Rutgers hero Eric LeGrand to open another coffee house in NJ

For a man who was told he was paralyzed in 2010 Eric LeGrand has been unstoppable ever since.

Read More: What Eric LeGrand's Bourbon Initiative Means For Local Pride

About Eric LeGrand

The Rutgers junior defensive tackle fractured his C3 and C4 vertebrae in a tragic play gone bad. His life instantly changed. He was paralyzed from the neck down.

Against what medical professionals said he could expect, he has regained movement in his shoulders and sensation throughout his body. He’s made consistent recovery at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, one of the nation’s leaders in spinal cord rehabilitation.

His fight, his spirit, his positivity, his attitude is the stuff of legend. He’s never stopped helping others. He’s never stopped creating.

Business and foundations

He started The Eric LeGrand Patriot Saint Foundation, dedicated to helping others with spinal cord injuries.

In 2022, Eric opened the LeGrand Coffee House in Woodbridge. He designed the coffee house to be fully accessible to people in wheelchairs, with the goal of creating a gathering place and a welcoming environment for people with disabilities.

In March 2023, Eric Legrand began a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey company. It is now sold in Kentucky and New Jersey. To honor Eric's Rutgers jersey number 52, $5.20 of every sale goes to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.

Now Eric has announced he's opening a second location of his coffee shop. The reaction to his Facebook announcement was all positive.

One fan wrote, “So proud to have you in Middletown! As a special education teacher here, a former student and resident plus a Rutgers alumnus you are an amazing inspiration!”

 

Another offered, “Whoo Hoo! You were our opening day of school keynote speaker this year! Our school, Middletown Village Elementary is right down the street from your store. We will definitely visit and support you!!”

The community's love is overwhelming. Eric LeGrand’s positivity is a textbook example of you get what you give.

While we don’t have an exact opening date for the second coffee house location, it’s expected to open this spring at Middletown ShopRite Plaza on Route 35.