By Crystal McGough, copy editor
CLAY — By now, most of the people who live in Clay have noticed the new coffee shop, Green House Cafe, that has been in progress at 2449 Old Springville Road, next door to Moon Nails. The question on everyone’s minds, however, seems to be, “When will Green House Cafe be open?”
According to co-owner Emmy Lam, the cafe currently has a tentative opening date of May 25.
“We may delay the opening as needed, as we are diligent in making sure everything is up to code,” Lam said.
Green House Cafe will be owned and operated by Lam, her parents, Thi (Danny) Lam and Nga (Julie) Truong, and her brother, Jimmy Truong. The family also owns Moon Nails, which shares a building with Green House Cafe, though there will be no other affiliation between the two businesses.
Prior to the Lam and Truong family owning the building, it used to be an actual greenhouse, which was the inspiration for the name of the cafe, Lam said.
“I am proud to say we are bringing a unique Vietnamese interpretation to American style coffee,” Lam said. “Green House will stand out from other coffee shops by not feeling like a corporate office, but instead drawing on the influence of southern charm and hospitality.
“We started this business because we believe people of the Clay/Chalkville area deserve a coffee shop just as much as the people in the other cities around Birmingham. There are a lot of hard working people in our town that may need an extra shot of espresso or cup of Joe in the morning, to get their day started the right way. Now here we are.”
Lam said that once they have made sure everything is up to code, there will be a grand opening for Green House Cafe.
“I want the community to know that when it’s time for you to study for your test, or write your paper, or trade stock, or simply read, you no longer have to drive across town,” she said. “You can come right down the street to your friendly neighborhood Green House Coffee. We’re excited to see new faces and make new friends.”