Pertinacious Coffee to open standalone cafe in Montford
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Emma Layman is the founder and owner of Pertinacious Coffee, which will open its first storefront at Centro Montford (pictured right) in early 2027. Photos: Courtesy of Emma Layman
Pertinacious, a local speciality coffee brand that started with a mobile cart, is opening its first standalone shop in Montford.
Why it matters: The expansion marks a major milestone for 23-year-old founder Emma Layman, who has built a loyal following by sharing the behind-the-scenes reality of running her small business on social media.
Driving the news: Pertinacious is aiming to open in mid-January 2027 inside Centro Montford, a new apartment development near Park Road Shopping Center.
Catch up quick: Layman started Pertinacious with a coffee cart in 2024 and later expanded to The Club, a fitness and coworking space in South End.
- She told Axios in September that monthly sales had grown from $8,363 to $29,156 in one year.
- Pertinacious will continue operating its cafe inside The Club after the Montford storefront opens.
What to expect: The roughly 700-square-foot shop will have a handful of indoor tables and an outdoor patio.
- The menu will feature all the specialty coffees customers already love, including the blueberry vanilla latte, which Layman says has sold more than 6,000.
- The new cafe will also offer more food options. Expect grab-and-go items such as overnight oats, chia seed pudding, toast and artisan-style sandwiches, plus pastries from local bakeries Whisk + Wood and Wheatberry.
- Hours are tentatively 7am-4pm, seven days a week.
What they're saying: Layman says having a space of her own has been the goal from the beginning.
- "Being at The Club has made everything possible, and now I'm excited to create something that's uniquely ours," she says.
Zoom out: Montford has a little bit of everything, from Michelin-recommended tasting restaurant L'Ostrica to longtime neighborhood favorites Moosehead Grill and karaoke bar Jeff's Bucket Shop.
- Nearby, Park Road Shopping Center has even more restaurants, shopping and a movie theater. Plus, Bittersweet is taking over the former Good Food on Montford space.
The big picture: Layman wants Pertinacious to be more than a place to grab coffee. She's hoping it'll become another gathering spot for the neighborhood, including high school students at nearby Myers Park High School.
If you go: Pertinacious' Montford cafe will open at 1700 Abbey Pl.