SUMMERDALE — At the intersection of County Road 32 and County Road 9 in Summerdale sits SnS Coffee, a spot to pick up your daily caffeine boost in between Foley and Fairhope.

The establishment, located at 13445 County Road 32, is owned by Shawn David Shelton and Shay Shelton. His sister, who runs Ross Hair Station next door, purchased the building in 2016, with the other side of the building being vacant by the time Shawn arrived in Baldwin County from Arizona in 2020.

Shawn David Shelton recalls that one day, a couple came by to see the other part of the building to potentially lease it as a coffee and breakfast spot.

"As soon as they came in, they saw it and was like 'It's just too small. There's no kitchen.' We went, 'Hmm, we can do coffee,' and everything just started falling together," he said.

The result was SnS Coffee, which opened in 2023. It was the first time they opened their own business, an experience Shawn David Shelton said was scary at first, but fell in love with the coffee-making process, saying there is a science to get the consistency of good coffee.

"A big thing here is consistency," Shawn David Shelton said. "Every time you come, it's the same 19-gram or 22-gram shot (…). Everything is weighed out to a tee. We don't skimp out on anything."

SnS Coffee serves both hot and cold coffee, including cold brews, frappuccinos, lattes and espressos, available in 16-ounce and 20-ounce sizes. There are also flavor add-ins that include several flavors such as vanilla, caramel, butter pecan and butterscotch, along with sauces such as caramel, chocolate, vanilla, white chocolate and sea salt caramel.

When you step in and look around, many of the items on the walls or on the shelves are something connected to their lives, including Shawn David Shelton's own artwork from years past and guitars from his personal collection, having played music all of his life and calling it his biggest passion.

He is a fan of heavy metal music, playing a playlist of metal and hard rock songs within the coffee shop. He likes the more intricate, progressive-style metal bands such as Dream Theater, but is also a fan of modern bands such as Wage War and Falling in Reverse.

Although they were initially hesitant to play heavy metal music in the shop in fear of how the older crowds may react, regulars like Edward, who has been getting coffee at SnS since shortly after they first opened, now has a playlist that looks much like theirs thanks to Shawn.

"We have customers that's come in and (go), 'Are you gonna play anything heavy? I need to wake up,' so we put on Lorna Shore or something to scare them," Shawn David Shelton said.

Shawn David Shelton said the best part about running the shop is the people they have met. Since opening, they have developed a group he dubs "the village," a core group of friends and regulars they have gained along the way, many of whom they see outside of the coffee shop walls.

"The most rewarding thing is the people and it's not just the people, it's the way the people are. These are genuine people," Shawn David Shelton said. "There's nothing fake and phony about us. If we're having a bad day, they know we're having a bad day because we're just us. Being that way, you meet people that are that way. They say real recognizes real and the little community that has come together over this little coffee shop is just insane."

SnS Coffee is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m., closing for a break before returning to open from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. On weekends, they are open Saturday from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. and closed on Sundays.