Tag Archives: Coffee Shop

Cocoa Cinnamon Opens Second Durham Location Monday February 1st

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Owners Areli & Leon of Cocoa Cinnamon
(Photo courtesy Laura Conte)

I have exciting news for Triangle coffee fans! Durham coffee shop Cocoa Cinnamon will open the doors to their second location this Monday, February 1st at 7am. The shop is located on the corner of Hillsborough Road & Trent Drive in Old West Durham.  Much like the original location this opening is being done “beta mode” style, meaning things will evolve over time. Initially there will be a smaller menu, fewer hours, and some touching up of the final details of the space as the new location comes into its own organically in the weeks ahead.

Starting out the new Hillsborough Road location will be open 7am -5pm Monday through Saturday. Sunday and evening hours will be added a little further down the road. I’m looking forward to checking out the new spot and sharing more pictures soon. In the meantime you can stay up to date on happenings at both of their locations by following Cocoa Cinnamon on facebook, twitter, and instagram.

I’d also like to extend a special thanks to Laura Conte of Milton’s Famous Cookies for permission to use her great photo of Areli & Leon above. You can find Milton’s Famous Cookies for sale at both Cocoa Cinnamon locations. I’m looking forward to trying them the next time I visit!

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Filed under Coffee, Durham

Joe Van Gogh’s 3rd Durham location at Woodcroft Shopping Center Now Open!

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Photo courtesy Joe Van Gogh

I always get excited when I hear about a new coffee shop opening. Joe Van Gogh is an independently owned and operated coffee roaster and retailer based out of Hillsborough. Owner Robbie Roberts began roasting coffee back in 1991 and has been doing his part to caffeinate the Triangle ever since.  The newest Joe Van Gogh location opened this week in the Woodcroft Shopping Center in Durham (map). I’ve been a fan of Joe Van Gogh coffee for some time now and am happy to hear the new shop has a kitchen to offer light, seasonal fare throughout the year to complement their coffee and espresso menu.
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Photo courtesy Joe Van Gogh

The new location will be open limited hours this Wednesday & Thursday (December 2nd and 3rd) from 8am until 3pm, and start normal hours on Friday, December 4th. You can meet the owner and the crew this Thursday from 8am until noon while enjoying free drip coffee and pastry samples.
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Photo courtesy Joe Van Gogh

When you visit, don’t forget that gift cards to local coffee shops make great gifts for the coffee geek in your family (I know I love them). For additional information about Joe Van Gogh, visit their website at www.joevangogh.com.

Joe Van Gogh Coffee – Woodcroft Shopping Center Location
4711-5A Hope Valley Road
Durham, NC 27707

Hours beginning Friday, December 4th
Mon – Fri : 6:30am to 7:00pm
Sat : 7:00am to 7:00pm
Sun : 8:00am to 7:00pm

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Grounds Cafe Brings Coffee & Craft Beer to Wendell

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I recently attended a media event at Grounds Cafe in Wendell. The cafe is located in the “Farmhouse” building adjacent to the community pool and common area in the new Wendell Falls subdivision going up in eastern Wake County. The neighborhood is still in the early stages of development with just a few dozen finished homes at this point, but once built out it will be home to thousands of residents and the epicenter of activity in Wendell.

Grounds

The cafe is just a 25 minute drive from my house in North Raleigh and is easily accessible from I-540 and US-264 Knightdale bypass. Now that I know how close it is I will definitely be making more visits in the future. And don’t worry, while the cafe is located within the neighborhood it is open to the public and is already becoming a popular place for locals to grab coffee and bite to eat.

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The cafe serves Raleigh Coffee Company Coffee, and has a full menu of coffee and espresso drinks. They also serve wine and local beer on tap from Big Boss and White Street Brewery. There are baked goods and egg & cheddar biscuits for breakfast and a sandwiches offered during lunch and dinner. They recently added “DIY” grilled cheese sandwiches  to the menu where you pick out the ingredients from a wide range of cheeses, meats, and toppings and they grill it up for you. There are also other sandwich options like a chicken salad melt, a caprese, and the pimento and pulled pork sandwich.

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The setting of the cafe inside the Farmhouse is spacious with tall ceilings and stained concrete floors giving it a modern vibe fused with the rustic exterior look of a barn. The walls of the cafe are made glass allowing a lot of natural lighting. With free Wi-Fi, ample parking, nice views of the grassy common area surrounding the building, and the quiet atmosphere I can definitely see the cafe becoming a popular place for people working remotely or looking for space to meet with a group.

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The Farmhouse overlooks the community pool and stage where they host events for the community. Grounds also hosts music on the patio during the warmer months and there are now plans to host a weekly run club on Thursday nights at 6pm and weekly morning yoga classes on the lawn starting this Wednesday at 6:15am. You can read more details about both activities on the Grounds facebook event page.

I look forward to more visit to Grounds and enjoy having a new Triangle coffee shop option that offers a unique setting and a respite from the hustle and bustle of Raleigh. I recommend you check them out and let me know what you think!

Grounds Cafe
320 Vintage Point Lane
Wendell, NC 27591 (map)
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groundsnc
twitter: @Groundsnc
instagram: @GroundsCafe

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Help Cocoa Cinnamon Open a Second Shop in Durham

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Cocoa Cinnamon in Durham, NC

Cocoa Cinnamon is my favorite place to get coffee in Durham. They are a multi-roaster shop offering carefully crafted coffee and espresso drinks, chocolate and tea and locally made baked goods & desserts. The space is fantastic too with both indoor and outdoor seating that serves as a nice transition from to active Geer Street location in Durham’s “DIY” (Do It Yourself) district. But this is no ordinary coffee shop. Cocoa Cinnamon’s owners, Leon and Areli Barrera de Grodski, see their business as a community oriented shop providing a living wage to their employees and a welcoming environment to customers that is “open to all people and strives, through commerce and service, to support a sustainable, democratic and artistic way of being.”

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Cocoa Cinnamon Owners Leon and Areli Barrera de Grodski

Local engagement is an important part of what makes Cocoa Cinnamon such a special place. They are currently working on opening a second shop in Durham and using Community Sourced Capital campaign to raise part of the funds needed to make the second shop a reality. This is an opportunity for the community to be a part of the local movement and show support for local small businesses by becoming a “squareholder” and making a small (increments of $50) interest free loan to support the second shop.

These funds will go towards tangible things, like outdoor seating, a new espresso machine, and a unique space designed through the collaboration of local artists. It will also help Cocoa Cinnamon create a thriving business that will bring in the income to pay more than a living wage and enable them to offer career positions for their long term crew and deepen their ability to help build opportunity in the local community.

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Indoor Seating with Garage Door Opening to Outside

If you are looking for a great coffee experience I highly recommend a visit to Cocoa Cinnamon. To be a part of the community support behind their second shop and learn more about how to become a squareholder visit their Community Sourced Capital campaign website here.

Cocoa Cinnamon
420 W. Geer Street
Durham, NC (map)
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CocoaCinnamonDream/
twitter: @CocoaCinnamon
website: http://www.cocoacinnamon.com

 

 

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Picture of the Week: Biscuits & Coffee in Durham

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Wicked Biscuit at Cocoa Cinnamon

This week’s picture was actually taken last Sunday. My wife and I headed over to Durham to grab some coffee and tea at Cocoa Cinnamon. It is one of my favorite coffee shops and we enjoy sitting outside among their patio tables and people watch. This past summer food trucks have started showing up at the shop for “Sunday Brunch” and while the trucks tend to rotate, one of the regular trucks you can find there on Sunday is the relatively new Wicked Biscuit truck. I didn’t get the opportunity to try a biscuit on this visit (we were on our way to the park) but I plan to do so very soon. In the meantime you can track the truck to find out where they will be by following them on twitter at @WickedBiscuitCo.

Cocoa Cinnamon ~ 420 W. Geer Street – Durham, NC

I couldn’t possible share about Cocoa Cinnamon without at least one coffee picture! On this visit I tried their Middle Eastern Iced Coffee. Their menu describes it as a slow and cold brewed iced coffee brewed with cardamom, rose petals and vanilla bean. I found it delicious and I highly recommend it if you are looking for something a little different the next time you want an iced coffee. Cocoa Cinnamon is a great community space and one of my go to places in Durham. To keep tabs on their latest offerings and things going on at the shop follow them on twitter at @CocoaCinnamon.

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