CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Blondie & Brownie Coffee’s mother-daughter duo is parking their pink mobile coffee trailer and moving into a brick-and-mortar location.

“This isn’t just a coffee shop, it’s an experience,” said co-owner Ashley Melle. “We want people to feel at home here.”

From nickname to business partners

The name comes from nicknames the mother and daughter gave each other many years back. “We have called each other ‘Blondie’ and ‘Brownie’ since I was in high school 10 years ago. And it always stuck,” said co-owner and daughter Ashley Melle.

Before coffee, Melle worked as a dental assistant instructor, while her mother, Jeanne Gregory, worked in the beauty business. Eventually, the pair wanted something new. When Melle came across a trailer, they decided to give it a try.

“It’s been a fun, interesting, hard, tiring, but oftentimes rewarding two years. And so we’re ready for the next adventure,” said Melle.

A cozy, eclectic vision

From the start, the two divided responsibilities. “When we got into this, I kind of took over the coffee part of it, and she took over the decorating. But her style didn’t really show through – because the trailer is so small – until we got into here,” Melle said.

Gregory said she always knew she’d want her unique, eclectic pink style to shine.

“We want it to be cozy. We want people to feel invited – not just to come in and grab a cup of coffee – but we want them to come in and visit,” Gregory said. “We go over to Liberty Park Grill. They know us, and before we sit down, they have our drinks. That’s what I want to do.”

| GET YOUR MORNING NEWS: Sign up for the free daily Clarksville Now email newsletter

One customer told Melle that visiting the shop felt like stepping into her grandmother’s house “in the best way.”

Coffee with personality

The drinks at Blondie & Brownie carry the same personal touch as the décor. Some are named after the owners’ pets and memories.

  • The Burnsey: Salted caramel vanilla latte with strawberry cold foam, named after Melle’s red roan quarter horse.
  • The Luis: Chai latte with vanilla and lavender cold foam, named after Gregory’s 3-pound Yorkie who often sat in the trailer with them. Melle said the lavender is calming, like the dog’s energy.
  • Blondie pastries and brownies: Named after the women themselves.

They also just launched their fall menu with some new items:

  • Frankenstein Matcha: Toasted marshmallow matcha with a dark vanilla cold foam.
  • Caramel Apple Butter Chai: Spiced chai with caramel and apple butter flavoring.
  • Psycho Killer: White mocha topped with whipped cream and a syringe full of raspberry syrup.

Community support

Opening the new location hasn’t been without challenges. But with help from family, friends and Rebolt Technologies electrician Luis Miguel Rivera, they persevered. “We kind of just both lean on each other when we need each other,” Melle said.

Gregory added, “The other day she was stressing … and I just said, ‘One thing at a time. Let’s make it a happy day, whether we’re stressed or not.’”

Blondie & Brownie opened Tuesday at 7 a.m. Tentative hours are 7 a.m.-1 p.m., with plans to allow Sunday reservations. They will also offer curbside pickup and delivery. They intend to use the lot next to them to host food trucks and farmers’ markets. Their grand opening will be Nov. 1.

Looking ahead

Melle said she isn’t chasing rapid expansion. “I’m not here to make 20 Blondie & Brownie coffees across Clarksville,” she said. “I’m here to have one, get settled, and make the best cup of coffee you can have. Have some good pastries, eventually some good food, and good camaraderie. And let’s see where we go from there.”

Her advice for new business owners: “Go for it. Definitely take a risk, because you never know what could come of it … Don’t ever let anybody, whatever gender, tell you that you can’t do something. Because we all can. … If there’s a will, there’s a way.”

Gregory shared the quote she’s placing on the shop ceiling: “Oh my darling, what if I fell? Oh my darling, what if you fly?”

Blondie and Brownie Coffee is located at 1549 Ashland City Road. Their current hours are Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., and they can be reached at 931-801-2030.

| BUSINESS OWNERS: Click here for a free consultation for advertising your business on Clarksville Now