EAST LANSING- An East Lansing small business will be adding a new twist very soon. More Than Vintage, plans on making some changes in the near future starting with the addition of coffee sales.

Owner Louis Azor knew when he decided to open a coffee shop in his retail clothing store, it needed to stand out from the slew of other coffee shops in the Lansing area. 

“You need to segment yourself to be different. Especially in a college town [with] Starbucks and Fosters and all these corporation chains,” Azor said. “You have to make yourself almost different in a sort of sense to where you’re not just a coffee shop, but you also have a unique aspect of your retail clothing store with a coffee shop. There’s nothing like that within [the] radius of here.”

Azor opened the retail portion of the shop a little over seven months ago. As the store owner and a student at Michigan State University, working to get the coffee bar open has kept his hands full.

“You have to deal with health safety codes and the building permit, you have to get architects involved, electricians, plumbers. It was [a] real big task just even getting the paperwork that you need,” Azor said. “But then the other part is installing it and implementing the behind-the-scenes parts of the coffee shop. One hurdle after another. But it’s, everything is manageable.”

The coffee bar, More Than Coffee, will feature similar drinks to what you would find at most coffee shops as well as french pastries. 

Azor says that he wants to go for a “New York, European-French-style” feel and bring that to East Lansing. He hopes for the coffee bar to be open for the public within 60 to 90 days after the construction starts this month. 

As a junior at Michigan State, Azor also knows there are very few places for students to study late at night. That is why his employees and Azor have agreed that they want to aim for the coffee shop to stay open, hopefully past midnight for students.

“I’m most excited for just seeing people in here, just like hanging out and studying all day,” said Azor. “That’s gonna be the best part about it, just seeing people enjoy themselves in here.”

Azor hinted that this may not be the last new feature that we will see from More Than Vintage in the near future.

“We have plans in August for more, that’s all I can say now,” said Azor.