Walnut Hill Coffee in Winchester TN  
 

I had the opportunity to sit down and chat with one of the owners of Walnut Street Coffee the other day.  A friendly, affable business person, Crista was unbelievably focused on ensuring a great customer experience.  Walnut Hill is one of the coffee shops in the Tims Ford Lake Area  

I was curious of the coffee shop's story. The owners story.  And what made them unique?

How Did Walnut Hill Coffee in Winchester TN Begin?

Crista had always wanted to create a coffee place.  Something she could call her own, run, and make special.  Crista's brother and his wife were instrumental in helping her go from concept to reality.  Helping her kick the concept off.  A few years ago her coffee / food truck in the Winchester Farmers Market was born.

Walnut Hill Coffee Co Truck in Winchester TN

Crista expected that she would have a customer here and there, and she'd be able to manage her own business easily. 

Being new to entrepreneurship, Crista focused on social media and word of mouth to spread the word.  Her Walnut Hill Coffee Co Instagram (2,741 followers) and facebook (5,270 followers) accounts have amassed quite a group of followers over the time.

Before she knew it she often seeing a line forming before she would have her daily opening.  And the on and off patronage that she had expected never materialized, instead the flow became much higher.  Walnut Hill Coffee had kicked off!!

Walnut Hill Coffee Co Owners - Karen (Robert's Wife), Robert (Crista's brother), Crista, Chuck (Crista's husband)

To meet increasing customer demand, Crista's brother and his wife began to help out. She also hired her first employee to help as well at Walnut Hill Coffee.

Does The Walnut Hill Coffee Sell Food in Winchester TN?

The allure of Walnut Hill Coffee in Winchester TN was not just the great coffee and service that people received but also the food. Crista's focus on customer experience was injected here as well. She briefly mentioned the pastries and I asked from which bakery did she buy them.  

She smiled, and mentioned that her pastry chef makes them.  In fact, any food that she can make from scratch, she does.  This includes the bread that is on her sandwiches and the syrups that she puts in her flavored coffees.

Walnut Hill Coffee Co - "scratch made food"

How Did the Name Walnut Hill Coffee Come About?

Crista and her brother, Robert grew up in Belvidere just outside of Winchester TN on a street called Walnut Hill Road. After discussing a few different names, the Walnut Hill was by far the favorite for her coffee shop.

When Did Walnut Hill Coffee Move into a Permanent Location in Winchester TN?

Demand continued to grow. The thought of moving from a small truck to something more permanent was daunting. It was a big step. Robert and Karen (Robert's wife) again helped nudge Crista out of her comfort zone and make the move.  This would allow them to continue to provide the top-notch service they all wanted, and additionally create a place for people to meet as well.  

Crista, Robert, and Karen all worked tirelessly to make the vision into a reality.

The next phase in Walnut Hill Coffee was born.  They chose the historic building on Winchester Square as the site.

Current Location:  Walnut Hill Coffee in Winchester TN

The historic location that they are currently in, is a turn of the century building originally built as the Home Bank in 1902.

Home Bank in 1902 -- eventually to become Walnut Hill Coffee Co ~120 years later

Notice the dirt streets.

The location then became Prince Pharmacy approximately 20 years later in 1920.  

Prince Pharmacy Winchester TN in ~1920

The building continued to go through transitions to eventually become an Italian Restaurant which closed around 2010 and the building remained vacant.  The steeple of the original bank was removed by Prince Pharmacy around 1950 or so.

Walnut Hill Coffee Co was born, yet much of the history remains.  The counter and coffee bar now used by the baristas was the original Bar of the now closed Arezzo's Italian restaurant. The floors are the same as well.

Walnut Hill Coffee in Winchester TN

Its The People That Make a Difference at Walnut Hill Coffee in Winchester TN

Crista's focus on customer service extends into her team as well.  She continued to tout how much she liked working with her team, and how they all really make a difference.

What's Crista's Favorite Food at Walnut Hill Coffee Co?

Its the Tacos -- in fact, that's the most popular menu item as well.  A brief look on social media indicates many people are also talking about the Tacos.

Walnut Hill Coffee Tacos

While Crista and I chatted, I saw a regular flow of people coming in.  They were quickly served, and enjoyed a place to chat, gather and relax with a good cup of java and some scratch made food.

The Coffee Passion That Grew Into a Coffee Experience

The Coffee Truck 

Crista stopped using the coffee truck around the time that her Winchester TN restaurant opened.

And what happened to the Walnut Hill Coffee truck?  

A new business bought it to create a new dream.

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