Inside of Big Mike’s Donuts & Coffee, posters of classic movies line the walls. A multi-paneled poster of “The Breakfast Club” is placed on a wall across from the front door.

Much like the 1985 movie, owners Andrea Vincent and Mike Henry want their coffee shop to provide a space for everyone in the Bartonville community. Vincent said the space could be used by teenagers or retired adults looking to catch up with friends. Henry said Big Mike’s Donuts & Coffee could also offer a new space for those working remotely.

“People are really excited about it, and then they come in and they're surprised of the space and what it looks like. They're like, ‘Wow, it's actually really nice in here. Oh, I could come in here and sit down with my computer,’” Vincent said. “Yeah, that's why we designed it this way, so that you could come in [and] meet a friend or sit down and bring your laptop and do work if you work to do.”

Big Mike’s Donuts & Coffee, located at 1369 W. Garfield Ave., held its grand opening on June 25 after a soft open in May. For Henry and Vincent, opening the shop was all about serving coffee and the community.

Vincent said she initially noticed a need when she thought about her son, who recently graduated from high school. According to Vincent, thinking about her son made her realize that there were not many places where teens or young adults could gather in the community. And if they were not driving yet, going to hang out somewhere in Peoria could be difficult.

Henry said he and Vincent wanted to fill this need for a community gathering space in a “wholesome” and inclusive way. He wanted to provide people with a space to stay a while that wasn’t like a bar.

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On top of this, Vincent said most other coffee and doughnut shops are about 20 minutes away.

“There's no doughnuts, no coffee shop here in town and it’s something – I mean we both love it … That’s why we make and drink a lot of coffee,” Henry said.

At the shop, customers can order coffee ranging from 12 to 24 ounces, depending on the type. The menu also offers almond or oat milk substitutes and a long list of flavored syrups to add to the drinks. Customers can also choose from the coffee shop’s signature latte menu.

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In the past, Henry said he spent 16 years as a bartender. This experience, he says, taught him how to mix various flavors in a way which would taste good.

This experience helped him create many of the flavor combinations for the signature lattes at Big Mike’s Donuts & Coffee. Vincent said she and Henry also tested many of the coffee options themselves.

“There was a day where I drank a lot of espresso,” Vincent said. “We made up like five of them and I'm like, 'I can't do anymore.'”

Henry said they were “uncomfortably energetic.” However, their preparation paid off. Vincent said the signature lattes are now some of the coffee shop’s best sellers. One favorite is the Cinnamon Toast Crunch latte. She said the latte combines hints of cinnamon and white chocolate.

Henry says the shop’s signature doughnuts have found the same success. Flavors include Cookies and Cream, Strawberry Shortcake, Lemon Cream and S’mores.

Along with offering unique flavors, Henry said the doughnuts are made fresh every day.

“Our staff comes in here 11 p.m. and starts prepping them, starts baking them and everything like that. That way they're fresh and ready by 6 a.m. when we open,” Henry said.

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Prior to opening Big Mike’s Donuts & Coffee, Henry worked in real estate and Vincent worked as a respiratory therapist. Henry said they had been wanting to open their own business for a long time.

Vincent said that when they found the space, they decided to go for it. She said the space was so large they decided to put a wall down the middle, with plans to open a retail store in the future.

When decorating, Vincent said they considered looking for pictures of coffee and coffee-based décor to put throughout the shop. In the end, however, they decided to decorate with posters depicting music and classic movies.

“This is us. This is kind of what we love. So, why wouldn't we decorate it like what our favorite things are?” Vincent said.

In the future, Vincent and Henry said their plan is to slowly increase the shop’s options for specialty doughnuts, baked goods and lattes.

“Eventually what we'd like to have is one whole case of signature doughnuts where there's all these different cool doughnuts that you can't get anywhere else,” Vincent said.

Just like many businesses, issues with the supply chain have hit Big Mike’s Donuts & Coffee. Henry said the shop is working toward getting the equipment needed to offer filled doughnuts.

Vincent and Henry said they also plan on looking into a coffee truck. Vincent said a mobile coffee spot would allow them to take their business to community events.

Since the shop’s opening, Vincent and Henry said they have received a great deal of support and positive feedback from those in the community. Big Mike’s Donuts & Coffee is open 6 a.m. until 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Connect with Cassidy Waigand by emailing her at CWaigand@gannett.com or by following her on Twitter at @justxaxwriter.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Bartonville couple opens Big Mike's Donuts and Coffee