The oldest gourmet coffee store in Texas has moved to Fresco Produce Company in Lakewood.
Opening at the Quadrangle in 1972, The Coffee Company started with "about 17 coffees in oak barrels," says owner Patricia Brady. She expanded to a second store in Preston Center a few years later, and eventually closed the Quadrangle location.
Within the past few years, she found that "the chains were squeezing out the small operations. Being in Preston Center was not fun anymore."
A Lakewood resident, Brady had been patronizing Fresco on a regular basis. When she made the decision to leave Preston Center, her own neighborhood seemed the logical place to relocate. And Fresco, with its seemed the logical choice.
Offering coffee beans roasted and flavored on the premises, The Coffee Company has taken over a substantial corner of Fresco. Now featuring more than 50 varieties of coffee beans, including estate blends such as Jamaican Blue Mountain, The Coffee Company will also flavor to order on request.
In addition to gourmet coffees, customers may select from a variety of Godiva and Morgen chocolates, gourmet teas, including Fortnum and Mason, specialty food items and gifts, and Swiss coffeemakers unavailable at the big chain coffee stores.
Fresco Produce Market, at 1931 Skillman just south of Oram, is recreating the atmosphere of a European corner market in East Dallas. "The concept is to offer convenience in a warm and friendly environment, providing the freshest quality produce at reasonable prices, and allowing our customers to hand-pick without having to purchase large quantities," says owner Danny Furr.
While shopping for produce at Fresco and gourmet items from The Coffee Company, pick up a loaf of fresh bread from Great Harvest Bread Co. for your dinner. Then to complement your meal, stop by Rena De La Rosa’s festive European flower cart. De La Rosa, the former owner of Kelly’s Flowers, can create bouquets that look fresh-cut from your garden.
As Patricia Brady emphasizes, Fresco is a special neighborhood market where personal, friendly service is not a thing of the past. Whether you’re a coffee lover, a chocolate addict, or just want the freshest products available, you’ll enjoy the atmosphere, the people and the shopping at this little market that brings a bit of European civilization to fast-paced Dallas.
