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Meri Moon officially opened with full hours on Friday, July 12 at 616 Main Street in Montevallo. (Reporter photos/Noah Wortham)

By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

MONTEVALLO – An old Montevallo staple is back and with a new look after the opening of Meri Moon in Montevallo on Friday, July 12.

Eclipse Coffee and Books closed its doors after 16 years of business on July 27, 2017 but now the beloved business is back in a new form as Meri Moon in the Strand building on Montevallo Main Street.

The business is run by former Eclipse owner Cheryl Patton and former Main Street Tavern bartender Rachel Phillips who partnered together to bring back the same atmosphere with a new look.

“It feels amazing,” Patton said. “It’s been really fun to watch people come back from those days. It’s been a lot of old staff coming by (and) old customers coming by. It’s just felt very warm and inviting. It’s been a great experience.”

Meri Moon officially opened its doors with full hours on Friday, July 12 after having a soft opening to ready the staff and to make all the necessary preparations to run at full capacity.

“It’s been great,” Phillips said. “I think the community has been great about coming in and giving us the feedback that we need.”

Phillips previously served as a bartender at the Main Street Tavern in Montevallo for four-and-a-half years and after Patton approached Phillips with the idea of opening up a coffee shop in Montevallo, the two partnered together to form the new iteration of Eclipse Coffee and Books, entitled “Meri Moon.”

“For me, I’m finally back doing what I like to do which is serving people,” Phillips said. “It feels like home. It feels like we’ve worked really hard and now we’re opening up our home and letting everyone enjoy it with us.”

Phillips highlighted the opportunity Meri Moon has in Montevallo to not only cater to customers but also to individuals from the local university.

“We’re not only catering to the students, but also the professors to give them a space to come and enjoy and hang out,” Phillips said.

Meri Moon features a variety of beverages on its menu, including specialty coffees, cappuccinos, cold brews, cortados, macchiatos, lattes, teas, smoothies as well as the return of Eclipse’s renowned milkshakes.

Additionally, the business serves a variety of breakfast items as well as sandwiches, salads and sweets. So far, the fan favorite menu item is the business’s Grinch Toast which features avocado spread on toast with lemon tahini.

“We still have the hummus and quinoa salad from (the) Eclipse days which has been popular and I think we’ll continue to change it up and try to surprise people,” Patton said.

On July 12, the business expanded to full hours with its retail wine and beer menu for customers to enjoy at the business’s bar and lounge.

“It’s just a place where you can come and get snacks, have a few drinks and then go eat dinner or come here and hang out and come for a dessert board at the end of the night,” Phillips said.

Meri Moon marks the third coffee shop to take advantage of the historic Strand building on Montevallo Main Street. Mostly recently, the building housed Baba Java Coffee at the Strand until its closure on Dec. 9, 2023. The building boasts a rich history of being the spot of many businesses over the years including The Strand movie theater, an apothecary and an art studio. The business still displays The Strand theatre’s old ticket window in the front and the old brick wall bearing an old Durham tobacco advertisement in the back.

Meri Moon is located at 616 Main Street in Montevallo and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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