Hodgepodge Coffeehouse owner Krystle Rodriguez announced on Facebook that a third location of the Atlanta chain is slated to open on 2641 E College Ave in Decatur during the Spring of 2021.
“I decided to say yes to this project because it ticks everything off of our boxes—It’s a place where a huge number of people are near each other, but they don’t actually have a space to connect [and] interact. I’m also hoping that we can help entice people to use public transportation more. To know there’s free covered parking and you can pick up your latte on the way to the train every day sounds pretty sweet to me,” Rodriguez told What Now Atlanta. “The project was based on revitalizing this area around the Avondale Estates MARTA station.”
The soon-to-open coffee shop will be situated in a pavilion in the Cortland Decatur East apartment complex on the bridge that runs across Dekalb Avenue from the MARTA station. Underneath apartments, on the way to area schools, in front of an active retirement community and, of course, in the path of hundreds of daily MARTA commuters, the shop is sure to benefit from the patronage of passers-by.
The first of the Hodgepodge Coffeehouse locations opened in 2012 at 720 Moreland Ave. SE in East Atlanta; its second location opened about a mile away at Moreland Ave. SE in April 2019 in Reynoldstown. The establishments serve espresso beverages and drip coffee made from Batdorf & Bronson beans, along with sandwiches, pastries, Jamaican patties and a selection of vegan and gluten-free options.
To Rodriguez, Hodgepodge is more than just a coffee shop—it’s meant as a community space where area artists can display their work, local merchants can sell hand-made clothing and jewelry and a calendar of open mics and gallery openings can enhance the community’s art scene.
“The gamble that a community space would be desired in East Atlanta, certainly paid off,” said Rodriguez. “Although the majority of our customers are from within a five-mile radius, we have people from all over the city spend time in our walls and ask when we’re going to expand into their neighborhoods. Our customers can go anywhere for a good cup of coffee, our customer service and attention to detail keeps them coming in day in and day out.”
To meet the needs of the East Atlanta community, which had a dearth of fresh and healthy food within walking distance, Hodgepodge’s flagship location began selling fruits, vegetables, wholesome prepared meals and eats from local vendors in addition to their house-made baked goods. The upcoming Decatur shop will also feature a market where, instead of deviating to a grocery store, MARTA riders and neighborhood residents alike can pick up fresh produce.
Next year, said Rodriguez, another Hodgepodge Coffeehouse location is slated to open in Summerhill.
