Klines Espresso Bar is no longer a concept; the drive-through coffee shop quietly began serving customers with a soft opening last week.
The official start to the business was this morning at 6 a.m.
The coffee shop will be open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Weekend hours will be determined.
The coffee shop is meant to compliment the ice cream enterprise but also not interfere with busy summer nights.
“We’re excited to be open,” said Kim Arehart, owner of Klines Espresso Bar and Klines Dairy Bar in Waynesboro.
The Espresso Bar is located directly behind the Dairy Bar on West Main Street across the street from Waynesboro High School.
The soft opening was a way to get employees trained and fix any kinks that might be necessary before the operation was open for business full-time.
The menu for the Espresso Bar includes energy drinks, dirty sodas, lemonade, iced tea, smoothies, muffins, cinnamon rolls and a breakfast burrito. There’s even a few ice-cream treats on the menu, and well, of course, coffee. The menu includes hot, iced and cold-brew options, craft lattes and frozen frappés.
A fun combo: Coffee and ice cream
The site behind her coffee shop sat vacant for years while Arehart tried to come up with a concept that would work beside an already bustling ice-cream operation.
She had a few ideas but kept coming back to coffee.
Arehart had some experience with coffee – she had offered some selections at the ice cream shop when she opened in 2008. However, she eventually discontinued them to focus on the popular dessert menu.
In the last decade plus, however, the demand for premium coffee drinks has grown, and she saw an increased interest in local alternatives to national coffee chains.
“Small independent shops like Kline’s add variety and choices for residents,” Arehart told AFP in an interview last spring. “The more independent shops we have, the more unique our city becomes.”
Site work began approximately one year ago, and the coffee shop had planned a fall opening.
However, construction was slower than planned and there were some electrical issues that had to be addressed before she could open once and for all.
While the wait was in one word “frustrating,” Arehart’s vision is now finally a reality.
“The ice cream and coffee shops are a fun combination. It’s great to have both up and running,” she said. “We look forward to fueling your day.”
A ribbon cutting for Klines Espresso Bar is planned for mid-April.
Klines Dairy Bar has locations in Staunton, Waynesboro, Harrisonburg, McGaheysville, Lynchburg and Chesterfield.
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Crystal Graham
