Lexington neighborhood needed coffee. Popular shop found it was the perfect blend
A popular local coffee shop has expanded into a neighborhood that was missing some brew.
Old School Coffee opened its third Lexington location May 1 in the Lansdowne Shopping Center. The new coffee shop at 3373 Tates Creek Rd. is in addition to the historic Dudley Square location which opened in 2019 and the Fayette Mall kiosk that launched in 2021.
Owner Rhett Constantine said the neighborhood and his business was a perfect blend, saying since it opened they have been busy and had “overwhelming” support.
“The Tates Creek Road corridor really needed a coffee shop,” Constantine said. “And I’m fortunate to get to be around other small businesses. All the folks at Bluegrass Hospitality Group have been super supportive and welcoming in the center here. That’s really what attracted me to this area, just the size of this neighborhood and the lack of a coffee shop in this area.”
New coffee shop in former BHG restaurant
The space, located next door to a Lansdowne Shopping Center 1970 original tenant Baskin-Robbins, had been used over the years by several BHG restaurants including Sal’s Chophouse and Meats BBQ Mkt. Before Old School, it was used as space for Malone’s Prime Events and Receptions.
Constantine has renovated the space from dark walls to lighter tones and says he has spoken with BHG about the possibility of “some kind of brunch capacity, some kind of menu features. They’ve been great neighbors.”
Menu changes at Old School Coffee
With the opening of the new location, Old School Coffee is bringing some changes to the menu.
Constantine says they will be shifting away from a drink of the week to four monthly features, starting June at all locations.
The coffee shop works with many different local bakeries. La Petite Délicat bakes all the croissants while Southland Bagel handles the bagels. On the sweeter side, Futile Bakery takes care of scones and cinnamon rolls and Sequel Catery for cookies and packaged treats. But the new location has something the other two do not: North Lime Donuts, seven days a week.
“There’s nowhere else you can get a La Petite croissant and a North Lime Donut all in the same place, along with a great cup of coffee,” Constantine said.
At the original Dudley Square location, you can still get the infamous Spalding’s Bakery doughnuts on the weekends.
“Each one of our locations, while it is still an Old School Coffee, can have a little unique flair right to that neighborhood or that specific part of town.”
Old School Coffee uses fluid bed roasted beans
One thing that is unique at Old School Coffee is the coffee itself. Constantine says that’s because of the way it is roasted.
Old School’s coffee comes from Seven Hills Coffee Roasters in Cincinnati, which was founded in 1986 and uses fluid bed roasting.
“Drum roasting is the way most roasteries do it, and fluid bed roasting actually forces hot air onto the beans from underneath,” Constantine said. “That allows for a much smoother, much less acidic coffee, and it’s really led to a lot of our success. A lot of our roasts are a little less dark, a little closer to medium to light, and that lets a lot of that coffee flavor come through with a high caffeine content.”
Constantine says that time-consuming process leads to a clean aromatic roast and it and other things are key reason for their coffee shops’ success and expansion.
“We have a really, really great career baristas here,” Constantine said. “We got some career folks that have been with me for the last five years, and I can give myself all the credit in the world, but it’s the folks come in every day and get behind that bar that’s led to success.”
Old School Coffee
Lansdowne Shoppes
Where: 3373 Tates Creek Rd.
Hours: Monday through Friday 7 a.m.–7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Dudley Square, first floor
Where: 380 South Mill Street
Hours: Monday through Friday 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Fayette Mall
Where: 3401 Nicholasville Rd., located in the center by the children’s play area
Hours: Monday through Saturday 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday noon-6 p.m.
