MJ’s Cafe at 672 Jefferson Hwy. in Mid City is under new ownership.
Mary-Brennan Faucheux, a former MJ’s waitress, bought the cafe from its prior owner Maureen Joyce, who last year decided to pursue an alternative cooking career at a Louisiana healing center, 225 Dine reports in a new Q&A feature.
Faucheux officially assumed ownership on June 1. She never imagined that she’d own the cafe when she fell in love with it six years ago.
Faucheux was introduced to MJ’s in 2011, shortly after its opening. From the regular customers to the seasonal and local food sourcing, Faucheux was enamored by the atmosphere Joyce had created.
“MJ’s is kind of like a vegetarian Cheers,” Faucheux tells 225 Dine. “People come in here, and you’re basically either welcomed or you’re known already. I’m always overhearing conversations, and they’re so interesting. These people are so intelligent, and I’m always learning things from them.”
And though she has plans for the cafe, Faucheux says MJ’s is still MJ’s.
“Hopefully we’ll be opening up for brunch in the near future on Sundays. We might have a little pop-up art market that coincides with it. I’m going to do a toast bar with that, so we’ll have sweet and savory toast,” she says. “MJ’s is absolutely still MJ’s. My mission is still to source locally and organically as much as possible and still continue doing this for the community.”
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