A tiny front door bell jingles and another smile enters the small, cozy cafe at 908 Main Street in Roanoke, Alabama. Owner Jessica Williams and her manager, Kaylee, greet their guests warmly and listen to their orders.
Perhaps it’s the Summer Salad, decked with strawberries, blueberries, pecans, and feta. Or maybe it’s the Avocado Toast, which, when sprinkled with bacon bits, is a pleasant treat. To wash it all down, the cafe offers in-house roasted coffee, fresh smoothies, and even bubble tea.
For anything her guests might order, Jessica Williams serves everyone with freshly baked, grilled, and brewed items with the kindness she has received since opening this past Memorial Day weekend.
“Everyone is genuinely nice here,” Williams smiles, speaking of her customers and the general Roanoke area. “Especially Kaylee. She’s basically the boss!”
Kaylee laughs and adds, “We’ve made friends with the elderly and have even met people from other states and countries! I just love to share love with everyone.”
And the truth is that when you walk into First Light Coffee, you can feel the love in both the culture and the coffee as well as the trust Williams has with her employees – who are essentially family to her now.
Founded in the summer of 2020, First Light Coffee initially set up shop in Wedowee, where Williams and her team built their menu. The space could have accommodated for a diner setup, and their menu certainly reflected that. But when asked what her biggest challenge has been so far, Williams admitted that building and growing her brand have been tough. So to create the cafe of her dreams, she had to streamline her menu and downsize the property.
Williams shares that the Wedowee location had been a great start and that the landlord had graciously renovated it before First Light moved in. Thankful for the opportunity for the strong start, she moved into the Roanoke location a few months back to take advantage of the higher, steadier population and finally opened five weeks ago. Even with the smaller space, the cafe holds so much warmth: delicious pastries fill the countertop’s glass case; greeting cards, teas, and freshly roasted coffees line the shelves beside the door; and Latte the beta fish peruses in its spherical fish tank.
Williams adds that some community members have started and sustained Bible study groups at First Light. These and other meetings are held in the upstairs portion of the cafe for added coziness and privacy. At the checkout register downstairs near the brooch-sized frame with the writing “Don’t quit your daydream,” free Bibles rest in a basket for anyone to use during a Bible study or to take home for free.
Visit First Light Coffee Alabama online at http://www.Firstlightcoffeealabama.com and by following their Facebook page. Recently, Williams had the cafe’s logo emblazoned on their front window, giving it a clean, established look. Make sure you like their Facebook page if you find the snail in the design!
First Light Coffee is open Tuesday – Saturday from 7:00 A. M. to 3:00 P. M. For any questions about their menu and expanding gluten-free options, you can give them a call at 256-357-1044.
