Lakewood Coffee Store To Add Shops In Meijer Stores

LAKEWOOD, OH — Addicted Coffee and Ice Cream, the Madison Avenue coffee shop, will expand with two new locations set to open this month. The Lakewood-based store has partnered with Meijer to add coffee shops to the grocers new Northeast Ohio locations.

Vince Brunori, one of the co-owners of Addicted, told Patch he was interested in expanding at the start of 2019. He knew he wanted to add shops in a place where foot traffic would be steady year-round, and settled on joining a grocery store chain.

Meijer, a Michigan-based grocer, announced in 2018 it would be adding stores in Northeast Ohio with locations in Avon, Mentor and Stow. Brunori reached out to Meijer in February and found a willing partner. Addicted shops will be part of Meijer stores in Mentor and Stow.

"We pride ourselves on being part of the communities where we have stores, so we’re excited about including a popular local business like Addicted Coffee and Ice Cream as an offering to our customers in Mentor and Stow,” said Ken Barclay, Meijer Market Director. “Having them at our Stow and Mentor stores is a great local partnership.”

The Meijer locations in Mentor and Stow will feature Addicted shops. Both locations are set to open on May 14.

Brunori said customers can expect the same customer-friendly attitudes and locally-sourced products that are available at his Lakewood shop. He mentioned that Addicted gets its coffee beans from Caruso's Coffee, a Brecksville-based company, and its ice cream from County Parlor in Cleveland.

"Addicted customers support the community, get a high-quality product and are greeted by a helpful staff," Brunori said. "We’re trying to support our communities and give customers a good experience."

The menus at Meijer's Addicted stores will be largely the same as the Lakewood location. Addicted Shakes, espresso coffee, nitro-infused cold brew coffees, and Brookie Bombs (cookie dough inside a brownie dipped in chocolate) will all be available at the grocers.

"We will get to know these communities and the people in these communities just like in Lakewood," Brunori said. "In Lakewood, I know everyone by name. We have regulars and they’re regulars for a reason. I’ve become friends with them over two years."

The prospect of expanding the Addicted brand has Brunori excited, nervous and anxious. He said he's glad to have found a partner, in Meijer, that is family-owned and is built on family values. He said he wasn't sure he'd be as eager to expand with a different grocer.

With the two new locations, Addicted will employ more than 30 people across its three stores. Positions are a mix of part-time and full-time, according to Brunori.