New coffee shop opens on north side

We feel like the north side is very underserved.”

–Joe West

North-side Springfield has a new coffee shop with the March 30 debut of Echelon Coffee LLC.

The 2,000-square-foot shop at 2407 N. Glenstone Ave. sits in the shadow of DoubleTree by Hilton in a retail building at the corner of Kearney Street and Glenstone Avenue. The building was developed by O’Reilly Hospitality LLC, according to past reporting.

It’s the first brick-and-mortar venture for husband-and-wife owners Joe and Megan West. However, the couple have several years of coffee industry experience, as they also own No Coast Coffee, a small-batch roasting company started in 2016, Joe West said. Echelon sells No Coast for its variety of coffee beverages, such as espressos, lattes and drip coffee.

“We wanted to provide something on the north side for people to go,” he said, noting the 13-employee shop offers indoor and outdoor seating in addition to a drive-thru. “We feel like the north side is very underserved.”

West said Echelon fills the south end of the retail building, adding the space next to his remains vacant. AT&T was the first tenant and occupies the north end. He declined to disclose startup costs or lease terms with O’Reilly Hospitality.

Aside from coffee, Echelon’s menu includes breakfast burritos, bagels, sandwiches and salads. West said he didn’t want to ignore those with a sweet tooth, so baked goods from Prairie Pie LLC and Cake SGF also are served. Other local businesses with products sold in the shop include Askinosie Chocolate LLC and Spring Branch Kombucha, he said.

“It’s just to be that spot where we can highlight some of that for Springfield right by the highway,” he said.

Even as the shop had been preparing to open in recent weeks, West said its proximity to Interstate 44 served as an attraction to drivers looking for coffee.

“It already seems like that’s going to be huge,” he said of pulling in I-44 traffic.

Echelon Coffee is kitty-corner to BigShots Golf, a hitting range and entertainment venue owned by O’Reilly Hospitality that’s set to debut in late May.