Roaming Roanoke: Chris’s Coffee & Custard!

March 25, 2021 | Angela Evans | Blog, Roaming Roanoke

For this edition of Roaming Roanoke, we checked out a new business in town – Chris’s Coffee & Custard!

Chris’s Coffee and Custard recently opened in Roanoke. The slogan is “Where hot coffee meets cool friends” and this is definitely a cool place to meet friends! This is not just any new restaurant. Chris’s focuses on the special needs community. Many of the employees have special gifts, and their zeal to serve you makes this a happy place for all! There are smiles everywhere!

Chris’s Coffee & Custard is named for Chris Woodrum. Chris has down syndrome but his family knew he could accomplish whatever he wanted. The restaurant started as a dream for the Woodrum family, and they are so pleased it is now a reality! The website for Chris’s states, “Chris was blessed with two older brothers that taught him he could accomplish anything he put his mind to and to set goals and never give up. Chris has so many wonderful gifts and talents. He loves life and always brings a smile to anyone who meets him.” Chris’s mother developed the restaurant as a place for those with intellectual or developmental disabilities to work and enhance job skills. The website states, “Our desire is to empower and enhance the lives of these special young adults, while promoting their independence. Our most significant goal is to make a positive change in a person’s life.”

Info from https://chrisscoffeeandcustard.com

When we went to Chris’s Coffee & Custard, there were smiles not just from the staff but also my children and all of the other people eating there! The menu offers a wide variety of drinks, both coffee and cold drink options. It also has custard plus many other desserts, and a food menu with sandwiches and other options. We got chicken salad sandwiches, which were yummy! Our drinks were great too! Our kids got chocolate chip cookies which they devoured and asked for more! We didn’t get custard this time because we were full, but other customers had custard and marveled at how large the servings were and how great it tasted!

The restaurant has more than just food. It has a table set-up for checkers. It also has a dry erase board wall and table, with a bucket of markers and items. All three of my kids (ages 2, 5, and 6) played on this for a long time! They loved drawing and writing, erasing, and starting over. The board already had a lot of drawings on it, so I know we were not the only ones who enjoyed it! Inside also has free wifi and outlets, so you can spend some time working there if needed. There is also an outdoor patio with seating that I am sure will be wonderful once spring weather is here to stay!

Chris’s Coffee & Custard also has tributes to different places and people in the community that helped make this restaurant happen. It is fun to read all of the walls and enjoy the art too.

Chris’s Coffee and Custard website states, “We have some amazing young adults with special abilities that we would like to share with you! Come and experience just how special these young adults really are! I promise you will feel so much happier when you leave than when you walked in. Enter on the red carpet and get ready for a wonderful time! Hugs and high fives are free and the smiles will warm your heart! These special individuals will definitely create positive changes in our customers and our community!” (info from https://chrisscoffeeandcustard.com)

We definitely enjoyed our time at Chris’s Coffee & Custard! My only regret is that we didn’t get a picture with an employee. Hopefully we will next time we go back! My kids are already asking for more chocolate chip cookies!

Chris’s Coffee & Custard

1824 9th Street SE, Suite B

Roanoke, VA, 24013

540-774-4848

Hours

Tuesday-Friday 7:00-2:00, 4:00-8:30

Saturday 9:00-9:00

Sunday-Monday Closed

If you have a suggestion for a place or event for Roaming Roanoke to visit, please let me know!

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Angela Evans

Angela Evans is a former tv reporter turned stay-at-home mom. She and her husband Cody have three children. They moved to Virginia in 2018. When she’s not Roaming Roanoke, she is probably drinking sweet tea, reading a book or dancing.