Reflections Coffee Shoppe Hosts Grand Merge Celebration

Reflections Coffee Shop owner Jackie Smith stands proudly with the Selma and Dallas County Chamber of Commerce Director Sheryl Smedley at the shop's grand merge celebration.  Selma and Dallas County Chamber of Commerce  

By Faith Callens

Special to the Selma and Dallas County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Information

On Monday, The Reflections Coffee Shoppe held its official grand merge celebration that officially tied the legacy of its original coffee shop known as The Coffee Shoppe to its main location on 1014 Water Avenue.

Coffee Shop Owner Jackie Smith said at the coffee shop’s celebratory closure event held on Dec. 29 that the Broad Street location was run for 14 years and that it contained a unique asset that kept customers coming back — its drive through.

“We have a great idea [coming to Reflections] to replace the drive through,” Smith said. “We are going to designate two parking spaces out front curbside so people can call in their order, make payments, and when they are outside, they can either call us or [we are] going to strategically position those parking spaces [where they are visibly seen], like if you are standing at the register, you can look right out and say, “there’s a car in curb space number one or there’s a car in curb space number two.”

Smith said not only are the coffee shop operations undergoing active changes, but that the menu at Reflections is too.

“The traditional menu are salads and sandwiches,” Smith said. “That’s our specialty and what we are adding to the menu will be a soup of the week. We will have Wednesday on the Plate, which means we will have a special plated meal including the addition of breakfast items. We are going to have short stack pancakes with eggs and a choice of meat. Also, breakfast croissants that will be loaded with eggs, cheese and turkey sausage or bacon and our signature breakfast dish will be candied bacon.”

Smith said the menu is online but not readily active because it’s under construction, but hopefully in the next 30 days, she said the website will be back up and running.

“That’s a work in progress,” Smith said. But I will say by the end of the first quarter, we will have everything in place and hopefully operate like a well- oiled machine.”

Smith said alongside new additions to the menu, there will also be brunch held at the coffee shop every second and fourth Saturday. 

“We have also hired a culinary specialist,” Smith said. “She’s in control of the menu and the offerings, the prep and the execution of the total menu and we are so happy to bring her on board.”

Erial Hunter is the newest member of the Reflections Coffee Shoppe team and is the culinary specialist, whom Smith considers a Sous chef. Hunter was born and raised in Selma with deep roots in the kitchen from a very early age and said her interest in the culinary field came from her grandma.

“My grandma started a business called Mary’s Exceptional Catering,” Hunter said. “It’s still up and running and has been [in business] for over 30 years now and when my grandma’s health started to decline, the business was passed down to my mom.”

Hunter said her mom would help her grandmother with the business when she was a kid until her teenage years. Like her mom, Hunter took the same initiative years later as an adult after she quit her corporate job to assist her mom with the catering business to take it further than it has ever been.

Hunter said she has solely worked with Exceptional Catering for three years and that she knew at the tender age of 10 years old that cooking was something she was passionate about.

“I am already grateful, already mind blown at what God is doing,” Hunter said.  I’m very faith-based from my head to my toes but yes, [this opportunity to work with Reflections] is huge. I’m beyond blessed,” Hunter said.

Hunter said her feelings regarding the new position are beyond words. Hunter is the first culinary chef hired by the coffee shop since it opened last year in March.

“This is history for Reflections,” Hunter said. “Emerging from the coffee shop to here and where Reflections is about to go. It’s very huge.”

Smith said since the transition of both shops, customers do not have to worry about the issue of seating because the coffee shop can comfortably seat 118 people inside and 22 people on the outside in the patio seating area.

“So, we have a capacity to do anything that you can dream of,” Smith said. “We also have a balcony that overlooks the Alabama River and the Edmund Pettus Bridge, and I say it’s the best view on this side of the bridge. So, don’t be surprised at whatever you see Reflections Coffee Shoppe doing down here because we are here to improve the quality of life for our citizens and our tourists that come in.”

Smith said the new hours of operation at The Reflections Coffee Shoppe are 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays are closed for business unless there is a special event.

For more information about the Reflections Coffee Shoppe, contact Jackie Smith at 334-878-5282.