Business Happenings: Jeremiah Joe Coffee’s construction underway next to Jimmy John’s in Peru

The popular Ottawa-based Jeremiah Joe Coffee will soon open its first location in Peru, with construction underway.

When Jimmy John’s moved to its current location at 1318 38th St. in Peru, the city noted that there were plans for the building to eventually house two tenants. Jeremiah Joe Coffee will soon fill the second suite of the building.

While no exact completion date has been named, Jeremiah Joe Coffee owner DeWayne Cronkright said that he hopes to be able to open the front doors to customers by the end of the year.

“We want to open as soon as possible,” Cronkright said. “There are some challenges with COVID and getting materials, supplies and equipment we need. There’s a lot of interesting dynamics at play that we do not have any control over.”

Cronkright said he was excited about the opportunity that was presented to his organization to expand into Peru.

“They approached us and said, ‘Hey, I’ve got this half of the building, would you be interested in putting a drive-thru in?’ ‘’ Cronkright said. “I said ‘Yeah, let’s see what we can do to make it feasible.’ "

The building will be quite unique from most in the area as they plan to use a double drive-thru system for visitors to the coffee shop and to Jimmy John’s.

Cronkright worked with the building owner, city officials and contractors to formulate a plan that makes sense for both businesses that is now being put into motion.

“We worked and said, ‘What’s the possibilities here?’ And we figured it out,” Cronkright said. “We decided to sign a lease and jump right in.”

While the drive-thru system took some time to figure out, the new location will also offer an area to seat customers as well.

The new location plans to offer the same espresso-based beverages and coffee that Jeremiah Joe Coffee is known for, as well as menu items that complement their coffee. These items will include pastries, breakfast sandwiches, breakfast wraps and more.

Jeremiah Joe Coffee currently has two locations in Ottawa as Cronkright and his organization look forward to making their first steps into surrounding communities.

“As an entrepreneur, you are always curious about growth and the whole process of doing business and learning,” Cronkright said. “There’s a big learning curve and those things have always been curious to me, but the opportunity is obviously very exciting.”

Cronkright said that he looks forward to making new relationships with employees, surrounding business owners and a new customer base while continuing to offer high-quality products that existing customers have come to expect.

“There’s a lot of unknowns but there’s also a lot of opportunities that you can get excited about,” Cronkright said.