LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville painter who studied herbal medicine while living in California recently opened a café in Crescent Hill that specializes in mushroom coffee and other healthy tonics, according to our partners at Louisville Business First.
Many people believe mushroom coffee provides health benefits not found in traditional coffee, and the industry has grown into a $3 billion market.
Dean Thomas said one of the recipes he uses "focuses on a class of herbs that have been used for longevity and general homeostasis of the body. "They're not medicinal and they're not psychotropic. They're just designed for wellness. It's big in California, and a lot of young people are loving it."
He opened the Elixir Café in June at 2714 Frankfort Ave., where it shares space with Crescent Hill Coffee. The café specializes in mushroom coffee and other healthy tonics.
"My idea is to provide the same kind of atmosphere, like you're in a café or coffee shop, but we're doing these non-caffeinated healthy tonics," Thomas said. "It's all about promoting health and longevity, and reducing stress and anxiety too."
Thomas said the café is using polypores, a group of mushrooms with pore-bearing undersides where spores are produced. They are believed to benefit the immune system and offer gastrointestinal system.
Thomas told Louisville Business First he originally planned to take over the entire Crescent Hill Coffee space but found many people were still coming in for their caffeine fix. So made a deal with the owners to share the space.
Thomas also has an art gallery on Main Street and was a member of No Fun, one of Louisville's first punk bands.
Crescent Hill Coffee serves customers until 2:30 p.m. each day, before Thomas takes over until Elixir Café closes around 7 p.m. He said he eventually plans to stay open later to provide an alternative to the bar scene.
"It's recreational drinking," Thomas said. "You don't have to be in a bar, but it's the same idea — a gathering spot where people can hang out and talk."
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