The opening of Take Two Coffee’s retail store has been brewing since last fall, with founders Caleb MacPherson and Hunter Keslar set to celebrate its grand opening April 20 at 2633 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Fort Myers.
Keslar said Take Two will have a lot of what one would expect at a coffee shop, with a lot of espresso-based coffees. “Obviously, we’re in Southwest Florida, it’s hot, so cold brew and nitro cold brew is a must have,” he said.
Additionally, Take Two will serve seasonal coffee beverages and teas and offer house-made syrups, including vanilla and lavender.
“One of the main points in our menu in general across food and coffee is just being seasonal,” MacPherson said. “Just keeping it fresh and in season.”
Keslar said what sets them apart is roasting their own coffee. “Then the unique thing that we will definitely be rotating seasonally would be our single–origin offerings,” he said.
MacPherson said Take Two’s competitive advantage over other shops is not only that the coffee is freshly roasted, but that they get coffee as close to off the tree as possible.
Take Two will offer donuts to sweeten the deal at their shop. Anticipating to carry four to six types of donuts, MacPherson and Keslar said they like to keep the options simple, just like their coffee.
“At least for me, I always felt overwhelmed going to donut shops where there’s like 40 options,” MacPherson said.
However, limited options does not mean flavors for the sweet treats will fall short on creativity.
The first donut flavors in rotation available on the grand opening will be classic glazed, sprinkles, maple bacon, cinnamon toast crunch, cookie butter and the debut of a new donut they dubbed The Florida Man.
MacPherson described The Florida Man as a Floridian take on a Boston cream. It will include orange curd filling topped with vanilla glaze and a garnish.
Long-time friends turned business partners, MacPherson and Keslar have close to a combined 20 years of experience in the coffee industry.
MacPherson first founded Narrative Coffee Roasters but ultimately left Narrative in November 2022, with Keslar following suit shortly after.
Take Two Coffee then launched at the end of January 2023, exclusively starting as a wholesale coffee roaster.
MacPherson and Keslar’s new venture is an opportunity to “take two,” representing reinvention in an industry they both share a passion for.
While the story behind the name symbolized new beginnings, Keslar said there’s also a communal aspect to the name itself.
“There’s a communal aspect to that that’s like, ‘Hey, instead of just taking one, take two and bring it to a friend,” Keslar said. “Everything’s better enjoyed with someone else.”
MacPherson and Keslar, along with their families, look forward to connecting with the community through their retail store. While having a love for the product itself, the two said they are in the people business with coffee just being the avenue to make fruitful relationships and friendships.
“It’s cheesy to say I got into coffee because of people, but that’s the honest answer,” MacPherson said. “There are very few industries that you can serve the same people daily like this. I always say it’s like a bar without the negative consequences.”
Seating 30, Take Two Coffee will be open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. In the coming months, the hours of operation are expected to expand.
