Greenville newcomer opens the town’s 2nd coffee shop

GREENVILLE — A Greenville real estate agent who moved to Maine last year has invested in her new town by opening a coffee shop that she hopes will draw residents and visitors alike.

Lindsey Botello opened Greenville Grinds Coffee Shoppe, 3 Lakeview Street, on June 2. She and her husband, Todd, who owns a local construction company, spent about seven weeks renovating. The business will be open six days a week throughout the year.

Botello, 49, grew up in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, and lived in the town of Foster before moving to Maine. While she runs the shop, she will continue working for Realty of Maine (https://www.bestprosintown.com/me/greenville/realty-of-maine-/). The Botellos have had a vacation place in Greenville since 2018, and Todd Botello’s family has spent time in the region for years.

The Botellos have had a vacation place in Greenville since 2018, and Todd Botello’s family has spent time in the region for years.

The business brings a fresh option for coffee and sweet treats to a Piscataquis County region known for its iconic Moosehead Lake and recreational activities. It’s also a comfortable hangout spot where people can catch up with friends or stay a few hours to get work done, Botello said.

The only other coffee shop in town is Hard Drive Cafe, which is located inside Northwoods Outfitters on Lily Bay Road. 

It was never Botello’s dream to open a coffee shop, but when she permanently settled in the area, she realized something was missing. A local cafe she had visited during vacations eventually closed.

“Where I lived in Rhode Island, you could get a coffee on any street corner,” she said. “I absolutely love coffee. This was something I knew was needed in the area.”

Greenville Grinds Coffee Shoppe offers classic hot and iced coffee, cappuccinos, lattes, cold brew, matcha and other drinks. Wild Life Coffee Company, a Bangor-based roaster, supplies the coffee.

Specialty beverages include a Brown Sugar Baby, made with espresso, oat milk and brown sugar syrup as well as Mexileche, including Mexican coffee, cayenne, cinnamon syrup and milk. Bagels, brownies, cookies, macarons and muffins are also available.

As part of the renovation process, the Botellos patched and painted the walls, replaced old lighting with new modern fixtures and installed new cabinets with custom butcher block countertops that Todd Botello made.

While Lindsey Botello appreciates the rustic decor and moose-themed elements at some local businesses, she wanted the coffee shop to have a different feel, she said. The space features green walls, marble top tables with dark green velvet chairs and black couches.

“I just wanted to create a space where people can sit down and socialize,” she said. “It’s an all-inclusive space for anybody who loves coffee as much as I do.”

Botello, who owned a residential cleaning business for 16 years before her ventures in Maine, said the coffee shop will be mostly family-run, with a few Rhode Island relatives helping out this summer.

If the business is popular, she has thought about expanding with another location, though it would be outside of Greenville, she said.

Greenville Grinds Coffee Shoppe is a great addition to the downtown, Greenville Town Manager Michael Roy said. Its location is on the waterfront at the East Cove and adjacent to Crafts Landing Park, which has docks for boaters and float planes.

The town unveiled the park in September 2021, marking an expansion of public access to Moosehead Lake, one of the state’s most popular tourist attractions. Local leaders hoped better shore access and other accommodations would draw more visitors downtown and encourage businesses to open there.

“I feel this will be a great opportunity for boaters to pull into a public dock, grab an iced coffee and get back on the lake,” Roy said.

The coffee shop is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, as well as from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday and Sunday.