Franklin needed a local coffee shop. I’m the first to admit I was thrilled with Starbucks when they came because it meant I could get decent coffee in downtown. But I missed the richer, more personal feel of a local shop. Enter The Coffee House on Second and Bridge.
Their Story
Pat and Gail Hayes also noticed the void of local coffee shops in Franklin. When the building next to Pat’s office for Flower Pot Publishing became available, they planned to open a sports bar, but those plans quickly morphed into a coffee shop. Pat’s brother, Cyrl, works in restaurant management and helped create the vision for the shop. The Hayes sourced local places like Our Thrift Store for interesting furniture and decided each of the 5 rooms would have their own “personality” of sorts. Each of the charming rooms has a comfy place to flop down and read a book, or grab a table and feast on an amazing crepe, or possibly just wander into the music room and debate one’s favorite record with another guest. Got kids? Fantastic – there is a kids room with plenty of distractions to keep a wee one entertained.
What You Will Love
- Um, let’s just start with the coffee. A good coffee house should offer up some quality brews and The Coffee House delivers with the Bongo Java roasts brewed daily. They do have a full espresso bar and wide variety of teas as well.
- The crepes. Oh my, the crepes. Their menu offers almost every possible combinations, from the Jerry Lewis (egg, ham and cheese) to the Franklin Hot Chicken (spicy chicken with gorgonzola cheese) to the Strawberrry Fields. These crepes are available for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Open from 7-10 Sunday through Thursday and 7-11 on Friday and Saturday, they are one of the few places in downtown Franklin open later at night and virtually all day on Sunday.
- Live music and performances are available each Saturday night and they hope to open up the balcony soon for some summer concerts. There is an Open Mic Night every other Friday night, hosted by local resident Jonas Litton. The Library is also available to reserve (at no charge) for parties or celebrations.
- The staff are courteous, friendly, and love their jobs. Happy staff = happy customers. There is easy and constant interaction between staff and guests, which adds the overall appeal of a local shop like this.
Community
Planting a coffee shop in downtown Franklin makes it easy to become part of the community. Fellow business owners, residents, etc have all come out to show their support for the The Coffee House. The atmosphere is so welcoming for all ages and walks of life, everyone from mom’s groups to teenagers to retirees has found their way into the shop. Something else you will notice- no tip jar. Well, there is a metal container near the register for tips, but 100% of the tips go to The Bubba Foundation. The Bubba Foundation’s primary goal is to provide tangible ways to help an individual or family in need.
Social Media
Currently, The Coffee House posts daily onto Facebook and has approximately 1300 followers. They use Facebook to upload photos and engage directly with clients, clients who love to share their own enthusiasm for the shop. People also like to check in there, which lets others know when they visited. All of this keeps the shop interacting with clients every day.
Since I have recently parted with my caffeine habit, you’re likely to find me there tucked in a corner with a pot of tea. Come on down and join me. And keep an eye out for our upcoming This or That contest on Facebook.
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