Something that still ranks up there among my favorite things to do is visiting a new business. Checking out different coffee houses is up there too – a habit that has been cut back on substantially in recent months (at least if it involves actually drinking coffee). Today I got to do both of these things thanks to the grand opening of Church Street Coffee & Books in Mountain Brook’s Crestline Village.
The space housed a Starbucks Coffee location until recently. but it definitely didn’t have that feel today when I stopped in for some coffee. I got a chance to try their mocha Frosted Coffee (and I hadn’t even seen this post before I did it) and a slice of lemon poppyseed coffee cake. I’d have taken a photo of my purchase but I’d already devoured most of it by the time I thought to snap one.
The books lining the walls were the most inviting part of the experience. It shouldn’t have been that surprising once I remembered reading that one of the store’s owners, Carrie Rollwagen, once worked for Jonathan Benton Bookseller. I’d also had fun reading Some New Trend and have been enjoying reading her chronicles of shopping local in 2011.
I saw someone buy a copy of one of the Harry Potter books while waiting for my drink and enjoyed seeing the children’s book section tucked away in the back with titles like The Giving Tree on the shelves. It was also nice to see a copy of one of my favorite books of all time, Snow Falling on Cedars, sitting on one of the shelves as well.
Visitors who don’t see a book they’d like to purchase on the walls need only let know and they’ll get it delivered to the store for you – and you won’t have to pay the shipping costs. The ability to pick up books and some Primavera Coffee at the same time is something that should make Church Street a destination as well as an anchor to the surrounding community (and those of us willing to hop in our cars every once in a while to cheat on our regular coffee house).
Of course, one of the goals would be for all of us to be able to say we had a local coffee house to regularly cheat on close to our homes. Maybe the more we get out there and support those local businesses the more people will be willing to take that chance and provide us with those options.
Regardless, I think I’ve found a new hiding spot for getting some work done. If you’ve had a chance to get over there (or even if you haven’t yet), what are your thoughts?
Photo: Church Street Coffee midway through Day One. acnatta/Flickr
