The fresh white space of Zetêo’s new Little Rock location was instantly warmed when owners Jon and Trina Mitchell breezed through the doors. With them came a palpable sense of comfort, which is perfect because that’s the feeling they hope to foster in the Little Rock community with their second coffee shop location.
After 10 years of throwing the idea around, the Mitchells decided to open their first Zetêo location in Conway at the end of 2015. Zetêo brings together two things the couple holds dear — coffee and missions. After a mission trip to Rwanda, Jon and Trina became more in tune with the issue of clean water in rural third world countries. They decided to partner with Living Water, a nonprofit that equips, educates and trains locals to drill wells for clean water in their communities. Zetêo donates five percent of all profits to the cause.
“We’ve seen businesses give back and make a profit like Toms Shoes and Tacos 4 Life, so we knew it could work,” Jon says.
“The dream was a development from community to coffee to water,” Trina added. “Both of us have a heart for missions, so it’s a way for us to be a part of the mission field everyday.”
A year after opening Zetêo, they were approached with an opportunity from Rock Dental Brands to open a coffee shop in the first floor of the company’s downtown office building. The 610 President Clinton Ave. space provided a great location for the second Zetêo in the heart of the River Market. Trina says she asked Jon before the offer if he was ready for another location, but it came down to timing and a perfect offer from Rock Dental Brands for the plan to be set in motion.
“We own a business and have three little kids,” Trina explains. “And we’re about to have five kids — two businesses and three kids. But I’d say having a business is more like two kids.”
The new location, slated to open Saturday, April 29, has a metropolitan-modern feel with all white, everything — except the furniture. Gorgeous white honeycomb tile lines the wall behind the coffee bar and wood shelving bring an understated Joanna Gaines vibe to the space. With comfy modern furniture and huge windows, the location will be a go-to spot for a midday caffeine pick-me-up.
Zetêo solely brews northwest Arkansas-based Onyx coffee. The popular coffee shop is a crowd favorite among locals, and their newest location in Bentonville is arguably Arkansas’ most Instagrammable coffee shop. Jon and Trina researched many coffee roasters before landing on Onyx — an easy decision for its proximity to Little Rock and Onyx’s commitment to quality.
“When we opened in Conway, their head trainer spent a day and a half training our employees, which established a baseline of quality and excellence,” Jon says. They’ll be doing the same with their new batch of employees at the Little Rock location.
“Not all beans are created equal,” Trina says. “When people open a bag of Onyx and go to make a cup of coffee, they notice the difference.”
In addition to specialty coffee, Zetêo offers smoothies and loose-leaf tea. The coffee shop also has a specialty menu that rotates through inventive drinks such as a new blended peach chia concoction, similar in consistency to a frappuccino. Another summer item will be the Southern Revelation, a cold brew and lemonade combination that Jon describes as an Arnold Palmer with coffee.
The Little Rock location will also feature local craft beer on tap for customers to enjoy. Food options range from breakfast sandwiches and a possible cereal bar to panini-style dishes and locally sourced pastries.
When it comes to the future of Zetêo in Little Rock, both Jon and Trina hope to see it become people’s third place, something as familiar to them as their workplace and home.
“There’s been such a lack of coffee culture in Little Rock,” Trina says. “One thing that truly sets us apart is our customer service. We want to create another community of coffee culture and see relationships come together in here.”
Before leaving, a passerby peeked her head in the nearly finished space of the newest addition to Little Rock’s burgeoning coffee scene, mentioning she can’t wait for Zetêo to be open.
“Soon enough!” Trina promises.
In the meantime, follow Zetêo on Instgram and Facebook for updates as the opening day draws closer.