BY JANE BLOODWORTH ROWE
RED MILL — A little taste of the Caribbean is tucked away among a local shopping center in southern Virginia Beach. The Caribbean, that is, with a Sandbridge twist and a menu featuring locally sourced beverages.
Jim Reeve and Joe Shetler, co-owners of Baja Coffee Company in Sandbridge, have opened a second location on Fisher Arch just north of Pungo and near Red Mill featuring the same menu offerings, including pastries, coffees and coffee blends.
“We hope to bring the atmosphere of the Baja to a new location,” Reeve said. “It’s casual and family-friendly, but we offer coffee with a kick.”
Coffees include their signature Baja Blend and are purchased from local roasters, including Tidewater Coffee Company of Portsmouth and Front Porch Café of the Outer Banks.
“We try to use local people,” said Shetler, who added that he worked with Tidewater Coffee Company to develop their house blend. He described it as a smooth mixture of Caribbean and Costa Rican coffees.
The alcoholic beverages are a popular brunch item at the Sandbridge location, Reeve said, and he hopes to maintain that in the new location. Teas, juices, smoothies and milk are also available. Other food items include wraps, a crustless quiche, yogurts, an acai bowl and oatmeal.
New and seasonal items are added to the menu, and they will include local produce.
“We try to mix it up,” Shetler said, “and to keep offering something new.”
Baja Coffee Company was launched in 2015 at Baja Restaurant at Little Island , which Reeve had owned since 2009 after taking over management in 2005. Reeve, who also owns the ecotour business Back Bay Getaways, wanted to take advantage of his scenic bayside location to offer his customers a morning experience, he said.
The Fisher Arch location opened in December, and the reception has been positive, Shetler and Reeve said. They said they’ve developed a new customer base, as well as bringing in people from Sandbridge.
The business is a family affair. Reeve’s wife, Sally Reeve, an interior designer, designed the shop, and Shetler’s wife, Jenn Shetler, is a manager. Reeve’s sons,
Baja Coffee Company is located at 2041 Fisher Arch. Hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday.
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