Austinites have a new place to sip their favorite brewed beverage late into the evening. Gymocha opened about two weeks ago in the old Hardee’s building at 1300 14 St. NW.

Owners Cindy and Russell Pihlstrom spent roughly five months renovating the building, and Cindy said she’s excited to finally have the shop open.

“I’m just happy to serve people and interact with the customers,” she said.

Cindy and Russell used to live in the Twin Cities, and they moved to Austin when Russell got a job with Hormel Foods Corp.

“We love Austin, and it has so many things to offer, but we missed the coffee shops that (the Twin Cities) have,” she said.

While the outside may not have drastically changed, the building’s interior looks much different than it did as a fast food restaurant. Cindy described the coffee shop’s theme as “urban modern.”

Light colored OSB (oriented strand board) plywood is used throughout the coffee shop as wall and ceiling paneling, as is a darker wood paneling. A unique array of seating is available, from a row of benches to put your feet up in the center of the shop, to a row of tables with orange oval chairs and windowsill seating looking north toward Interstate 90 and Oak Park Mall.

Groups can reserve a meeting room located in the northwest corner of the shop, and Cindy said the room has been used almost everyday.

The shop offers free wireless internet, and there’s one public computer.

Along with specialty coffees and teas, Gymocha also serves food. The shop offers paninis, soups and fresh baked goods, like scones and muffins.

Cindy said the old Hardees building is a good location for Gymocha, as it is near Interstate 90 and Riverland Community College. Plus, the building already had a drive-through.

So far, Cindy said she’s received positive feedback from customers, and she said people seem to like Gymocha’s atmosphere.

Cindy said Gymocha combines the best qualities of Austin’s existing coffee shops, like atmosphere and the convenience of a drive through.

“There are good coffee shops here already,” she said. “We just wanted to be another one.”

However, Gymocha is open later than other coffee shops in town, as it’s open weekdays 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m, Saturdays 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays 7:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Gymocha will also have a patio outside. Gymocha has 11 part-time employees.

The renovation process started long before the shop opened. Cindy took inspiration from magazines and different sources, as she prepared to open Gymocha.

Even before starting renovation on the building, Cindy and her family worked to sand the OSB wood and different things.

“We worked in our garage for months before we even got the building,” she said.

It took about five months to renovate the building. Cindy said she’s happy to put the remodeling behind her.

“I’m so glad that that part is done, and we can actually do what we set out to do,” she said.