Women-Owned Coffee and Cocktail Bar Opens in Plaza Midwood With Eight House-Made Syrups

Plot Twist will open April 21 at 7 a.m. in Plaza Midwood. The women-owned coffee and cocktail bar occupies 1,627 square feet. Coffee arrives first. Cocktails follow in early May.

Co-owner Nikki Velazquez calls it a true "third place." Customers can settle in with morning coffee and stay through evening drinks. No need to move. Her fiancé, Eric Flanigan, handles finances as CFO.

"This is for the ones that wanted green walls and gold, and they're just trying to find themselves," said Velazquez, according to The Charlotte Observer.

Eight house-made syrups anchor the menu, and customers can mix them across coffee, cocktails, mocktails, and dirty sodas. Flavors span ube coconut, mountain berry, Thai tea, lavender vanilla, matcha banana pudding, brown sugar cardamom, chai, and espresso martini.

Assistant general manager Sarah Woods helped build the system. It gives customers choices whether to drink alcohol or skip it. The ube coconut matcha gets topped with sweet, thick, cold foam. It's a cocktail twin blends prosecco, coconut rum, house-made ube syrup, and sparkling water.

Velázquez wants to kill the "veto vote." Every group finds something that fits — coffee at night, a cocktail at noon, or anything between, she said, per Axios.

Two vintage rotary phones wait inside. Guests pick up and record anonymous confessionals. The team will turn recordings into a social series. One pink phone asks, "Spill the tea, tell us everything, sis."

The old auto shop seats 50 inside. The patio opens later this summer and adds room for 30 more people, bringing the total capacity to around 90. Dogs are welcome outside. Blaire Chastaine of Chastaine & Company designed the space, while Amber Cagle of Black Dove Design handled architecture.

A small beer and wine list will be available. Light snacks include nuts and pretzels. There's no kitchen, but rotating pop-ups with local vendors are planned.

Plot Twist sits near Trope Bookshop and Wiloe Home & Gift, creating a small cluster of women-owned businesses just off Central Avenue.

Find it at 1518 Lyon Ct. Starting hours run Tuesday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Once cocktails launch, hours shift to Tuesday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.