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Conversation.
Community.
Custom Coffee.

We’re proud to offer a variety of delicious espresso and coffee drinks, plus all kinds of smoothies, ice cream and tasty, healthy, local food.
What makes us different, though, is how we promote community conversations in Mt. Gilead, N.C.

Community

Conversation

Custom Coffee

We’re Kyle and Myra Poplin, the owners of Speckled Paw Coffee, and we formerly published a monthly news magazine. We loved helping keep people informed and, especially, the community conversations that resulted from thoughtful news stories. We’ve seen how civilized discussion – as opposed to yelling and screaming on social media – can help bring a community together. What’s that got to do with a coffee shop? Read on…

You remember your cool hometown newspaper? Well, it’s gone … and it’s not coming back. (Curses to you, internet!) There’s a news void  in small towns that’s being filled in a variety of ways. One of those ways, we think, is the local coffee shop. Our coffee shops are not only places where news is discussed, but also where news is packaged for the entire community to read.  That’s what our newsletters are all about.

We like small towns. We like coffee shops. We think those two things blend quite well. Our goal is to provide great food and drink in a comfortable space with excellent service. We hooked up with the best coffee roaster (thanks, Cactus Creek) and bakers in the area. Our coffee and treats are definitely big-city quality. The trick is, we serve them with a small-town, down-home touch. Stop in and we’ll prove it.

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Duck and wave

John B. Marek is a storyteller with dirt under his nails who weaves tales inspired by a lifetime immersed in nature. His insightful essays and award-winning fiction delve into the complexities of sustainable living, the heart of rural communities and the thrill of...

Hart to Hart to Hart

John B. Marek is a storyteller with dirt under his nails who weaves tales inspired by a lifetime immersed in nature. His insightful essays and award-winning fiction delve into the complexities of sustainable living, the heart of rural communities and the thrill of...

Driving in the Sixties

John B. Marek is a storyteller with dirt under his nails who weaves tales inspired by a lifetime immersed in nature. His insightful essays and award-winning fiction delve into the complexities of sustainable living, the heart of rural communities and the thrill of...

We picked a bad day to give up smoking

John B. Marek is a storyteller with dirt under his nails who weaves tales inspired by a lifetime immersed in nature. His insightful essays and award-winning fiction delve into the complexities of sustainable living, the heart of rural communities and the thrill of...

Lego nostalgia

John B. Marek is a storyteller with dirt under his nails who weaves tales inspired by a lifetime immersed in nature. His insightful essays and award-winning fiction delve into the complexities of sustainable living, the heart of rural communities and the thrill of...

Evel Knievel and the Snake River Canyon jump

John B. Marek is a storyteller with dirt under his nails who weaves tales inspired by a lifetime immersed in nature. His insightful essays and award-winning fiction delve into the complexities of sustainable living, the heart of rural communities and the thrill of...

Toys in the attic? Reflections on life’s changing seasons

John B. Marek is a storyteller with dirt under his nails who weaves tales inspired by a lifetime immersed in nature. His insightful essays and award-winning fiction delve into the complexities of sustainable living, the heart of rural communities and the thrill of...

Montreal’s second act: Can the city regain its sporting mojo?

John B. Marek is a storyteller with dirt under his nails who weaves tales inspired by a lifetime immersed in nature. His insightful essays and award-winning fiction delve into the complexities of sustainable living, the heart of rural communities and the thrill of...

Rediscovering the magic of the Big Chief

John B. Marek is a storyteller with dirt under his nails who weaves tales inspired by a lifetime immersed in nature. His insightful essays and award-winning fiction delve into the complexities of sustainable living, the heart of rural communities and the thrill of...

Dual tragedies

John B. Marek is a storyteller with dirt under his nails who weaves tales inspired by a lifetime immersed in nature. His insightful essays and award-winning fiction delve into the complexities of sustainable living, the heart of rural communities and the thrill of...

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