I don’t kiss every business owner I meet. But Louisa Kleto, one of the Owners of Central Coffee Company in Plaza Midwood, has earned it.
I have been frequenting Central Coffee on the corner of Louise and Central Ave. on an almost daily basis for easily 5 years. The owners, Jimmy and Louisa Kleto bought their first and second house through me.
The coffee shop is the ultimate neighborhood spot. It’s sat on the corner at 719 Louise Ave at the edge of Plaza Midwood and the Elizabeth Community since 2009. I love the modern-industrial feel, with exposed pipes, and big windows. That’s totally my life vibe.
They brew and serve Joe Van Gogh, artisan coffee roasters in Hillsborough, NC. All of their pastries are baked from scratch daily. When I say pastries I don’t mean a few muffins and scones. I’m talking serious stuff. Vegan Zucchini bread, Vegan Chocolate Espresso Cake, Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie, Quiche and Greek favorites like Koulouraki and Baklava.
I’ve been visiting Central Coffee for so long I was there to cheer them on when they opened their Southend location at 1700 Camden Road #101. It’s a bigger space than the Plaza Midwood location with a private space that can be reserved but the charm is the same from one to the other.
I’ve been visiting long enough that the fantastic Manager, Logan and his partner and sweet babies bought their house with me.
This is my place. I’m there easily once a week for business meetings. In fact, I’ll suggest to anyone that wants to meet about anything from old furniture to selling a mansion that we meet at Central Coffee. I’m not the only one, either. The quiet, trendy spot is often peppered with laptops and entrepreneurs looking for a friendly but productive location to get a little work done. It also has free wi-fi as a bonus. Don’t feel like you have to work though. You could just hang out on the couch or chill with your kids and play a game.
Oh and did I mention, it has always had the best coffee and best baristas in Charlotte?
I love profiling the best small businesses in Charlotte and do it frequently like this one for Sandwich Max. But this is more than a business feature this post. This is a love letter to Central Coffee. Jimmy and Louisa are the hardest working and sweetest people I know. They never stop striving for their business, their family and their community. We should all be like that.
What’s so weird is that when I sat down to write a post about business.. my first thought was about a place I like that wasn’t my very favorite and beloved Central Coffee. What the heck was I thinking? Well, I wasn’t thinking. Come on Cassee! The thing is I don’t really consider Central Coffee a business. It’s more like visiting an old friend. It feels familiar and cozy and lovely in every way.
