By Julia Train
PJ’s Coffee in Linwood is getting ready to celebrate its first anniversary on Monday, Dec. 9 and Tuesday, Dec. 10.
On Monday, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., PJ’s chief roastmaster, Felton Jones, will be visiting the coffee shop, providing coffee education and tastings.
A roastmaster is a corporate level executive who’s responsible for sourcing coffee beans, visiting the farms to make sure the coffee’s quality is up to PJ’s standards and runs the roasting facility itself. He is also tasked with creating unique blends for special occasions.
Jones described his journey to roastmaster as a fairytale. He began working in production as a part-time employee at PJs Coffee in 1985.
After about a year, an opportunity arose that allowed Jones to leave the production room behind and take on the role of a delivery driver. For someone who enjoyed interacting with people, this was a refreshing change. Being out on the road, meeting customers and experiencing the business firsthand in the field felt far more dynamic than the solitary work in the warehouse, Jones said.
A year later, a relative connected him with the opportunity to manage a roasting operation. The idea of venturing into this new role was tempting, but it was a difficult decision to leave a place where he felt at home.
The owner of PJ’s, Phyllis Jordan, learned about the opportunity and, instead of reprimanding him for considering another job, encouraged Jones to pursue it.
Jordan thought it would be an invaluable experience that could help expand his knowledge and bring back new insights to the company. With that support, Jones made the decision to step away from PJ’s for a time.
The next two years were transformative for Jones. He learned about the mechanics of running a roasting operation, the entire coffee supply chain and how to manage everything from roasting techniques to quality control to green coffee selection.
When the opportunity arose for Jones to return to PJ’s, it was clear that the journey wasn’t over. His predecessor in the role of roastmaster and quality control was moving on to another sector of the coffee industry.
Jordan invited Jones to come back, this time in a more senior capacity as wholesale manager, production manager and quality control manager. It was a full-circle moment, where he took everything he learned during the past two years and applied it to a new set of responsibilities.
For nearly 20 years, Jones served as plant manager and roastmaster, overseeing everything from the daily operations of the facility to the selection of the highest quality coffee beans.
Around three years ago, the company underwent another shift. The role of plant manager was phased out, and Jones transitioned into a new role as brand ambassador, which offered him the freedom to step away from the day-to-day operations.
As a brand ambassador, Jones went from overseeing production to being an educator and advocate for the brand. The job now included traveling with the sales team, supporting franchise operations and helping to expand PJ’s Coffee into new markets.
According to Jones, one of the most impactful parts of the brand ambassador role is the opportunity to share the journey of coffee—from the farms where it’s grown to the cup that customers enjoy.
This means regular trips to coffee origins, including recent visits to Colombia and Brazil, which allows Jones to connect with the the farmers, harvesters and exporters.
“It’s important to build relationships with multiple suppliers and farmers to ensure a steady supply of coffee,” Jones said.
During the anniversary celebration on Dec. 9 and 10, PJ’s will be offering drink specials, discounts and giveaways.
