Sitting just around the corner, right across the street from Meredith College lies the new age of coffee shops. The Royal Bean Coffee Shop opened last month at 3801 Hillsborough St., and it has raised the bar when it comes to coffee shop customer service. Amanda LaRoque, a Cary resident, owns and operates The Royal Bean.
“I completely came up with this idea out of the blue,” LaRoque said. “I saw the empty space and I just knew this would be a perfect spot for a great coffee place.” The Royal Bean has much to offer its customers. A wide selection of coffee choices satisfies any coffee connoisseur. “Everything’s made to the highest standards,” LaRoque said. “We do not let any of our coffee just sit around. Our dark roast coffee is constantly being made.” Furthermore, LaRoque has fresh beans shipped in twice a week to make sure her coffee and espresso always taste its best. Besides beverages constantly being made at the highest standards, LaRoque has done something no other coffee shop in this area does. She has frequent customer stamp cards for her faithful patrons that go above and beyond what any other coffee shop does. LaRoque does not just stop there, though; she goes one step further and actually keeps the card in a small box near the cash register of the store, so the customer does not have to carry the card with him or her. All a customer has to do is come in and find his or her card so it can be stamped. LaRoque also has drink specials once a week, giving the coffee drinkers discounts on selected beverages.
The Royal Bean also offers plenty of space to allow students to spread out with their books and enjoy a good beverage. Plenty of comfortable sofas and chairs are there for large gatherings of any kind.
“I welcome anyone to come with any meetings they have to do,” LaRoque said. Moreover, Royal Bean offers its customers much more than just a coffee experience. Every Saturday night, eight to 10 local bands play music for the relaxing customers.
LaRoque also displays artwork on her walls by local artists who want to get their work seen.
“I’m really here to help the customers have a good coffee experience,” LaRoque said. “It’s not a cluttered place; you can have a good conversation and a good cup of coffee and not be on top of each other. I also use no glassware, so my customers don’t have to worry about the clanging of the dishes behind the counter while they’re trying to work,” said LaRoque. The Royal Bean Coffee Shop is open until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until midnight on Friday and Saturday.