DINE+WINE | nibbles + bites
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Denver’s Cabbella’s Coffee earns impeccable reputation
Cabbella’s Coffee Shop owner Suzi Hearld greets customers.
by Tony Ricciardelli | photography by Lisa Crates
For Lake Norman coffee drinkers venturing west toward Lincoln County on Highway 73, the place to go for roasted coffee and specialty drinks is Cabbella’s Coffee Shop in Denver. Located on State Road 16 Business, Cabbella’s is known for its eclectic choice of beverages, and its comfortable, welcoming atmosphere. This shop is where the locals satisfy their coffee cravings, serving hot and cold drinks at reasonable prices, without the glitz and urgency of the bigger, well-known franchises. There is nothing pretentious about Cabbella’s; the homey, living room atmosphere and intimate seating arrangement entice customers to unwind, converse, and enjoy the camaraderie. It has been serving Denver and its surrounding communities for twelve years. “My late husband JR and I owned a nearby retail business, and we were doing quite well,” says Cabbella’s owner Suzi Hearld. “We had no intention of owning a coffee shop; we were just 66
LAKE NORMAN CURRENTS | DECEMBER 2021
shopping around for merchandise to sell in our store. When JR noticed this coffee shop for sale, we were only interested in buying its furniture. The owner, however, offered us the entire business: the furniture, the equipment, all of it. Suddenly, we owned a coffee shop, and we were leaping into unfamiliar territory.”
Studying the craft Subsequently, JR spent four months studying how successful coffee shops operate their businesses. He became a self-taught barista, learning the origins and history of coffee—how it is processed, how it is brewed, how it is served. He mastered countless recipes and experimented with hundreds of coffee and drink combinations, flavors, styles, and techniques. Suzi, of course, was the in-house taste tester. Suzi notes, “before we had the retail store, I had run my own photo restoration
