Occupational therapist said she decided to start her own business focusing on two of her favorite things — books and brews. It’s the first business of its type in the village of Mexico
By Stefan Yablonski
Books & Brew Cozy Café is Mexico’s newest place to have a hot beverage, a snack and maybe even find a new book.
Located at 3280 Main St., right next to the fire department, the business is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Books and Brew is one of the first businesses to open in the village in a while and the only one of its type.
For owner Dani Maynes it’s the best of both worlds.
Originally from APW, Maynes has been in Mexico for nine years.
“I am actually an occupational therapist. I’ve been doing that for six years now; been working in the medical field since I was 18,” she said. “However, ever since COVID, the medical field has changed — I just lost my love for it. I quit my job and decided to do this full time.”
So she decided to start her own business with two of her favorite things — books and brews.
Maynes has the backing of Nicholas Harris, who owns Paulanjo’s Pizza in Mexico and Pulaski.
“I’ve known Nick since I was 17,” she said. “I went to work at his parents’ pizza shop in Pulaski and I was head manager there in my early 20s. So we’ve known each other for almost 20 years now.”
She asked him a few years ago about opening up a business.
“I said, ‘I want to open up a coffee shop’ and that was in December. Nick did all the investing. It was right around $50,000 — Nick’s the money, I’m the dream!” she explained. “It is a pretty big place. It was a gym, it’s been a tae kwon do business and I think it was a thrift shop most recently.”
They have baked goods, including a gluten-free menu.
“We do have breakfast sandwiches. We hire all of our food out, we out source,” she said. “We have two different local bakers that are just house bakers — moms that open their own kitchen and they are certified with the department of health. They do our cinnamon rolls and cookies.
“Everything we do here we try to have as local as possible. My bakers are Breaking Bread and Flourish Bread. And we get our milk from Comleys, a local farm. The guys who made my business signs are Alloy Customs.”
Some of the offerings include latte, tea, espresso and cappuccino, an acai bowl — smooth acai, crunchy granola and pieces of chopped fruit; cinnamon rolls; gluten-free cookies; and breakfast sandwiches.
“We get our coffee from Salt City Coffee. We’re happy getting our beans from Salt City,” she said. “They have been really good to us. We get the beans the day after they are roasted and grind them just before we brew it to give customers the best coffee in Mexico!”
Besides beverages and sweet treats, the business has scores of books for sale.
“Those are all mine and my family’s books — books for adult readers as well children’s books. We have a wide range — we have mystery, we have fantasy, a big selection of kids’ books, romance — a little bit of everything. I like fantasies. That’s my favorite, I like to escape,” she said with a laugh.
Her staff is Nick Harris and Shavanna Cole, “she just started, this is her first week [April 21],” Maynes said.
“Business has been good. It’s been really good. We thought it would be slow when we started and then progressively increase and it has been kind of the opposite where we’ve been busy right from the start. We’ve been open one month today,” she said in an interview April 24. “We had a soft opening for friends and family on March 23 and then on March 24 we opened up for the public. Breakfast time isn’t really our busiest time. Actually it is around 10 when the teachers have their lunch break, that’s usually our busiest.”
Their best seller?
“Definitely our mocha caramel latte, you get the best of both worlds —chocolate and caramel in one drink. Our customers kind of created it; it’s their drink and it is doing very well. That and our house latte which is on draft, that’s probably our second best seller, we run out of that,” she said. “We sell a lot every week, a lot. And we go through about 20 gallons of whole milk.
“Actually coffee is our least seller here. Our latte and espresso are our No. 1 sellers. People just don’t seem to drink just coffee anymore.”
They took their prices and menu from Dunkin’ and Starbucks.
“We wanted to be somewhere in between. It’s not as crazy expensive as Starbucks. But the quality is there. So our pricing is right around Dunkins’. Our quality is better,” she said. “We like it simply here. We’re not looking to be crazy and wild. We like a small simply café. We have a private book club coming here Sunday from 3-6. Everyone can sit and talk about their books while they have some coffee. We’ll start our own book club for the café later.”
The cafe can also host private parties after hours.
They hosted a private bridal shower just before Easter.
