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V O L . X X V I I I N O. I I I F E B R UA R Y 7 , 2 0 2 2 24 C O M M E R C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T F O C U S P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F A RO M A J O E ' S R E N D E R I N G / C O U R T E S Y O F A RO M A J O E ' S e planned sites are part of a company-wide expansion over the next decade following 82.2% sales growth between 2018 and 2020. "e way we're set up corporately, and where franchising is set up with small independent operators, we were able to be very nimble when COVID hit and able to keep our shops open and our staff safe," says Aroma Joe's CEO Loren Goodridge. "We adopted COVID guidelines almost overnight. at allowed us to stay open when a lot of other shops were closed." Existing customers still needed their daily coffee dose and, with its drive-thru windows, Aroma Joe's had the socially distant infrastructure in place long before the pandemic. He notes that while some franchi- sees had to sell because they may not have been a good fit, the shops have all been successful, saying: "We've had zero locations fail." Goodridge is a Navy veteran-turned- entrepreneur who got into franchising via a Subway franchise he opened in 2012 under the same roof as an Aroma Joe's coffee shop, where he befriended the owners who had a dozen other locations at that time. Goodridge became Aroma Joe's first franchisee in 2013, adding locations along the way and ascending to CEO in October 2018. Today, he also owns and operates six Aroma Joe's locations and remains a multi-store Subway franchisee through Acadia Management Group. Like Goodridge, many Aroma Joe's franchisees are military veterans, who get a 50% discount on the $15,000 upfront fee to become a franchisee, which comes on top of the required $75,000 to $100,000 in liquid capital new owners are required to bring to the table. Besides exclusive use of logos, systems and oper- ations, the $15,000 fee covers a two-week intensive training course. Aroma Joe's newest franchisees, Cody Currier and his wife, Catie, opened their first shop last August inside a gas station in Lewiston, where they employ 10 people. A Navy veteran who worked in the public sector for » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E We offer discounted group subscriptions starting at 5 users. Ensure your team has all access to Mainebiz REACH OUT TO US AT CIRCULATION@MAINEBIZ.BIZ FOR A QUOTE C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » Aroma Joe's CEO Loren Goodridge is leading an expansion drive for the South Portland-based chain, which has 82 locations in six states. In Maine, it has 30 locations, with another nine in development. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY We've had zero locations fail. — Loren Goodridge Aroma Joe's Aroma Joe's has 82 locations in five states. At left, a Pittsburgh, Pa., store. Above, a rendering of a new prototype store Dover, N.H.

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