A new drive-through coffee shop will open before the end of the year on Gulfport Boulevard South, giving residents a locally owned alternative to the nearby Dunkin’ Donuts that opened a few years ago.

Located at 5133 Gulfport Boulevard South, The Annex Coffee House takes the place of Two Dads, a takeout restaurant that opened in early 2021. Before that, the 600-square-foot building, which neighbors the recently shuttered Smokin’ J’s barbecue restaurant, housed a produce stand.

Jenna Malowany of KW Commercial represented the landlord and tenant in the lease transaction.

Owner Johnny Ciani, a native of Tampa, has partnered with Johnny Ruetz, the owner of Three Birds Tavern in St. Petersburg, on The Annex. The two met through their work with TBS Beverage Solutions, a distributor of coffee and tea products servicing north and central Florida.

“We always said we were going to do something together,” Ciani says, “so when this spot became available, I was like, ‘Hey, this is our spot.’”

Ciani and his wife moved to Gulfport about six years ago after living in St. Pete’s Old Northeast neighborhood.

“We love it,” he says of Gulfport. “It’s wild and crazy, but it’s also very family-friendly, with a lot of artists. The music is great. It’s a hodge-podge of people, which is cool.”

The Annex will offer “super speedy” drive-through service with limited outdoor seating, Ciani says, but he’s aware of the heavy amount of competition in the market. “It’s already hard enough to change people’s morning routine, especially coffee. We have to win people over. We’re going to be cost-conscious, especially coming into a recession.” 

Because of The Annex’s emphasis on quick service, the menu will be simple and straightforward.

“We’re going to try to appeal to the masses,” Ciani says. “If you want whipped cream or caramel in your coffee, that’s fine by us. We aren’t coffee snobs. On the other hand, if you want traditional coffee, made correctly, you’re sure as hell going to get it.”

The menu will include some food items, as well, such as breakfast croissants/sandwiches, avocado toast, bagels with smoked salmon, smoothies, and even some sweets.

“Nearly all of our food will be made in-house, which we are really excited about,” Ciani says. “And we plan to roll out even more food down the road as well, such as Cuban sandwiches.”

For customers who want to sit and savor their coffee, or even do some work or studying, The Annex will offer free Wi-Fi.

The Annex Coffee House hopes to open before the end of the year at 5133 Gulfport Boulevard South. Be sure to give them a follow on Instagram to stay up to date on grand opening plans and the latest coffee offerings.