WINDHAM – The owners of a new Aroma Joe’s coming to North Windham are hoping to give Dunkin’ Donuts a run for its money.

Joel Woodward and Kristal Duffy are constructing a 750-square-foot drive-through shop on a 1-acre property at 704 Roosevelt Trail, about a quarter-mile south of Dunkin’ Donuts on the same side of Route 302. The husband-and-wife duo plans to open the business in early December.

“I’m hoping that we will draw some of their customers in,” Woodward said, referring to Dunkin’ Donuts. “Obviously you have your loyal customers to every business, but with the way Dunkin’ Donuts backs up and is so busy, we are hoping that people will bypass them and try something new, and give us a shot.”

Krista Prokey, a district manager for Dunkin’ Donuts, declined to comment on the new Aroma Joe’s franchise. Dunkin’ Donuts owns another location inside Walmart at 30 Landing Road in North Windham, about a mile from the new Aroma Joe’s.

Tom Bartell, executive director of the Windham Economic Development Corp. and the town’s economic development director, projected that all three stores will continue to attract substantial customer bases once Aroma Joe’s opens.

“It is an additional outlet for folks,” Bartell said. “It is a drive-through, so it’s really geared toward commuters and people on the go. I think it will be well received here in town.”

Woodward and Duffy live close by on River Road in Windham. Woodward, who will continue working as a truck driver, described it as an “exciting opportunity.” It is the couple’s first small business venture.

“I’ve been a truck driver for about 17 years,” Woodward said. “My wife was an office employee. She had been with the same company for 13 years. Pretty quickly out of high school she got with that company and has been there ever since. This is a way to better our lives, have a better life for our kids financially and be able to manage our time a little bit better.”

According to Kara Metz, franchise saleswoman for the Aroma Joe’s Portland office, the coffee company has 26 locations in Maine and New Hampshire. The franchise’s service slogan is “No Intercoms, No Mistakes, No Attitudes.” Its stores feature traditional blend and dark roast coffees, iced teas, specialty espresso drinks made from scratch, and flavor-infused energy drinks.

Metz said that the Windham Aroma Joe’s will likely be the franchise’s 28th location, since a branch in Lisbon Falls is set to open in coming weeks.

Woodward plans to hire about a dozen full-time and part-time employees to staff the business.

Woodward said that the store could be appealing to both commuters and young people.

“We’re geared more toward the younger generation – college, high school – with our line of energy drinks, Frozen Fuel, the flavoring we offer,” he said.

Woodward said the business should be able to prosper even if it attracts a significantly smaller customer base than the competition.

“We have a pretty low overhead, so we don’t need to pull the customers that Dunkin’ Donuts would pull,” he said.

The couple hopes to eventually open another Aroma Joe’s when the time is right, Woodward said.

“This is our first venture into this, so it’s exciting and nerve wracking – everything all rolled into one, really,” he said.

Kristal Duffy and Joel Woodward, with their son, Bradyn Woodward, are preparing to open a new Aroma Joe’s coffee store in North Windham.