CJ's Juicery Moves Into New Location In Downtown Alton

ALTON - CJ's Juicery opened Wednesday afternoon at its new location to great success.

"It was a really great turnout," owner Courtney McLaughlin said about opening day.

Formerly located on Ridge St. in Alton, the new shop is located downtown at 104 W 3rd St. in the former Tony's Building.

McLaughlin couldn't be happier to open the new location.

"I'm just so grateful," she said. "I think my business deserves this spot and I think I deserve this spot after the hard work that I've put toward it, and the community deserves this location."

The juicery is open Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is a hit on the weekend.

"Saturdays are poppin' down here," McLaughlin said.

She mentioned that the reason for the move was that she had outgrown her previous spot. McLaughlin said that if it wasn't for the Ridge St. location becoming available, she probably would have never been able to open.

"I had the opportunity to go into that 600-square foot and start my small business," she said. "I still want it to be small, I don't plan on ever having many locations or making it a franchise."

She's set on her juicery being a 'mom-and-pop' shop.

"That's all I ever really want to be," she said.

It all started when she got into juicing. She said she tried working at some out-of-town spots before she had her "light bulb moment" to open her own.

McLaughlin began renting the Ridge St. location in late 2019 and opened the original CJ's Juicery location in January 2020. She said she never really closed during the pandemic.

The word going around during the COVID-19 pandemic was 'essential'. She felt her business was just that so she stayed open during that time.

Now at her 3rd St. location, she mentioned that she is appreciative of her new landlord Rob Lenhardt. She called him a "genuine, good person that wants people down here and to keep this place alive."

"He customized this building exactly to my needs," she said.

The new location was completely gutted she said and redone almost entirely with new walls, floors, lights, counters, and more.

It all comes together to form a relaxing spot where people can go to just hang out and kick back.

McLaughlin is known for her juice and smoothies but says she also sold a lot of boba on the first day back.

"I don't think any of them disappoint," she said about her drinks.

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