Sweet Bee Coffee Co. opens in Elyria

by themoneyoffice2.com@gmail.com February 27, 2024 · Food & Drink

Brandy Holmes officially opened Sweet Bee Coffee Co. at 108 Antioch Drive in Elyria on Feb. 26 with co-owner and husband Nick. (Martin McConnell — The Morning Journal)

Coffee lovers now have a new outlet for their morning cup of joe.

Sweet Bee Coffee Co., 108 Antioch Road in Elyria, officially opened Feb. 26 with a flood of customers waiting at the door, according to owner Brandy Holmes.

Holmes said wanting to be closer to her family and have more control over her work-life balance led her to venture into the coffee business.

After nearly two years of preparation, Sweet Bee Coffee Company brought her dream to life.

“It took a little bit of time for us to get all our licenses and permits and everything,” Holmes said. “It was kind of a learning experience.

“This was the first business we’ve ever opened, but we are ecstatic.”

Holmes said Sweet Bee truly is a family business.

She said her mother helped her to get the coffee shop off the ground as a business partner.

Holmes’ husband, Nick, is the shop’s co-owner.

Holmes said she uses beans and coffee grounds from Café Femenino Coffee in Hillsborough, N.C., for her drinks.

The company’s funds go to a great cause, she said.

“From the farm to the roastery, it supports women in the community,” Holmes said. “That is something that has always been near and dear to my heart, so when I spend my business dollars, I want to make sure that is reflected.”

A former Starbucks worker, Holmes said she has worked in the coffee business for almost 15 years.

While the West Coast coffee giant taught her almost everything she knows, Holmes said she is ready to show off her own creations.

“I have been working with coffee for close to my entire adult life,” she said. “I worked for (Starbucks) and it was great; I really enjoyed learning about coffee.

“I loved the people that I worked with and everything there, but I wanted to spend a little more time with my family.”

Holmes said the community turned out in droves to welcome her for the Feb. 26 grand opening.

She thanked the community for coming out on short notice, as the shop just made its first social media post the day before its grand opening.

“I didn’t believe (my husband) when he said that Elyria turns out for small businesses,” Holmes said. “We just had a flood of customers this morning.

“I’m floored. I’m so thankful for everyone who came in this morning.”

Holmes said she wants the shop to be more than just a coffee house.

Her hope for the shop is to give Elyria and Lorain County a place to gather, study and get out of the house.

“I really want this place to be a comfortable place for people to come out from the community and just hang out, study, do whatever they need to do,” Holmes said. “It’ll be really nice to have a place where they can come and just hang out.”