Brewing and growing: Kingston business combines coffee, plants

KINGSTON — ‘Nothing but smooth sailing.’

That’s how cafe owner Evelyn Egenski described her experience opening The Coffee Garden this past spring.

“I’m shocked by it,” said Egenski, 25. “I was mentally preparing myself for the worst, naturally, but no — the customer base, friends — everyone has just been supportive and helpful.”

Located inside AlleyCrafts gift shop at 239 Schuyler Ave. in Kingston, The Coffee Garden serves a variety of coffee drinks, made from kosher and organic beans, along with boba tea, pastries, bagels, sandwiches and even charcuterie boards.

“We are as strict as possible with having biodegradable products and organic foods products,” Egenski explained.

The logo for the shop — a coffee decanter stuffed with a bunch of leaves — is fitting, as the cafe also functions as a plant shop, due to the owner’s love of greenery.

In addition to regular menu items, specialty drinks are featured monthly, based on the season. Since Fall is quickly approaching, drink specials for September include Biscoff Butter Brew, a cookie butter latte served hot or iced with Biscoff spread topped with whipped cream, and Liquid Apple Pie, a caramel apple gold lotus with vanilla cream and caramel drizzle.

“My favorite thing ever is our cold brew,” said Egenski, adding that it’s supplied by a small business based in New Jersey. “I usually do vanilla black walnut cold brew with dulce de leche and people like it. I posted about it [online] once and people come back specifically for that.”

Egenski described the style of The Coffee Garden as maximalist, with colorful, floral wallpaper adorning the walls and eclectic decor throughout. Most of the decorations were discovered in second-hand shops.

“We try to have a low carbon footprint,” she said.

Egenski has her mom, Shylo, to thank for this new venture, as she owns AlleyCrafts. When the previous cafe moved out, Shylo suggested that Egenski do something with the space.

“I worked in customer service pretty much my entire job experience. I had a little bit of an idea of how to run a business because I’ve been a barista before for years and then I was also a freelance photographer,” she explained.

It’s only been six months, but Egenski has big plans for the future.

“My next step is I want to get a food truck and have it at events or if people want to rent it for weddings and stuff. I would love to eventually open a second location somewhere a little bit further away,” she said.

Being a female business owner is a source of pride for Egenski, especially since she gets to do it alongside her mom.

“I honestly couldn’t be more grateful for how everything’s been going,” she said.

The Coffee Garden is open Tuesday through Wednesday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday through Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday through Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Customers can browse the menu and order online for pickup in-store at https://the-coffee-garden.square.site/ .