Valentine Coffee Roasters has opened its new café in West Allis.
The shop is at 5835 W. National Ave., the former location of Public Table, which closed in late 2022. Valentine neighbors Kegel’s Inn, owned by Julian Kegel. Last year, he acquired the property that now houses Valentine.
Previously, Valentine was expected to be part of the Makers Row development near the city’s farmers market. Founder Robb Kashevarof told the Milwaukee Business Journal the project was no longer viable because of the Covid-19 pandemic, increased interest rates and heightened construction costs. But Valentine still wanted a presence in the city.
“Public Table was ending its time, and we were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to be able to go into that location,” Kashevarof said.
The space gave Valentine not only a new café but also a kitchen where it could cook breakfast sandwiches, lunch options and other food.
The West Allis coffee shop is one of three cafés Valentine is now operating. Kashevarof said customers can expect the same coffee and hospitality at all three stores, but the food options in West Allis are akin to the menu at its café in Milwaukee’s Third Ward neighborhood.
There, the menu options include choices such as an egg sandwich, avocado toast, a breakfast burrito and quiche Lorraine. Valentine also sells soups, salads, sandwiches and wraps.
Kashevarof said Valentine is starting off in West Allis with conservative hours of 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Eventually, he said, the goal is for the café to move its closing time to 6 p.m. daily – with extended hours on Fridays and Saturdays to partner with Kegel’s Inn in activating the area.
In addition to West Allis and the Third Ward, Valentine also has a location on West Vliet Street in Milwaukee, and it previously had a shop in Oak Creek. Kashevarof said Valentine is looking for a larger production space to accommodate its roasting operation.