Popular Tuscaloosa Coffeehouse Building New Location in Northport

A popular coffeehouse that began in Starkville is set to expand into Northport, where they plan to build and open a new drive-thru before the end of the year.

Shane and Katelyn Reed founded Strange Brew Coffeehouse near the campus of Mississippi State University but always had an eye on the Druid City, where Katelyn earned a degree from the University of Alabama, and in January, they opened a local shop in an old service station on the Tuscaloosa Strip.

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Katelyn Reed was there Monday afternoon and told the Thread they plan to open a new location in Northport they're building from the ground up next to the Northport Bojangles, which appears to have permanently closed this month.

Reed said the Tuscaloosa location is doing well and will remain open, but the new drive-thru will give them a foothold in the still mostly untapped Northport market, where a Dunkin just opened and a Starbucks is reportedly on the way, but drive-thru coffee shops are still limited.

Northport is also a nice strategic position between the coffeehouses already open in Tuscaloosa and Starkville - Reed said they frequently travel Highway 82 and see a great opportunity for success on that side of the Black Warrior River.

The entrepreneur said their new plans come with some anxiety - the Reeds have never built a store from the ground up and have always elected to move into pre-built spaces with great personality, like the service station on University Boulevard.

Still, she said they hope the project will be finished before the end of 2024, and their Northport drive-thru will offer hot and cold coffees and other drinks as well as the specialty baked goods already enjoyed in Starkville and Tuscaloosa.

For updates on the new project as they become available, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.