When Connan Moody opened Academy Coffee in 2018, the goal of the concept was to bring something innovative to the Atlanta scene. At the time, Moody’s innovative specialty coffees offered unique blends of flavors that brought a different approach to coffee to customers in Atlanta.
“Academy is a beautiful concept because, at least when we first started, we were bringing a unique concept to the coffee scene in Atlanta,” Moody told What Now Atlanta. “There weren’t very many, if any, places that were doing specialty beverages. We were able to bring a really unique experience through innovative and creative flavors in coffee.”
Now, Moody is looking to innovate again with a new project in West End. He recently unveiled Auxiliary Coffee as a new “coffee brewing experiment,” launching it on Oct. 23 as a residency at 945 Allen Ave.
Moody is expected to open the concept as a permanent coffee shop in West End next year, as reported by the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
This time around, innovating in the coffee space was more difficult. Specialty coffee programs have exploded in popularity, meaning that Moody has had to turn to other approaches to bring a new concept to the Atlanta scene.
“We wanted a really tailored experience, and the way we’ve struck out to do that is through an elevated concept of innovation in the brewing form,” Moody said.
The menu is rather minimalistic, focusing on drip coffee, espresso and espresso and milk. Moody plans to roll out a pour-over program featuring rare coffees, and he is building out a tea service program for non-coffee drinkers featuring items like matcha and chai.
Auxiliary is Moody’s first pivot to a sit-down cafe concept, allowing him to interact with customers on a new level.
“Having the ability to really engage with our customer base in a slower, more educational setting, we’re able to really lean into getting people comfortable with new ways of imbibing coffee, and we’re excited to share that with everybody,” Moody said.
However, Auxiliary aims to do more than just provide coffee. It is designed to be a creative space that fosters all kinds of art, providing a unique pathway for customers to interact with the coffee concept.
“Auxiliary in its initial concept was going to be a space for creativity in all forms,” Moody said. “With what we’re doing as the coffee residency in this building, we’re looking to lean into the community aspect and invite people in to make this space their own. Obviously I can make coffee to the best of my ability, but once I pass it over the bar, it’s on you to really take that experience a little further.”
The young brand is still evolving, and Moody is excited to see where it takes him.
“As far as the longevity goes, right now we’re in the phase of let’s let it walk to see it run, and hopefully it will take on its own identity and concept,” Moody said.
