Spillin’ the Beans opened September last year, and the coffee shop has been pleasing customers ever since.

The atmosphere of the shop is reminiscent of a quaint, modern coffee shop, complete with large coffee cups painted on the outside of the building. Once inside, visitors are greeted by the tantalizing smell of freshly ground coffee and two-toned walls that bring to mind the feel of a freshly brewed cup of joe. The entire shop is decorated with a fun, yet sophisticated feel.

Tiny tables fill the space without overcrowding it and leave plenty of space for oversized armchairs for customers to sit, sip and read during a lunch hour.

Heather Rudolph is the chef and owner at Spillin’ the Beans, and has thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“Response has been wonderful. We livened up the existing coffee shop that was originally here, and I use my own recipes to create our lunch menu. I take suggestions from my customers as well when creating the menu,” Rudolph said.

Rudolph has always enjoyed cooking and creating new and tasty dishes. Her mother-in-law helped her to truly perfect her craft.

“My husband owns a landscaping business, and we sought to open a different shop. I fell in love with the concept of owning my own coffee shop after working at a previous coffee shop. My husband and I are from upstate New York, and we moved here in 1999. The people here are awesome, and we meet people from all over the world. Everyone has an interesting story and so many of our customers are repeats,” Rudolph said.

The store sells Jittery Joe’s Coffee, lattés, cappuccinos, mochas and freshly baked pastries from Tabitha’s Bakery in Milledgeville. The menu includes wraps, salads, and fresh fruit smoothies along with other specialty items.

“People love the fact that we have Jittery Joe’s coffee. We also have The Daily Grind Mocha, and people can create their own recipes and concoctions when it comes to their beverage of choice,” Rudolph said.

The coffee shop also does a shrimp and mango wrap that customers ask for frequently. Currently, the shop is working with the Oconee Nutrition Consultants to ensure that many of their lunch items meet the health requirements for patients who must be vigilant with their care. The store does not offer gluten free products as of now, but Rudolph hopes to expand the menu to include these items in the future.

“We hope to expand our hours and include and add coffee and desserts and live music on Friday nights. We’ll be expanding our lunch line up as well to add to the specialty wraps with grilled chicken, turkey, ham and other specialty salads. We also do an egg salad, chicken salad and tuna salad,” Rudolph said.

Everything is created within the store, so items are always fresh. The most popular sandwich is The Spillin’ Specialty Sandwich. The coffee shop is available for meetings and parties, and the shop does coffee and hot chocolate catering.

“We’ve done baby showers here, and a real estate seminar. People can also call ahead and we can pack things up and have it available for luncheons or lake days,” Rudolph said.

Spillin’ the Beans is located on 646 Old Phoenix Rd. Suite B, in Eatonton. The shop is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. through 4 p.m. and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The store can be reached at (706) 991- 9850.