in 2022.

"Now that the location is out there, I plan on doing some pretty cool stuff," LeGrand told NJ.com this past March. "Partnering with local businesses, maybe we'll have a Rutgers viewing party for a road game. I plan on having people rent it out for events after-hours (closing time will be 7 p.m.) — book clubs, open mic night, foundation meetings, whatever it is ... I'm so looking forward to putting that staple right there and bring this to my home community, hopefully bring some new faces to our town."

LeGrand grew up in Avenel and he still lives in the Woodbridge area. He was a football star at Colonia High School and went on to a promising Division 1 college career playing right down the road for Rutgers. However, it was during a 2010 Rutgers-Army game that absolute 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 paralyzed and uses a wheelchair.

LeGrand's story has been used to illustrate a growing awareness about the dangers of football. But many find him to be an inspiration for not letting adversity hold you back, and he is beloved for his positive mindset.

Prior: Eric LeGrand To Open Coffee Shop By Woodbridge Train Station (March 2021)

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