Tucked away in a shop on University Avenue, the sound of an espresso machine rings through Coterie Market as college students tap away at their computers surrounded by streamers, bows and acrylic charms for sale.
The welcoming cafe, warmly lit with stars dangling from the ceiling, will soon become much more than its University Avenue shop.
Coterie Market is branching outward to open a coffee trailer and a second location. The cafe took to social media June 5 to announce its expansion.
Kate Yeung, Coterie Market’s 26-year-old co-founder, began the cafe as a pop-up retail business rather than a brick-and-mortar location. Originally, it didn’t even sell food and drink. It’s since transformed into the coffee shop it is now.
Yeung's goals for the business have only grown. The coffee trailer idea stemmed from Yeung missing the opportunity to attend outside events like farmers’ markets and her desire to reach more people in the Gainesville community.
“I do know that people like me are looking for caffeine, especially in the morning, midday,” Yeung said. “The trailer is the perfect spot, so we’ll be set up for a drive-through during the summer, and then when school starts, we’re hoping to be on campus.”
The coffee trailer is expected to be up and running before the end of June and will be mainly stationed at the Oaks Mall.
Details are still being finalized for the shop’s second brick-and-mortar location, but the excitement is palpable.
Neither the coffee trailer or the second location were expected to happen anytime soon; they were simply ideas for future concepts. However, all the pieces seemed to come together at the same time, quickly bringing the opportunities to light.
Ceara O’Dowd, a 26-year-old shift lead at Coterie Market, said the team is looking forward to growing the business and adding new team members.
The expansion was kept secret from current staff, but once they were informed, they met the news with excitement.
“Me and my coworkers, Max and Danny, were just freaking out,” O’Dowd said. “We were in our separate group chat like ‘Oh my God, I want to be at this one, I want to be at this location.’ Vibes are high. We’re so excited.”
The business looks to be more accessible to the Gainesville area, offering more places to be enjoyed, space for vendors to display their products and parking for convenience.
The second location will feature the retail elements of the first location, showcasing and selling artwork and products created by local artists.
Maia Kates, a 19-year-old UF music and food science junior, is a regular at Coterie Market.
“Of course [I’ll go to the new locations],” she said. “All the time.”
Contact Mackenzie Haas at mhaas@alligator.org.
