ROBERTSDALE, Alabama --- When Reed Hawkins and his wife Amber took over the former Water’s Corner building on U.S. Highway 90 at College Avenue in Robertsdale, they weren’t really planning on opening it back up to the public.

“When we first moved in we were just using the building as storage for our catering business,” Hawkins said. “We really had no intension of opening a business here.”

But, Hawkins said, they were sitting around talking one day about how they could utilize the space. One thing led to another and in five short weeks, they were able to open Café Gourmand.

“We’ve been extremely pleased with the area and how well we’ve been received,” Hawkins said. The business held its grand opening last week with the Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, nearly one month after opening.

Hawkins describes the business as affordable gourmet, beginning with a choice of bold or decaf roast brewed coffee and hot chocolate for $1.65. They also offer a salted caramel hot chocolate (in season).

For a little something stronger, Café Gourmand offers a variety of frappucino and espresso beginning at $3.

For the kids they offer ice cream and soda beginning at $1.50 for one scoop with ice cream floats and milkshakes beginning at $3.

Café Gourmand also offers a sandwich menu with most offerings under $9.

“We’ve gotten a lot of rave revues about our Reuben,” Hawkins said, priced at $8.49 and made the authentic way with real Russian dressing. No thousand island here.

Hawkins also recommends the chicken salad croissant, made two different ways with cranberries and pecans, or with pineapple and pecans, or the turkey slaw sandwich made with homemade coleslaw and homemade sweet honey mustard sauce on rye bread.

Or you might want to go for a club sandwich, priced at $7.49 for a half sandwich, or if you’re feeling adventurous, go for the whole sandwich at $12.49, but be forewarned.

“We’ve only had one person finish it since we opened,” Hawkins said. “It is a huge sandwich.”

Another crowd pleaser is the New Orleans style muffuletta priced at $9.49 for a quarter sandwich. A whole sandwich, costing $21.99 should feed a minimum of four people, Hawkins said.

Both Hawkins and his wife are natives of Mississippi. Hawkins hails from the same hometown as the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, Tupelo. His wife comes from the nearby Gulf Coastal city of Biloxi.

Both are graduates of Mississippi State University and, Hawkins said, moved to the area to help a friend start a scaffolding business.

“We came here during a tough time in the construction business, but we were able to turn it into a successful business,” Hawkins said, adding that his friend sold the business last year.

Hawkins said this is their first foray into the restaurant business. In addition to the catering business, Hawkins and his wife also produce specialty gourmet dry mixes that, he said will be available for tasting at Café Gourmand.

“Both of our businesses tie in to the restaurant business on the supply side,” he said, “but, of course, every business is different.”

Hawkins said they also plan to provide catering for local businesses and plan to utilize the space to sell their spices, along with other gourmet items.

“It’s such a small space that we’re not going to make it just trying to sell to the two-hour lunch crowd,” he said. “We have to be able to utilize the space in other ways.”

One thing that has done well so far, he said, is their take-out business.

“Everything we offer here is perfect for on-the-go,” he said, “and so far we have seen our biggest niche in our to-go boxes.”

Hawkins said they are also planning to offer tailgate packages, which they hope to have available by the kickoff of football season by the end of August or the first of September.

Café Gourmand is open Monday through Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, email info@cafegourmandal.com or call 251-945-JAVA (5282).

“I am looking forward to seeing all the familiar faces,” Hawkins said. “It will be great seeing patrons eating ice cream, sipping coffee and socializing under the oak trees of such a historic corner.”