There was once an interesting little cafe back in 2015 that sat on Virginia Highlands. This was long before the idea of Roulé really began to take shape. Long before I learned what a specialty drink shop was, and long before I’d ever seen a coffee shop sell fashionable clothes outside of brand merchandise. This was Henry & June, a lovely coffee shop that made creative coffee and tea drinks, and sold brands such as Komono, Won Hundred and Journal.
I found out about this gem from an article by Grey Chapman on The Hundreds blog. I thought it was interesting that an Atlanta business made it onto a Los Angeles based brand’s blog. So I decided to check it out. I made the trek from Roswell to Virginia Highlands(27.6 miles), walked into the shop, and proceeded to buy a basic coffee drink. The barista made the drink, while also telling me more about the business. “We’re more of a specialty drink spot. Think of a mixologist compared to a bartender, but with coffee instead of alcohol.”
Photo from Perfect Daily Grind 2016
This was the first time I had ever heard of this concept, and was blown away. I swore I would be back, and instead of ordering something I would let the barista make their favorite drink. Fast forward maybe a week or so later, and I did just that. After a small bit of waiting I was handed THE Lavender and Nutmeg Latte. One sip and I was addicted. My introduction to specialty drinks was from 0 to 100. I would continue to make that 28 mile drive at least twice a month. Once to try whatever new drink the’ve created, or my new fix, lavender nutmeg latte.
Meanwhile, during that first visit I also perused their clothing and accessories selection, and was blown away in a completely different direction. Fashionable, sophisticated yet casual clothing filled the other half of their store. Pieces I knew I would never be able to afford on a restaurant host pay, but still tried on anyway. They also had a great selection of magazines and books. By my third or fourth visit, I had already bought my Tokyo issue of Drift Magazine, a New Orleans travel guide and a pair of Komono sunglasses that have since been stolen from my car.
Photo by Christina Kwan 2014
During one of those trips I overheard an interesting conversation between one of the co-owners and a customer. I learned that due to Henry and June’s business practices of selling coffee, snacks and clothing goods, the business couldn’t necessarily fall under the regulations of a coffee shop or clothing store. Therefore Henry and June was legally declared a convenience store. This was perhaps my first favorite convenience store in my life.
On another trip, I walked in and found out about a dreaded closing sale. “Moving locations right?” I desperately asked. A disappointing head shake was given in response. For unknown reasons to me, the business front was closing. While I could still dream of buying those expensive clothes on their website, I had nowhere to buy my latte anymore.
It was this news(and news of other businesses that I loved closing down) that gave me the inspiration to begin this blog. To at least try and help small businesses maintain their customer base and perhaps grow as well. My recent trips to Quick Quick reminded of this lovely shop(RIP), and thought it was the perfect time to pay homage to one of the inspirations for Roulé SAPC.
Thanks for reading.
