As his bulk production business continues to grow, owner Jamie Blanchard plans to offer guests new experiences at his second Haddon Township location.
By Matt Skoufalos | April 16, 2024
Jamie Blanchard pulls an espresso shot at Royal Mile Haddon Township. Credit: Matt Skoufalos.
In the decade since establishing Royal Mile Coffee Roasters in the SoHa Arts Building in Haddon Township, Jamie Blanchard has elevated its profile into a larger retail presence.
He went from a small, tabletop roaster in an artist’s loft to a high-volume, 15-kilo Giesen coffee roaster in a Cherry Hill warehouse, spurred on by a national distribution deal for his products.
In 2022, Royal Mile opened its first neighborhood café at 905 White Horse Pike in Haddon Township. That was followed by a second location on Paul Street in Gloucester City.
Later this summer, Blanchard will launch a second Haddon Township location, this one inside the Haddon Towne Center at 225 Haddon Avenue. In a process that Blanchard said will bring him closer to his retail customer base, he’ll retain the White Horse Pike café as well, while exiting Gloucester City.
The decision reflects a combination of opportunity as well as concentrating efforts on a customer base that Blanchard said is deeply rooted in Haddon Township. Foot traffic at the White Horse Pike storefront is steady, but customers from the Westmont section of town don’t seem to visit. He hopes the Haddon Towne Center shop will offer them a more convenient option.
Royal Mile Cold Brew Blends. Credit: Royal Mile.
“We’re moving to a location that we think will work better because of the data we have,” Blanchard said.
“I’ve always wanted to be in the Haddon Towne Center. We like that spot; we knew our customers were there,” he said.
The new shop will take over the former Supercuts location in a 1,250 square-feet storefront that should accommodate 20 to 30 guests.
In addition to serving pour-overs, drip coffee, lattes, cold brew, and bagged coffees, Royal Mile Haddon Towne Center will offer a light fare menu.
“We’re working hard to keep the people who want to be there,” Blanchard said. “I’ve tried to learn from the process. How can we refine and make that experience for Haddon Township better?”
Blanchard is most excited to debut a new concept at the Haddon Towne Center cafe: a once-a-week, after-hours coffee speakeasy, open by reservation only. After the shop closes on Friday, it will reopen for a second shift with different atmospherics, mocktails, finger foods, and limited-edition coffees.
The intention, Blanchard said, is not only to cater to customers who might enjoy some of the niche flavor profiles of his smaller-batch roasts, but also to provide an alcohol-free environment in which to socialize.
Barista Matthew Ehrke and patron Stephen Zinnerman at Royal Mile Coffee in Haddon Township. Credit: Matt Skoufalos in 2022.
“That’s the goal of this: a fun, low-cost hangout place,” he said.
“You don’t have to come for the coffee; it’s there, we’ll have it.
“Let’s give our customers a place to hang out.”
By introducing newcomers to Royal Mile coffees, the cafes can also offer insight into their taste preferences, delivering feedback that will inform Blanchard’s next purchases.
“We’re a small-batch roaster sourcing single-origin coffees, with a focus on microlots,” Blanchard said. “We’re buying stuff from roasters that are using rare species of coffee, and we are exceptionally small compared to the other roasters that are doing that.
“Opening Westmont is about increasing our purchasing power for crazy good coffees,” he said. “If this does well, I can buy more of those rare things, and support what [those growers] are doing.
“I have an opportunity as a business owner to put good into the world on a daily basis; that’s what’s important to me.”
Royal Mile Coffee Roasters is located at 225 Haddon Avenue, Unit 1102-A, in the Haddon Towne Center. The location is targeting a summer 2024 opening. For more information, visit royalmilecoffee.com.
