Simply Anne's Coffee Shop opens in a former 1930s gas station

Deborah Johnson Wood

It's easy to miss on the busy corner of Wealthy Street SE and Eastern Avenue, a tiny triangle of a former gas station with a weathered Ron's Hand Car Wash sign on a post outside. But look closely and you'll see Simply Anne's Coffee Shop painted on the window. Inside you'll find a small-town style coffee shop built around a simple theme: coffee – regular and decaf.

You'll also find two tables, some baked goods from Van's Pastry, a selection of pop and a warm welcome. But you won't find cappuccinos or lattes.

Ron Nelson has operated the car wash in the gas station's service bay every summer for 18 years and wanted to make it a year-round business. That meant having a place where clients can wait in the winter while their cars are washed – yes, by hand.

"They can come in and have a cup of coffee, have a donut, read a magazine and be comfortable," says Manager Donna Woods, Nelson's goddaughter. "We have wireless Internet, and we have a lot of lawyers and doctors that come in while they get their car washed and have a cup of coffee and do some work while they wait."

Walk-in customers are also welcome. In the summer, a small patio out front seats six.

Heritage Hill resident and community activist Anne Logan purchased the property from Nelson last summer. Nelson named the coffee shop after her, but her involvement in the business is minimal.

"Anne's reason for buying is based on the renewed activity on Wealthy Street," says her husband, Tom Logan. "She thinks it's on the way up again after years of being down, and Ron wanted to sell the building. This nice corner location has a good future. If the car wash stays viable, then it will probably stay the car wash. And if not, it's a cute historic 1930s gas station with a lot of possibilities."

Source: Donna Woods, Simply Anne's Coffee Shop; Tom Logan

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Have a development news tip for Rapid Growth? Contact us here.