Honeysuckle is Tillsonburg’s first third-wave coffee shop

A ribbon-cutting for Honeysuckle was held recently at the location on Quarterline Road, in the 360 Developments complex. Left to right are Margaret Voth, 360 partner; Frank Voth, 360 partner; Cedric Tomico, 360 partner; Trish Tomico, 360 partner; Mayor Deb Gilvesy; Kealy Keating, business owner; Eloise Keating; Etta Keating; Nixon Keating; Jay Keating, business owner; Candace Pickering, building owner; Brad Pickering, building owner; and Peter Braun, 360 partner. (Jeff Helsdon Photo)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

Tillsonburg’s newest business is offering something new on the café scene.

Honeysuckle Coffee opened at 361 Quarterline Road on July 13. Owners Kealy and Jay Keating classify the shop as a specialty coffee shop with rotating seasonal drinks and baked goods made on site. The shop also has espresso-based drinks, iced coffee, brewed coffee, mocha, latte and crafted coffee.

Kealey believes the shop’s offerings are unique to town.

“It is a new thing to Tillsonburg,” she said. “It is unique.”

Honeysuckle is classified as a third-wave coffee shop by its owners. Third-wave coffee shops treat coffee as an artisanal craft, with an emphasis on precision brewing, as well as sustainable sourcing.

Kealey explained the coffee beans used in Honeysuckle are direct trade and fair trade.

“Our roasters work with the small farms in the countries they are grown in,” she said. “It’s more of an ethical process.”

The beans are then roasted in Alberta and shipped to Honeysuckle.

Besides the specialty coffee drinks, Honeysuckle also features other specialty drinks. For example, a Raspberry Beret is made with raspberry oat milk and matcha tea cold foam. A Muy Bueno is a white chocolate shaken espresso with hazelnut cold foam. Other specialty drinks include tea-based drinks such as a London Fog and matcha latte, as well as lemonade-based drinks.

Jay comes to the business with a background working in coffee shops in Hamilton, and Kealy has hospitality experience. They have lived in Tillsonburg for three years and will take turns working in the shop.

“We combined our knowledge and our hope is to serve good coffee in a good environment,” she said.

Located adjacent to the soon-to-be-opened Eyes Daycare, Honeysuckle is bright and airy, with an open, modern concept, plus there’s an outdoor patio. Kealey acknowledged it’s off the beaten path, but said that’s to their advantage.

“The uniqueness of the space is it’s not downtown or busy,” she said. “We want to lead into that: your neighbourhood coffee shop. We love it’s in our backyard, our community.”