Roslyn Village is about to become even cozier as Sweet Harbor Coffee plans to open up at 1353 Old Northern Boulevard this summer.
Wife-and-husband duo Alexis and Joe Jensen will co-own the specialty coffee shop. They have partnered with Village of Roslyn Mayor John Durkin, who Alexis Jensen said has global coffee expertise of his own, to bring their dream of opening a coffee shop to life.
Alexis Jensen grew up and lived in Roslyn before moving to Brooklyn six years ago. She said she has always dreamed of returning to her hometown to open a business of her own. With a baby on the way, Jensen said it was the right time to open their coffee shop adjacent to the Roslyn Grist Mill.
“I always felt that Roslyn Village was a perfect place for a specialty coffee shop,” Jensen said. “Whether you live around here…or you’re just passing through, you can just feel the history of the town,” Jensen said.
The 600-square-foot coffee shop will feature menu items like espressos, seasonal lattes and iced and hot teas. Jensen also said her shop will sell baked goods from Diane’s Bakery, whose main shop is located around the corner on Bryant Avenue.
The Jensens are self-described coffee lovers who have spent the last few months testing brews from around New York City and upstate to perfect the drinks they plan on serving.
“We’ve been trying so many to nail down the perfect coffee, and we feel like we found it,” Alexis Jensen said. “It’s something that we want to grow and expand and really give a lot of attention to detail to.”
Jensen also said she hopes to provide a warm and welcoming environment for customers, especially those visiting for the first time, through personalized recommendations and music that fits the day’s vibe, from jazz while it’s raining, to classic rock when it’s sunny.
Sweet Harbor Coffee’s tagline is “A place along the way,” which Jensen said is meant to cater to lifelong Roslyn residents heading off to work and thirsty travelers passing through town. No matter the background, Jensen said she wants to provide a reason for someone to stop by and check out the village rather than speeding by above on Northern Boulevard.
Jensen’s dream of opening her coffee shop grew out of working at Joe Coffee during college at St. John’s University in New York City. She then transferred her love of coffee to working as a marketing team lead for the Italian-based chain of cafes illy.
In the years since, Jensen has continued her marketing and social media management work for real estate, hospitality and lifestyle companies.
As she prepares to return home to Roslyn, Jensen said she is excited to work with her husband Joe, who works in construction, and Roslyn Village Mayor Durkin to build and eventually open their cafe.
To get updates on Sweet Harbor Coffee’s rollout leading up to their summer launch, follow them on Instagram @sweetharborcofee.
