Gray Squirrel Coffee Company, previously located inside YesterYears Brewery and Taproom next to Cat’s Cradle, moved to a larger space just across the parking lot from its old location in September. Also, the coffee shop has partnered with the Chapel Hill Public Library to open a miniature coffee stand in the lobby.
The new location of Grey Squirrel formerly housed the Bella’s International Cuisine, which mainly served American dishes.
While still currently operating under temporarily shortened hours as final touches are made, Gray Squirrel plans to return to full hours by mid-November.
The new stand at the Chapel Hill Public Library opened at the same time as the new building and offers a condensed version of the menu.
Gray Squirrel has completely remodeled the primary building, practically “gutting the whole inside,” owner Shaw Sturton said.
The renovations include remodeling the bathrooms and the kitchen, adding a full roastery including a roasting lab and installing a canopy outside.
The roasting lab is a new upgrade for Gray Squirrel and serves as a place to invent new drinks as well as conduct tastings. Gray Squirrel also acts independently as its own roastery, something that separates it from other local coffee shops.
Sturton, though, said that the aspect that makes Gray Squirrel the most unique is the people. “Most people when asked what makes their shop unique would say the coffee, but I think it’s our staff and clientele.”
While Sturton takes great pride in his customers, he also understands that it is not a perfect fit for everyone. With countless other coffee shops in the Chapel Hill and Carrboro area, Sturton does not see them as competition, but rather making each other better. He also has no problem referring customers to other shops.
“If you don’t vibe with us, that’s okay. It’s okay if you don’t understand our vibe. We can point you down the road to a different place that be more your vibe,” Sturton said.
As for the people Sturton does see coming in and out of his shop, he said the demographic has changed with the town over the past two years.
Naturally, Gray Squirrel already had an established clientele before the move, generally consisting of “grad students, younger professionals and young families.”
Specifically, the demographic has gotten younger, and, in the past year, Gray Squirrel has started to pull more local high school students.
“The energy [at Gray Squirrel] is super welcoming and all of the employees are really nice,” junior Stella Roth said.
Roth favors Gray Squirrel over many other coffee shops in the area.
According to Roth, “the prices are not expensive, and it doesn’t feel like you’re wasting money.” In comparison with other local coffee shops, “the chai there is one of the best!”
As Gray Squirrel continues to change, Chapel Hill and Carrboro will continue to grow and change with it, but the coffee will always be just a few minutes away.
