Eric LeGrand To Open Coffee Shop By Woodbridge Train Station

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — It's official: Eric LeGrand is making the transition from Woodbridge high school football star to Woodbridge small-business owner.

LeGrand is opening a coffee shop in town, and it will be located just steps away from the Woodbridge train station.

LeGrand's Coffee House will be located at the new apartment building currently under construction at Rahway Ave. and Green Street, said a town spokesman.

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, said Woodbridge spokesman John Hagerty. The developer, Prism Capital Partners, is looking for other tenants to sign leases at the site.

However, Hagerty said an opening date for LeGrand's Coffee House is still far off, either later this year or even in 2022.

"They still have a ways to go to complete construction," said Hagerty. "So later this spring or fall, or maybe next year. Construction is well underway at the apartment building; I would say it's 40 percent complete."

In the past, this apartment complex received some criticism from Woodbridge residents for contributing to the density and what some say is the over-development of town.

“Now that the location is out there, I plan on doing some pretty cool stuff,” LeGrand told NJ.com this week. “Partnering with local businesses, maybe we’ll have a Rutgers viewing part 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 area. He was a football standout when he attended 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 absolute tragedy stuck: LeGrand took a hard hit and suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury.

At the time, LeGrand recalled lying on the RU 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 he also says he still loves the game, and still loves Rutgers football in particular.

Also, LeGrand did not let his life-changing injury hold him back: He graduated from Rutgers in 2014, and today is an author, sports analyst and motivational speaker. He is also an advocate for those who are paralyzed. In 2013, he formed Team LeGrand of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, which raises money to find a cure for paralysis and helps improve quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries.

And now it appears LeGrand is moving into the coffee-selling business.

According to Hagerty, LeGrand did not get any special type of rent breaks from either the town or the developer to rent the space.

"He did not ask for, nor was he granted anything," said Hagerty. "He did this and put this together on his own. It's a wonderful thing."

Prior to this LeGrand had been selling his coffee online, through Instagram and a website: https://linktr.ee/LeGrandCoffe...

“It’s been such a humbling moment to see the outpour of support,” he told NJ.com. “People really love coffee, and when they try our coffee, they say, ‘Wow, this is amazing stuff.’”

Back in 2018, one of the developers at Prism told Patch why they are eager to build in the town:

"Woodbridge is experiencing a renaissance, and this property sits in the heart of its walkable downtown, right next to the station," said Prism principal partner Eugene Diaz at the time. "It is a perfect spot for luxury, fully-amenitized apartment homes ... The appetite for multifamily rental – especially transit-oriented product – continues to exceed supply throughout New Jersey and nationwide."

Initial Patch report: 232 Apartments May Be Coming Next To Woodbridge Train Station (Aug. 2018)

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