The Annabelle House Coffee Shop Opens in Osseo
In the heart of Osseo, people can walk to any number of shops and restaurants with ease.
But there’s one thing that’s been missing from this area.
“You’ve got a few great food options out here, but nothing like a coffee shop,” said Phillip Santillan, a coach at Osseo Senior High.
With no coffee shop on the main street going through Osseo, Mark and Ashley Cook took it upon themselves to change that.
“I saw this older couple sprinting across [County Road] 81 trying to get to Caribou,” said Ashley Cook. “I’m like, I can’t have this community having to cross 81 to get coffee. We need something here.”
In late October, that vision became a realty as they celebrated the grand opening of The Annabelle House. It’s a place to get coffee, grab lunch, or gather with others in the neighborhood.
Ashley named the shop after her grandma.
“She was always just so inviting for people to come to her house and wouldn’t let us leave until we had been fed or had drinks,” Ashley said. “So I knew right away, yup, it’s gonna be The Annabelle House. It’s gonna be for her.”
So far, The Annabelle House has been a welcome addition to Central Avenue.
The Annabelle House is located at 232 Central Avenue in Osseo.
“I think this is my fifth day here, and I’ve tried most of their sandwiches,” said Santillan, the Osseo coach. “Sandwiches are great. I’m a big fan of their London Fog tea.”
During much of the pandemic, people have lived in relative isolation from one another. Ashley designed this space as a way to bring people back together.
“This is our community table where people can come in and sit together even if they don’t know each other like, hey, pull up a chair, meet somebody new,” she said, pointing to a long table surrounded by chairs.
After all, sometimes there’s nothing like the smell of coffee, the taste of delicious sandwiches, and a variety of delectable desserts to draw people in.
“It’s exactly what Ashley’s vision was when she wanted to bring this to the community, was that idea of trying to fill a need for this community,” said Mark Cook, Ashley’s husband.
Ashley’s goal is for The Annabelle House to truly feel like home. While Annabelle is no longer with us, Ashley knows that this is a place that would make her grandma proud.
“I know she’s definitely looking down on us,” Ashley said.
