Green House Coffee + Affogato Bar opens with goal to create an inclusive space

Written by Greta Cross, photos by Greta Cross

Twitter/Instagram: @gretacrossphoto

Downtown Springfield welcomes a new, bright and airy coffee shop, Green House Coffee + Affogato Bar.

Located at 431 S. Jefferson Ave. Suite 172, Green House specializes in affogato. The Italian coffee-based dessert is made with a scoop of ice cream or gelato, topped with a pour of espresso or strong brewed coffee. 

The affogato bar will include four rotating flavors of ice cream from Little Rock’s Loblolly Creamery. Customers can choose between pours of espresso, matcha, chai and turmeric. Different toppings and sauces will also be available. 

The shop will also include espresso, non-caffeinated drinks and baked goods made in-house.

Along with coffee and tasty treats, an array of house plants are for sale. Lee Botanical, a local house plant and plant accessory shop in Springfield, is stocking Green House’s shelves and counters.

As for the coffee, Green House will be the first Springfield coffee shop to exclusively use Onyx Coffee Lab coffee beans, which is based in northwest Arkansas.

Owner Caleb Alwardt, a barista of over four years, said he wanted to create a work environment where baristas can make a living wage, while providing an inclusive space for members of the Springfield community.

“I want (Green House) to feel really safe, especially to just be yourself because I feel like you have to put on a little bit of a performance at other shops to just feel like you’re welcome there,” Alwardt said. “The goal is that you can feel safe to be yourself here. I also want it to be a queer inclusive place because that doesn’t really super exist in Springfield in coffee culture, so I want to change that.”

Barista Jaxon Porterfield, a communication graduate student at Missouri State, said they were drawn to Green House because of Alwardt’s commitment to inclusivity.

“I’ve fallen in love with the space and greatly enjoy all my coworkers,” Porterfield said. “We’ve worked tirelessly to make this space welcoming and comfortable.”

Porterfield recommended people stop by Green House for the variety of plants and unique menu options, including the sweet potato cake, which they described as their favorite.

Green House Coffee + Affogato Bar’s hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For updates, follow Green House on Instagram @greenhousesgf.