Fresh Coffee And Good Vibes Coming to Weir Street in Taunton This Fall
When Rachel Correia of Taunton began roasting coffee beans in 2019, the goal was to evolve her idea into a local watering hole where people could pull up a chair and relax with a good cup of coffee.
Coming this fall, Correia’s vision becomes reality with the Grand Opening of The Neighbors Coffee & Co., coming to 32 Weir Street in Taunton this fall.
Who is Rachel Correia?
A Taunton native, Rachel Correia got her start with coffee while working in coffee shops in high school. Later in life, she worked overseas in Turkey and discovered an entirely new outlook on hospitality.
“That kind of coffee shop/brewery environment, that stay-for-a-while environment, I just loved it,” she said.
Originally, Correia’s goal was to partner with a local roaster and get involved with a company that was ethically sourced. When she wasn’t finding what she envisioned, Correia decided to take matters into her own hands.
In 2019, she began roasting her own coffee beans and testing her product with close friends.
“I made a gas grille into a simulated coffee roaster with an automated rotisserie,” she explained of her clever roasting set-up. “I started putting feelers out and it quickly grew.”
By 2020, Correia had moved her coffee biz into a shared kitchen in Dartmouth and was frequenting local farmers markets and pop events, selling her beans and freshly brewed coffee.
As 2023 reaches its final months, Correia is thrilled to begin renovating 32 Weir Street into the brick-and-mortar she always wanted.
“I used to say we’d have a shop in 2 to 5 years when we first started, and here we are at year 4 making it happen,” she said. “We’re so excited to finally have a home base in our hometown.”
What to Expect at The Neighbors Coffee & Co.
“People can expect a cozy, fun space where they feel comfortable,” said Correia. “It will be like a friendly living room.”
Freshly roasted coffee will be the star of the show. Correia correlates the process of roasting coffee beans to the way popcorn pops.
“It’s called green coffee or raw coffee, and it’s the pit of coffee cherries. When it gets to me, it’s these small, jade green seeds,” she explained. “It takes about 8 to 12 minutes to roast and it puffs up like popcorn, and that’s what we all know as the coffee beans.”
In simple terms, it’s incredibly fresh coffee that will offer a whole new flavor.
Accompanying the roasted coffee will be a full espresso bar, cold brew, and high-quality, locally sourced pastries and breakfast sandwiches.
Since the beginning of Neighbors, Correia has put a huge emphasis on giving back to the community and has donated a portion of the business’s profits to local community needs.
With the opening of Neighbors on a larger scale, she aims to expand her community reach and give back, a business model that is not only admirable but necessary for Correia.
“I love coffee, and the coffee is important, but it’s never been about serving coffee, it’s been about serving people,” she said.
Correia aims to open up shop this fall and looks forward to providing good coffee and good vibes to the neighborhood she loves so much.