#69) Chaunie’s Coffee Truck

Part of - Bean’s Coffee Shop Challenge - series

Well I never thought I’d live to see the day that Starbucks is closed. I mean - like - really closed. Not closed early; not closed for a holiday; not closed for training. Just - closed. With no predetermined opening date either. In the Jax Beaches area, at least.

Sigh.

The CoVid19 crisis is certainly upending all types of area businesses at this point. Large and small, local and chain. There is nothing remaining that is unaffected in some way by the coronavirus at this point.

And Starbucks has been closed for many days now - a few weeks actually. The place that I have relied upon for outings of all kinds, remains shuttered. I’ve been there on vacation, I’ve been there on the funnest days of my life. On Thanksgiving Day... On Christmas Day... I’ve been there in New Orleans, sitting inside the window, watching the electric street car go past on the outside. I’ve been there on the hardest days of my life. I’ve been there in Rochester, Minnesota, on days with the coldest sub-zero temperatures I’ve ever felt in my life. I’ve shared iced frappuccinos with my dearest friends, while standing on Main Street USA. I’ve been there for meetings. For friendship. For chatting. For reading. And, oh yeah, for some coffee, too.

So, with Starbucks literally being closed, and me still leaving the house every single day for work and life, I’ve been seeking out all the small coffee shops in town. Anyplace - and anywhere - that still has their doors open. Just like my recent outings to the Ugly Cupcake & Muffinry, and The Delicomb. If it’s open, I’ll be trying it.

I’ve always been a fan of all the chain shops and equally all the small shops. Which is why I started Bean’s Coffee Shop Challenge to begin with. Basically, if it’s coffee - I tend to be a fan. In fact, I may like coffee just as much as I like donuts.

Yeah, I guess those bold beans are basically up there at the top of the list for me. So today I’m extremely happy to showcase another exciting and very unique coffee adventure in the greater Jax area: Chaunie’s Coffee Truck!

And all it took was a virus, a global plague, and complete and total economic destruction, to finally lead me there! And to the absolute cutest truck in town, by the way.

I have actually been searching out Chaunie and her truck for a couple of years. A few years back I had my first iced latte from Chaunie’s while they were parked at an Art Walk in Jax Beach. But considering the entire business concept of a food truck is on wheels, and moving around, my schedule has simply never matched that of her truck, since my initial introduction to it back in the day at that fest.

But then, just recently, I happened to find her Instagram page. So I followed, and started watching where she was going to be each day. Noticing a day scheduled in Ponte Vedra Beach, on my day off, and it was finally a date.

We drove around the town of Ponte Vedra Beach - the small coastal town just south of Jax Beach, and found Chaunie’s black and minimalist and very cool truck, parked in the Ponte Vedra Lakes neighborhood, next to a small pond at the very end of a cul de sac.

As we parked and walked up, we noticed people from the neighborhood, walking away with hot cups of coffee, and some walking up to make their purchases. Word was definitely out that there was a coffee truck sitting in the neighborhood. There were friends and neighbors, standing around the curled street, chatting and sipping.

Chaunie said that she has been taking her truck all over Jax through the pandemic. Knowing how entire neighborhoods of people were simply - at home - she wanted to bring coffee - to them.

A superb idea!

She had just recently traveled out to Julington Creek. And was then in Ponte Vedra Beach. And the next day - onward to another residential area in the Jacksonville greater community. And continuing.

I mentioned that I had my last cup of coffee from her truck at a local fest in Jax Beach. And I was super excited to finally get another cup.

I ordered a hot latte, and hubby ordered an iced latte. All one size - no option for a small or large.

Chaunie then mentioned that she was serving breakfast that particular day. That even though she didn’t have her menu out, she was serving hot breakfast sandwiches and cinnamon rolls with iced frosting.

We basically said - what the heck...

We were already there, how’s about breakfast with our coffees?

So I ordered one of her homemade cinnamon rolls, and hubby tried the breakfast sandwich - which came with bacon, eggs, and cheese. Both were delicious, and we could definitely taste that everything we ate was very much homemade.

Our total for two breakfasts and two hand-crafted espresso drinks - to go - was $21.70, plus tip. Chaunie’s Truck does take credit card, so you do not need to have cash on you at the time of your visit.

I thanked Chaunie for being out there. And mentioned we would definitely be seeing her again.

We walked back to our car and drove on toward home.

I wondered when Starbucks would open its doors, once again?

When will I be able to sit inside a coffee shop, listening to relaxing and calming cafe music, while reading a book and sipping a steamy latte?

I pondered how certain businesses may be thriving right now, and how many, many others, are on the absolute verge of dying.

And while I don’t ever have my sights on planning to visit any cafe in Rochester, Minnesota, ever again, even if someone paid me a million dollars, I also thought to myself - when will I once again stand on any ol’ Main Street in the USA? Sharing a laugh, and clinking our cups in cheer, with friends? As we stand closer than six feet from one another - to cheers, of course.

Ohh, sigh.

A simple outing, during another “stay-at-home” sort of day. We had been on a lovely walk. We had soaked in the fresh Floridian air. We supported a local area small business - during the absolute worst time of my life on this Earth I have ever witnessed, for any small business. And maybe, most importantly, we drank some bold and delicious coffee. ~

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Author:

Christine Pieper is an Artist and Lifestyle Blogger, living, writing, and painting in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, with her hubby and eight year old puppy. She made a major life change in 2017 by uprooting and moving from Illinois to the Sunshine State, and has been living her best life in Florida since - detailing all her many and varied adventures living and traveling the Deep South to share with you. Her mission is to help you live YOUR best life - by getting out there, going for it, and making that big change you always dreamed of. Christine will inspire you to get over yourself, show up for yourself, and get out of your own way. The only one stopping you - is YOU.

To catch all of Christine’s Floridian Dreams, sign up your email below now.

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*Have you visited Chaunie’s Coffee Truck? Do you have a favorite coffee truck driving around your town? I’d love to know. Drop me a comment down below.

Also - here’s more coffee, and more beans!
Bean’s Coffee Shop Challenge:
67] Delicious & Delightful Days @ The Delicomb
60] Welcome To Muffin Land ~ The Ugly Cupcake & Muffinry
48] Love & Donuts In The Air @ Beaches For Australia
44] Nothing Finer Than Coffee In The Keys ~ The Coffee Plantation Cafe
39] The Very Official & Quite Serious Donut Debate Of 2020
9] Sago Coffee: A Cup Of Friendly & Flavorful Florida

Plus, you can check out some more dining reviews of many local area diners all around Jax, right here:
57] First Watch on the First Coast
54] Um, Open @ Angie’s Subs
50] Sundays Are For Diners ~ Super Diners
40] Visiting The Florida Cracker Kitchen ~ Jacksonville
19] Another Broken Egg Cafe ~ A Taste Of NOLA @ The Beach
16] Beach Diner ~ If You Feed Them They Will Come

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