It’s back and better than ever– the locally owned cold brew and pour-over coffee shop Wyatt’s Coffee has relocated to downtown Gainesville and will reopen its doors this Friday, Feb. 23.
While Wyatt’s previously served only black coffee brews, it will expand the menu to include espresso beverages like lattes, cappuccinos and cortados. In addition, they’ll offer a variety of new roasts, teas and pastries.
The building renovations took three months to complete. Wyatt’s staff worked on the shop building walls and cabinets, painting, plumbing and doing electrical work.
Danielle Ballou, general manager of Wyatt’s, said the decision to move was due to increased construction in Midtown.
“There was no place for people to park, and the sidewalk was torn up in front of the shop,” she said.
Photo via Scene photographer Kristen Altus
Wyatt’s previous location had no seating, which made it difficult for customers to study or socialize. Now, the café can comfortably seat 34 people.
“The Midtown location was inconvenient,” said Jessica Fondo, a 20-year-old University of Florida student from Atlantic Beach, Florida.
“The coffee was good, but I would only get it to go because it wasn’t the kind of place you’d want to hang out in,” she said.
Because the shop increased drastically in size, Ballou knew she needed a bigger team to accommodate the space. As a result, Wyatt’s now has 13 baristas– more than double the previous number of employees.
“It has been really great to watch my staff grow and learn and become a part of Wyatt’s,” Ballou said.
Photo via Scene photographer Kristen Altus
On grand opening day, Wyatt’s will give customers their first drink for free if they follow Wyatt’s Instagram or like them on Facebook. If patrons write a review on Yelp, Facebook or Google Reviews they get their second drink free, too. Readers can also tag a friend on our Instagram post here for a chance to win two free drinks.
“Because we are so different, we wanted to offer our coffee free to educate potential regular customers of our coffee options, brewing options and ordering processes,” said Brent Smith, director of staff operation at Wyatt’s.
Wyatt’s sources their coffee from six different roasters: four are located in Florida and the other two are in Brooklyn and Baltimore. The beans are purchased directly from farmers in Central and South America and Africa and are often certified organic and fair-trade.
Their chocolates are shipped from cities like Los Angeles and New York, while pastries are supplied by local companies like The Bakery Mill and The Hyppo.
Photo via Scene photographer Kristen Altus
Ballou said their customers are excited for the relocation, and everyone agrees Wyatt’s will have a much better chance to thrive Downtown.
“The most exciting part of the process has been watching the transformation of Wyatt’s,” she said, “Everything has come together perfectly.”
Wyatt’s is located at 202 SE Second Ave. Their new hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 6 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday.
For a chance to win two free drinks, tag a friend on our Instagram post here.
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