In 2024, the average coffee drinker is no stranger to the world of specialty coffee shops. And while many embrace the flash and frills of pumpkin-spiced or sugar-laced concoctions, there’s still ample pleasure in the basics of a good coffee outing.
To Keenan Laymon, owner and operator of Adelphos Coffee Roasters, the key to a memorable coffee-drinking experience, much like the drink itself, is composed of many parts. Since opening in November 2023, Adelphos— a mint green, retro-chic trailer that takes its name from the Greek word for “brother” — is striking the balance of offering a quality cup of coffee as well as a daily pit stop for friendly connection.
After years of serving as a head coffee roaster in North Austin, where he developed many of the profiles offered on his menu now, Laymon set his entrepreneurial sights on the Coastal Bend. “I saw the potential in Corpus and I wanted to help [contribute to the] coffee culture here,” Laymon said. Even in large cities and markets saturated with coffee shops, Laymon saw the capacity for shops to succeed by providing a diverse drinking experience: “I want to bring a culture of shops loving and supporting each other, rather than competing.”
Laymon traces his love for coffee and passion for roasting to overcoming a post-COVID loss of taste by tasting espresso daily. “The sugars in the coffee bean are more complex than in a grape, so you can get crazy notes from coffee — even more so than you do in wine,” Laymon explained. “One of my favorite things is pulling a shot for someone and watching them fall in love with espresso.”
While espresso-forward drinks have a special place on Adelphos’ menu, Laymon still strives to cater to the wider populace through crafted drinks with homemade syrups, both coffee- and non-coffee-based. Some espresso-based house favorites include the Lumberjack, which regulars liken to Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and the Blues Brothers, infused with housemade blueberry syrup.
Amid the constant motion of starting a small business and tending to family life, complete with a newborn baby, Laymon said his wife Genevieve, his faith and ambition to bring more to the community put gas in the tank that makes Adelphos run. While the long-term vision includes a brick-and-mortar and a roastery, Laymon continues to piece together dreams for the present. “We want to bring in other trucks, have full lunch and dinner options, a structure and a place for people to hang out. It’s a blank canvas, and we want to turn it into something for Corpus Christi to enjoy.”
Contact: @adelphoscoffeeroasters | 4706 Everhart Rd.