The Fox and Pantry brings coffee, cocktails and connection to Plymouth

At The Fox and Pantry in Plymouth, coffee is just the beginning. Owner Kym Joles says she wants customers to find more than a good cup of coffee when they walk through the door.

"I really wanted to bring a community together," Joles said.

The Fox and Pantry was inspired in part by Joles' upbringing in South Africa and Europe, where she says coffee shops often served as gathering places where people could share their lives.

That idea is at the heart of the Plymouth business.

"People get together, they share their lives, their messy lives, their happy lives, and I really wanted to bring something together," Joles said.

The café offers coffee by day and cocktails by night. But food and baked goods also share the spotlight. The space doubles as an event center, hosting private events such as weddings and baby showers. 

The Fox and Pantry also invites the community to learn together through a variety of classes, an effort Joles says is designed to get people away from their screens and interacting with others.

It's not typical paint and sip classes either, although painting classes have been included in its offerings. People can come together to learn how to make sushi, macaroons, pastry decorating and more. One recent class even featured an artist who taught participants how to paint with coffee granules.

"I always try and find things that are different," Joles said. "For me it was about creating that for somebody else."

Joles says the idea became even more important after the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fox and Pantry opened near the end of the pandemic, when she believed people would be looking for ways to reconnect.

"We can all sit at home and not meet people, but to put yourself in an uncomfortable situation," Joles said. "We've had so many amazing stories of people meeting friends here because they were sitting next to them."

The shop's design is also intentional. Joles wanted to create a warm, welcoming space where customers could feel comfortable staying awhile.

"A lot of people work from home these days. People are lonely," she said. "So to make it homey, come. You're welcome. You're part of our family."

That sense of community extends to the menu. Many of the drinks are inspired by baked goods, reflecting Joles' background as a baker. The blueberry muffin latte has become one of the shop's most popular offerings, gaining attention online and sometimes drawing lines out the door.

Joles credits her staff for much of the menu's creativity.

"All my staff put on these flavors," she said. "They get super creative."

The Fox and Pantry focuses on making many of its products from scratch, including syrups and dehydrated fruits. Joles says the coffee is organic, and the business imports chocolate from Europe for its hot chocolate. 

For Joles, those details are part of showing customers they are cared for.

"I want people to feel like they belong, and feeling like they are a part of something," she said.

The Fox and Pantry is located near Rockford Road and Vicksburg Lane in Plymouth. It is open seven days a week.

As the business continues to grow, Joles says she is grateful for the customers and staff who have helped turn her vision into a community gathering place.

"The success of this place is not me," she said. "It's my staff, but it's also my customers. It's their energy when they bring in."

WCCO is always looking for local businesses to highlight in its Homegrown MN series.

If you know of a Minnesota business that should be featured, email Beret Leone at Beret.Leone@cbs.com.