In a cozy corner of the Publix shopping center on the corner of Valleydale and Caldwell Mill Road, you can stop by the Bean Hole Coffee shop and get energized by a shot of espresso or relax with a cup of chai tea. This customer-oriented business was bought by Gary Moon two years ago and focuses on service.

ATMOSPHERE

The minute you walk in, you are greeted by an artist&8217;s palette of greens, purples, oranges and yellows. Oh, and tables that are literally shaped like an artist&8217;s palette. Don&8217;t forget to bring a friend for chatting, a book for relaxing or a laptop for surfing the web.

MENU

Coffee is obviously their niche with specialty lattes like &8216;Alatta Joy,&8217; made with chocolate, almond roca and coconut or a &8216;Nutty Butty,&8217; made with chocolate and hazelnut. You can fill your stomach here with more than liquid goodness as well. In the a.m., there are options like breakfast burritos, yogurt parfaits or bagels with hummus.

Scones are also popular items with flavors from white chocolate raspberry to apple cinnamon.

Moon said the rising popularity of his lunch menu is what has really kept his business strong. His wife and co-owner,

Kathy, has created her own special chicken salad with pecans and craisins, which the store sells in bulk. They also offer up salads and sandwiches with tuna or breaded pork tenderloin.

SERVICE

If you go by on a weekday morning, expect at least a little bit of a line but also a warm greeting from either Moon or one of the other guys working with him. Moon knows almost every customer that walks in, chatting with one about a no-hitter game a White Sox player pitched and then another about their recent vacation.

&8220;We push friendly service,&8221; Moon said. &8220;They [the workers] know to do anything to get a customer what they want. If it can be created with what we&8217;ve got here, we try and do it for them.&8221;

Moon said that&8217;s not something you can get at a bigger chain coffee shop.

FIND IT

5184 Caldwell Mill Rd.

Hoover, AL 35244

980-9989

Monday – Friday: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday – 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Sunday: Close