The owner of a seafront speciality coffee café is set to open a second premises in a former coffee shop that closed down less than six months after opening.
Katie Spencer, who runs Shore. Coffee by the Coast with her partner Paul Ward at the Beach Street shipping container complex in Felixstowe, is planning to also open in the former Seadogs café unit further along the seafront in Undercliff Road West.
Earlier this week, this newspaper reported how Seadogs had closed, citing a lack of customers.
READ MORE: Felixstowe cafe Seadogs closes after six months of business
A notice was stuck to the front door of the building opposite Felixstowe Leisure Centre warning customers that the premises had shut.
However, Ms Spencer said she had put a "huge amount of planning and thought" into opening the second café.
She hoped to be open in time for the schools' October half-term following a full refit.
Ms Spencer added: "We already have Shore Coffee by the Coast at Beach Street and have been there for four years in January.
"This will be an expansion of our business as we wanted a second location with sit in space for our new food menu, keeping Beach Street as our grab and go."
READ MORE: Seadogs tearoom will open Wednesday on Felixstowe seafront
The new café will have a similar style to the existing Beach Street premises and will continue to serve the business' own blend of speciality coffee provided by local roaster, The Penny Roaster at Shotley.
Food will be served seven days a week, while there will be a breakfast and lunch menu at the sit-in café using local produce.
Ms Spencer said although the previous café had closed due to lack of custom, she was already an established name in the town and her customers were "demanding an expansion" so opening a second, larger café was always her plan.
READ MORE: Clouds cafe has opened in Hamilton Road in Felixstowe
She added: "I offer some of the best speciality coffee in Suffolk, my Google reviews can show you that.
"Our attention to detail, café interior and incredible staff keep people coming through the door.
"We are the best at what we do when it comes to coffee and my menu will echo that.
"I have been lucky enough to establish an incredible and supportive customer base over the last few years.
"I first opened my doors in January 2021, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and my customers supported me through.
"We are investing a huge amount of money into this and we haven’t gone into it without a huge amount of planning and thought.
"My entire background is hospitality, it’s in my blood.
"We live in Felixstowe and love the town and the community spirit and we want to see it thrive.
"We believe in this expansion and cannot wait to show what we have planned."
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