You and Me Coffee and Tea opens in downtown Corbin

You and Me Coffee and Tea barista Eric Salmons waits on a customer during the coffeeshop’s opening day Monday.

It was in a Brazilian coffee shop where Corbin Main Street Manager Andy Salmons says he had his first real eye-opening experience with coffee.

"I had an espresso. I feel like it was the first time that I really, truly tasted coffee," Salmons remembers.

The experience remained with him. Brewing and drinking good coffee became a passionate hobby – one he wants to share with others.

To that end, You and Me Coffee and Tea – a quaint, hip specialty coffee shop located in the old Cottongim Drug building on Main Street in Corbin – opened officially Monday. Salmons and his mother, Karen, co-own the decidedly Bohemian store, but don’t expect any coffee snobbery or counterculture elitism. The goal here is to introduce great coffee and fresh pastries in a comfortable, inviting community space where the average customer can feel just at home as on their own couch.

"Our vision for this space is for it to be a place where people feel comfortable and have a conversation and hang out; maybe sit for two or three hours if they want and work. You can do that here," Salmons said. "We want this to be a second living room for the community."

Aside from the obvious community mindedness behind it, You and Me Coffee and Tea is also rooted in shrewd business calculation. Salmons said he sees an entirely viable market in Corbin for specialty coffee and other items that will make You and Me Coffee and Tea sustainable long term.

The Facebook page for the business had more than 500 "likes" before holding a special opening night Saturday. The actual event was a high interest one.

"We were slammed from the moment we opened the doors until we shut down," Salmons says with a laugh. "It was a baptism by fire, but it was really good for us. It put us through a really intense situation to see how we would do."

More than anything, Salmons wants You and Me Coffee and Tea to become know for serving great coffee. The science behind making just the right espresso shot or the methods involved in the different brewing processes customers can choose for each cup of coffee (there are two) can be mind bogglingly complex. Baristas will constantly be readjusting the formulas based on things like humidity and ambient air temperature.

Salmons jokes that he can talk about coffee sometimes in very "nerdy" terms, but the end result is serious business.

"We have very high standards and brew methods. The way we are doing our coffee is different than any other shop within about a 50-mile radius," Salmons said. "All of it is done to highlight the best qualities of the coffee … We are controlling the exact amount of coffee and the flow rate of water so you get all the kind of fruity brightness in the coffee … all the sugars and to make sure all the proper oils are extracted."

"It produces a far superior cup of coffee."

All of You and Me’s coffee comes from a micro-roastery in Louisville. Salmons said the types of coffee offered would be changed depending on the season and lots available. The espresso formula will remain consistent.

Another thing Salmons said he thinks customers will like are the fresh baked pastries, made in house daily with only organic ingredients. One specialty is high-density brownie with 60 percent Cacao – one of the principal ingredients in chocolate.
Customers can also get hot chocolate and tea at You and Me Coffee and Tea.

Salmons said, in the near future, the store plans to add some sandwiches, salads, and breakfast items to the menu on a limited basis. He is working with local farmers to obtain all of his ingredients.

Salmons purchased the old Cottongim Drug building in February with the intention of opening a coffee shop. The upstairs is used as his own loft apartment. He said the arrangement is a "dream come true" for him personally, but he also hopes it serves as a "vote of confidence" for the portion of Corbin that he has been officially tasked with improving.

"I really believe in the viability of Main Street and I think this shows that," Salmons said. "To me, there is no better place in Corbin to do business than right downtown because of the community and the vibe that we can create here. I think this is the most exciting place to do business."

You and Me Coffee and Tea is open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. In the near future, Salmons said he plans to book musicians to provide live entertainment on weekends. He may extend hours on some days to 9:00 p.m. when appropriate.