By Michelle Boudin

Reba Cox spent six months running a pop-up shop out of Alongside Brewery before opening her own brick and mortar coffee and tea shop in Uptown last fall, but the Founder and CEO of Indigo Tea & Coffee Co. says she actually spent years making the syrups the Fourth Ward spot is now known for.

“I’ve always had a love for teas and creating different tea blends and things like that and I’ve always had a passion for coffee and what we specialize in is specialty syrups,” Cox says. “I try to get as creative as I can with the combinations and the different flavors and ingredients that I’m using to develop these syrups.”

The Connecticut native, who moved to Charlotte for college 20 years ago, says those flavors are what sets Indigo apart. “That’s sort of my niche right now, because there’s a lot of coffee shops in Charlotte,” she says. “So just finding something that stands out and is a bit different than the normal coffee shop is what I’ve been trying to do as well as trying to create a safe space within the community for creatives and minorities. I just want to be a place to go where it’s all about community. I say all the time, ‘You come for the coffee, but you stay for the vibes.’ I wanted the space to feel like you were at home or at your favorite aunt’s house. I wanted you to come in and just be extremely comfortable to where you didn’t feel like you had to rush while you are enjoying your coffee or your tea, like it was a place where you could just come and relax and kind of leave all your worries at the door or if you’re working, bring them with you, but at least have some type of solitude and peace while you work.”

Indigo has quickly grown a loyal following of regulars who keep coming back for their favorite flavors. Cox offers rotating flavors each month but has learned there are some that have to stay on the menu all the time.

“I have a roasted sweet potato latte and it tastes like sweet potato pie,” she says. ” “That one has become extremely popular. Every month, based on whether we have a holiday or anything, I kind of steer my syrups to match what’s going on that month so that syrup has been on my menu since November, but people will not let me retire it. I also have a lemon pound cake that people keep asking for. That and the brown butter sage and banana bread lattes.”

Now in the old Queen City Grounds space, Cox thought she’d be busier during the week but instead says she sees even more traffic on the weekends. “Even though I am Uptown and I have all of these corporate buildings around me, a lot of the people that come into my shop are traveling here from across the city,” she says. “I feel like I’m more of a destination shop.”

A former IT professional, Cox also spent some time in the catering business before deciding to go all in on her own shop. “I dibbled and dabbled in the hospitality and restaurant scene,” she says. “I used to have a catering business. So, it wasn’t that different but I will say having my own brick and mortar, that is definitely an adjustment. There is a lot of responsibility that comes with having your own space so I am navigating through that. I think I’m doing pretty well. There are days where I want to throw the towel in, but I’m really passionate about what I’m doing. I think the creating the syrups is exciting for me, but also the community engagement. I love it.”

She loves it so much she’s getting ready to expand. Cox hopes to open her second location in downtown Concord this spring.