Salazar said the shop at 2552 Stonebrook Parkway has attracted many regulars since opening in 2019. High school students who spent hours studying at The Lounge now come back to read up for college classes. Previously expectant mothers are now seen with their children at the shop.
The Lounge was never meant to be a coffee shop with a line wrapping around the building, according to Salazar. The owner of the coffee shop said he and his staff often know customers by name and have been invited to weddings.
“I wanted people to come in and just hang out, relax, refresh, refuel,” Salazar said. “That’s what we’ve strived to be ... that place [to] come out, have fun and get to know everybody and connect people.”
Salazar said coffee has always been one of his passions. Prior to opening The Lounge, he spent around five years opening more than a dozen locations for “a very large coffee company” in west Texas.
A phone call with his parents one day as Salazar convinced him that opening his own business was the best next step.
“I just decided that after I was in corporate America for almost 15 years that change happens,” Salazar said. “It was time for a change for me.”
Patrons are offered a variety of espresso- and coffee-based drinks as well as smoothies made without dairy. In addition, teas that include black, green and white blends are available as well as gallons of iced tea and baked goods from local vendors. Bagel sandwiches are made fresh to order, and customers can also find keto-friendly bars or protein bars for a quick snack.
Customers visit The Lounge with a wide variety of preferences, according to Salazar.
“We have both sides of the coin,” he said. “We have the folks that are coffee purists that come in every single day for our espresso. ... Outside of coffee, a spicy chai with oat milk is probably the most popular drink that we have.”
Frequent trivia nights and tea tasting events allow visitors to escape from the busyness of the outside world, according to Salazar.
“That’s really the core of what we want to do here. ... The rat race will be out there when they leave,” Salazar said. “[It’s] just a little oasis out here in west Frisco.”
The Lounge Coffee & Tea Bar
2552 Stonebrook Parkway, Ste. 202
214-705-0100
www.loungecoffeebar.com
Hours: Tue.-Fri. 6:30 a.m-5 p.m., Sat. 7 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Mon. closed
