Consider the squirrel. A hearty creature that’s member to the taxonomic family Sciuridae, they vary and size and stature across nearly 300 species and associated genera. From the famed flying squirrel (Rocky was a member) to the whistling Pacific Northwest alpine marmot (genus marmota, and the largest member of the squirrel family) to the tiniest pipsqueak chipmunk, the squirrel presents in many-splendored forms. And then there is the grey squirrel, a species of squirrel uniquely adapted to successful habitation and growth. Such is the scene you’ll find at Gray Squirrel Coffee in Carrboro, North Carolina, where this squirrel—in the guise of a coffee shop—is celebrating the recent expansion of operations into a brand new next-door space downtown. With much more room to spread out, Gray Squirrel will be able to expand their offerings to include more room for seating, roasting, and a lounge-like area in which to enjoy delicious coffee. Let’s learn more.
The 2026 Build-outs of Coffee is presented by DONA, Pacific Barista Series, and La Marzocco.
As told to Sprudge by Sarah Persing.
For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?
Gray Squirrel Coffee Co. is a small-batch specialty coffee roaster, espresso bar, and bakery in Carrboro, NC. We like to keep things simple here: roasting in small batches with care to bring out the best in the coffee, crafting exceptional drinks and house-made baked goods in our cafe, taking good care of our team, and focusing on developing great relationships with our customers and community partners.
Can you tell us a bit about the new space?
We are expanding our cafe and roastery into the spot next door to our current shop in downtown Carrboro, NC, adding 1,600 square feet, with approximately 30 more seats for customers, a larger roasting area, and a secondary bar. The idea was simply to expand on what we’ve become and share what we do behind the scenes in a relaxed, approachable setting. To that end, the new space features an open view to the roasting floor (with two larger roasters to up our capacity), plus additional lounge-like customer seating, and a slow bar area where we are excited to highlight unique brewing methods and host cuppings and conversation in an intimate environment. We’ve also extended our hours with the hopes of becoming a go-to lounge for folks to enjoy before dinner or a show at another local spot.
What’s your approach to coffee?
We strive to introduce folks to the most interesting and delicious coffees in the world, sharing our expertise in an approachable way that gets our customers feeling as passionate about coffee as we are. Working with our supply chain partners, we are able to source the highest quality green coffee beans while also empowering farmers with fair pricing and long-term business relationships. We are meticulous about cupping and roasting in small batches so that we are able to give each green coffee a customized roast profile that draws out the best flavor and aroma for the bean. We believe that coffee shops are essential for providing a safe place for important conversation, so we are excited to be able to offer more space for our awesome community to gather.
Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?
We are adding two refurbished Probat roasters (an L12 and an L5), along with a destoner and new packaging equipment to help streamline production. We are also giving our packaging design a refresh with new coffee bags and labels.
How is your project considering sustainability?
Having more space will allow us to consolidate shipments for fewer deliveries and a greener footprint. We will continue to compost our kitchen and bar scraps and donate our chaff to local farms.
What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?
We expect to be open by June, 2026.
Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?
We took the lead on this project ourselves, with the goal of designing a space that would be complementary to our existing café while bringing more of a loungy feeling. We’re grateful to all the local craftspeople, experts, and friends who helped make this expansion happen.
Thank you!
Thank you!
The 2026 Build-outs of Coffee is presented by DONA, Pacific Barista Series, and La Marzocco.
