Sea Level owners transform former Cannella spot into hip coffee shop in about 6 weeks
Dana and Thomas Barrett pulled over on a whim.
On their way to New Orleans for a day trip about six weeks ago, the couple who owns Sea Level in Pass Christian saw a quaint yellow building for rent on U.S. 90 in Bay St. Louis.
Dana Barrett said they were planning to close Sea Level, a burger shack and sno-ball stand located in the Pass Christian Harbor, for the winter and were exploring what to do to keep their employees working.
“Every time we go to New Orleans from the Pass, we like to stop somewhere and get coffee to take with us to Whole Foods or to the city for the day,” she said.
Dana and her husband called the number on the real estate sign and decided to rent the space to open a coffee shop of their own called Coffee Culture.
The Barretts have spent the last six weeks renovating the interior of the shop that was once home to Cannella, a popular German-Italian fusion restaurant. The interior includes stained wood, modern tables and pops of light blue.
The shop is on a busy strip of U.S. 90 about a mile away from Mississippi 603.
“We thought this would be a good place for a coffee shop because it’s such a heavily traveled road,” she said.
While Barrett hopes customers sit and stay a while to enjoy the Coast Roast coffee drinks and fresh pastries, she expects most of her clientele will use the drive-thru.
Getting ready to open Thanksgiving weekend has been a “fast and furious” process, the Barretts said. They’ve hired new employees and trained their Sea Level staff — and themselves — on how to make coffee drinks and teas.
“They were a little bit nervous at first, and to be honest, I was too,” Barrett said.
But the employees have started to enjoy the process.
“They like the change of pace going from food and sno-balls to coffee and pastries,” Dana Barrett said.
Coffee Culture’s menu includes hot coffee, iced coffee, specialty drinks, frozen coffees, a variety of teas, pastries and homemade monkey bread baked by Terri Warley, Dana Barrett’s sister.
The Barretts are using Coast Roast coffee beans, and guests can also buy coffee by the bag.
Dana Barrett said she didn’t know many people in the Bay, but she’s met several already who have stopped by to wish them well. A lot of people honk their horns and wave as they pass by, she said.
“Everybody has been really nice,” Dana Barrett said.
Barrett’s sister owned Bay City Grill before Hurricane Katrina. The popular Depot Row restaurant is no longer there, but Barrett said her sister assured her Bay St. Louis was the place to be.
“She said, ‘You’re going to love the people, Dana, they’re very laid back and very nice people.’ And I have to agree with her.”
Coffee Culture, at 1113 U.S. 90, will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
