Family-friendly Swell Coffee debuts in Largo with house-made syrups and baked goods

the swell coffee team inside the new largo shop on starkey road | photo provided

A new cozy kid-friendly coffee shop has made its debut in Largo.

Swell Coffee, a specialty coffee shop with house-made syrups and pastries from local bakeries, celebrated its grand opening on Tuesday, January 28th, near the corner of Bryan Dairy Road and Starkey Road at 11148 Starkey Road.

The 1,500-square-foot space was previously occupied by Subway.

“We looked at more than 30 spaces in a six-month window. We've had this space in July, but the hurricanes set us back on the opening date,” Sarah Cerny said.

The couple renovated the space and built the new bar with ceramic pink tiles and a white quartz countertop | photo provided

Sarah and her husband Will, both nurses, traded in their scrubs for aprons to embark on their new chapter.

“We've seen so many cool places through our travels and in St. Pete and we want to bring those same vibes to Largo,” Sarah said.

“We both have backgrounds in health care and worked as baristas during our time in nursing school. Opening our own coffee shop has been a dream of ours for a long time,” explained Sarah, who is continuing her health care career as a part-time nurse.

After addressing some storm-related damage, Sarah and her husband Will installed new drywall, built a bar and custom shelves, and filled the coastal-inspired shop with live plants.  

The coffee shop sources beans from local roaster look alive coffee and makes in-house syrups | photo provided

Named Swell Coffee due to its proximity to the beach, the shop sources their beans from St. Pete-based roaster Look Alive Coffee.

Their house-made syrups include a brown sugar spice syrup, which contains cloves, full sticks of cinnamon, and nutmeg; a caramel and vanilla syrup, which Swell strips straight from the bean; and their version of a Nutella syrup, made specifically for Nutella nitro cold brew.

The majority of drinks are priced around $5.

In addition to all of your favorite coffee drinks, the shop will feature seasonal beverages every quarter and for holidays. 

The current seasonal drink is the Berry Matcha White Chocolate Latte made with raspberry compote and deconstructed iced vanilla matcha. Swell’s matcha comes from North Kansas City-based Hugo Tea Company.

Inside the shop, the bar is lined with assorted baked goods like pumpkin cream cheese muffins, banana bread, bagels, croissants filled with mascarpone, homemade Pop Tarts, and vegan dark chocolate sea salt cookies.

a special kids section has activities like magna-tiles to keep kids entertained | photo provided

“We are working with a few at-home bakers who don't have storefronts but make incredible pastries that we will rotate periodically,” Sarah said. “We also have an incredible vegan baker that uses ingredients from farmer markets in St. Pete.”

The duo may expand the menu with quiches and breakfast sandwiches in the future.

As parents of a three-year-old and future barista named Ollie, the couple created a kid-centric space in the front of the shop with some quiet games making it easier for parents to relax and enjoy a coffee.

Swell Coffee also offers a kid's menu with “kid muffins” made in-house with wholesome ingredients as well as “babychinos,” which are espresso-free drinks made with steamed milk and an ounce of syrup.

“We want Swell to become a place for families, community, and conversation with old-school vibes - put down your phone, drink coffee, and connect,” Sarah said.

Swell Coffee can currently seat 30 people with indoor and bar seating. This week, the couple will add covered outdoor seating.

Soon, they will add a small merchandise section with crop tops, tote bags, hats, tumblers, and stickers.

Swell Coffee is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Be sure to follow Swell Coffee on Instagram to stay up to date on the latest seasonal baked goods and coffee offerings.

Sarah (pictured) and her husabdn Will cerny | photo provided