Today we’d like to introduce you to Cherie Johnson.
Cherie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started Alcove in 2002 after years of daydreaming about owning and operating a cafe. I would design different versions in my mind. Cafes in the city, small town cafes, a cafe at the sea…
I studied architecture in college and my favorite student project was one where I converted an old drugstore in a small town into a cafe. It was hypothetical, a project on paper only, but years later the old drugstore did become a cafe.
After college I became a restaurant/retail designer. During that time I learned about cafe design (layout, furnishings, equipment, lighting, electrical requirements, plumbing…)
From the clients I learned about restaurant operations. It also helped that I spent my college years (and a few years after) working in food service and I knew that it could be a tough field.
Despite that knowledge, a romanticism about cafe ownership persisted.
It was during a trip to Europe in 2000 that I decided to put my knowledge to use. So in 2002 when a small Bosnian restaurant in Tucker became available I leased the space, spent a month renovating it and Alcove was created. The name originated from the fact that the space was tucked in between buildings and formed what in architecture is referred to as an alcove.
That was the first location. We outgrew the space and moved eventually to our current space on Lake Lucerne, a beautiful small lake a few miles from Stone Mountain.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There have been quite a few challenges throughout the years. Owning a small business is a 24/7 job. Sometimes equipment breaks down or employees don’t show up to work but then something wonderful happen then something magical happens and everything is right again. For example a young man reunited with his mother. He had not seen her since childhood. He came in looking for a job and she came in for coffee. It was pure happenstance.
Please tell us about Alcove Coffeehouse.
Alcove features coffee from Atlanta roastery Batdotf & Bronson. We have chai from The Chai Box and King of Pops popsicles. We have made in house sandwiches, salads, soups and smoothies along with baked goods from H&F and Buckhead Bread Company. We have outdoor seating with an amazing view.
Coffee is an amazing beverage. It provides clarity of thought, it brings people together. The nuance between different coffees is a fascinating discovery. An Ethiopian coffee with a hint of berry or a Guatemalan coffee with notes of chocolate are good coffees to start with to explore the taste differences.
Alcove features coffees from Atlanta roastery Batdorf & Bronson. We have chai from Atlanta based The Chai Box and we have locally based King of Pops popsicles and Revelation Gelato. We feature baked goods from Buckhead Bread Company and H&F Bakery. We have sandwiches, salads, soup and smoothies. As much as possible local and organic products are used to make our food. We care about the environment and the health of our customers.
We have outdoor seating with a gorgeous view of the lake.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I feel satisfaction when I see people congregating, enjoying each other’s company and in the relationships that have developed with customers, employees, vendors. People have actually met at Alcove and later married each other.
Contact Info:
- Address: 4615 Stone Mountain Hwy
Lilburn, Georgia 30047 - Website: Alcovecoffeehouse.com
- Email: alcovecoffee@gmail.com
- Instagram: alcovecoffee
- Facebook: @alcovecoffeehouse
- Twitter: @alcovecoffee
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