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Photos by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Customers enjoy hot beverages at Maple Avenue Coffee House in Trussville on Nov. 22.
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Photos by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Tracy Delaney, owner of Maple Avenue Coffee House, prepares a coffee order for a customer.
When deciding on the name for her new coffee shop, Maple Avenue Coffee House, owner Tracy Delaney said “house” is actually one of the most important words.
It describes the shop’s location — a renovated 1950s-era house on Maple Avenue most recently occupied by an accounting firm — but it also describes her business mindset.
“My whole reason for doing this was to create just such an inviting space for people and to feel like you’re almost walking into someone’s living room,” said Delaney, a Trussville native. “I just want them to have a good feeling when they’re here. You feel comfortable, and you feel like you’re getting a hug when you walk in.”
Maple Avenue Coffee House opened in Trussville’s downtown business district in mid-November.
Delaney said she fashioned her coffee house as an alternative to big chains and coffee shops located in strip malls. Instead, she wants it to be a place where people can slow down, relax and enjoy spending some time with friends, family or coworkers.
Delaney said Maple Avenue Coffee House will have live music and food trucks from time to time, plus space to rent out for events and gatherings.
“It’s all coming together, creating a space where I think people will just really want to be and will kind of hate to leave,” she said in the weeks leading up to opening. “It’s not your typical coffee shop.”
It took about 15 months and the help of Forehand Construction Group to gut the house and rebuild it as a coffee shop, Delaney said, but she knew from the start that the building had just the right feel. The renovated house includes a back deck with picnic tables and a fire pit, plus a yard with space for an eventual bocce court and other games.
“It's in an older house and it's cozy and quaint,” she said. “There’s just so much character here.”
Delaney said her business will use as many locally sourced items as possible for its coffee and espresso beans and its baked goods. She also plans to offer lunch and get a license to serve beer and wine.
Maple Avenue Coffee House is located at 110 Maple Ave. and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. They can be found on Facebook and Instagram @mapleavenuecoffeehouse.
