Longboat Key coffee shop's success brews expansion

Sips has been a hit.

“It’s definitely exceeded what our expectations were from when we first opened up the shop,” co-owner Chris Carter said. “We didn’t think we would grow to where we are today.”

The coffee shop at Whitney Beach Plaza has been a regular gathering space on the northern end of Longboat Key since its 2023 opening. The concrete floor and wicker lamps give Sips a beachy, laid-back vibe, and residents return time after time. Adela Ibric is there every day, except for Sundays when the shop is closed, she said. Often seen with headphones on and laptop out, she spends hours working remotely at the coffee shop. On Thursday, steam drifted from her cup of herbal tea while she got some work done. Even as she tries to reduce her caffeine intake in the new year, she still supports Sips.

“I’ll come in just to say hello, and then leave and go to the beach right over there, or I’ll come in and sit down for hours at a time,” she said. “I’ll buy multiple things while sitting here, which their menu caters to easily.”

With Longboaters continuing to support Sips, the family-owned and -run business is making a leap, choosing to open a second location at 3172 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Carter said the new Sips will be similar to the current location, but scaled down. The 859-square-foot space is less than half the size of the north-end Sips location.

Centrally located on the island next to Swim City and across the street from a public beach access, the shop will allow those on the south end of the island to get a taste of Sips with less of a trek. The space was previously home to Turtle Coffee Bar which closed after Hurricane Helene's extensive damage.

The new Sips neighbors where a Starbucks was planned. The to-be operator of the Starbucks said they were no longer moving forward with their plans for the space at 3174 Gulf of Mexico Drive and wished Sips well. Carter said the Starbucks' exodus paved the way for Sips’ expansion.

“Basically the Starbucks falling through allowed for us to come in,” he said. “We wouldn’t have been able to come in there next door to the Starbucks. I don’t think the owners of the plaza wanted to have two of the exact same businesses there. They want variety. I can’t speak to why the Starbucks fell through. I don’t know, but it did. And when it did, the owners reached out to us.”

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The menu at Sips has evolved. The chalkboard next to the register shows specialty seasonal lattes on offer: the Oreo latte, cloudberry latte, oat lavender matcha latte, etc. The list changes, unless a seasonal drink is a hit with customers. The bumblebee and maple cinnamon lattes are two that became crowd favorites and are now on the physical menu.

“We kept them on the menu because people just loved them. Even if we took them off the menu, people would ask for them still,” Carter said.

With less kitchen space, Carter said the new Sips will have more of an emphasis on coffee, with some unique drinks that won’t be available at the original location. But the details of how the two locations will differ when it comes to food menu items are still being ironed out.

“I can tell you what is 100%,” Carter said. “It is going to be coffee, smoothies, juices and acai bowls, and there will be baked goods.”

Carter said he hopes the second Sips, whose name to be determined, will open before the busy tourist season ends. Construction work is under way.