Aroma Joe’s coffee opening first Capital Region location
TROY — Aroma Joe’s, a New England coffee chain, is building its first Capital Region location in the town of Brunswick, the first of 20 more stores the brand plans to open over the next decade.
The handcrafted beverage company is slated to open in May at 660 Hoosick Road. The Hurley Group of Guilderland, which operates 12 other Aroma Joe’s locations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, was awarded the rights for the franchise’s development in the area, Dave Tucci, the company’s chief operational officer, said.
“We firmly believe the most important variable to development is the human component, so with having a development agent team based in the Albany market that has experience with the brand and with the individuals who live in this market, it was a no-brainer,” Tucci said regarding the brand’s push into upstate New York.
The Rensselaer County location will be a drive-thru. It will also offer a walk-up window to serve customers who order through the brand’s mobile app.
Tucci said their drive-thru experience, which has no intercoms and is manned entirely by employees, is what sets Aroma Joe’s apart from its competitors. Other Aroma Joe’s do offer indoor service, however.
“You pull up to order, and you’re engaging with a barista in a really fun and upbeat and positive manner, and then you drive around to the pickup window and pick up your order from another human being,” Tucci said.
Specializing in handcrafted beverages, Aroma Joe’s menu includes espresso drinks, coffee beverages, and all-day food offerings. One of its flagship products is its proprietary energy drink, AJ’S Rush, which comes in a variety of flavors.
The Maine-based company, founded in 2000, has more than 70 locations across the United States, in its home state as well as New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Florida, according to its website.