The popular local coffee shop located on S. 45th Street between Pine and Osage has changed its name a few times in its history – from Sam’s Place to Earth Cup to Coffee Market, then back to Earth Cup a couple of years ago. Now it has a new owner and new name: Knockbox Cafe.

The new owner, Heather DeGrands, lives just two blocks away from the shop and is very excited about this new endeavor. She closed the deal to buy the café on June 1.

“I have been living in West Philly for over 12 years so I am familiar with many of the neighbors and customer base,” DeGrands wrote in an email. 

Under the new ownership, the shop has some new things on the menu, including Basset’s ice cream.

“We will only have four flavors at a time but plan on rotating different selections of hard scooped ice cream,” Heather writes. “Currently, we are carrying Vanilla, Peanut Butter Swirl, Cookies and Cream, and Raspberry Truffle.”

Heather is also hoping to bring back some egg and turkey sausage breakfast sandwiches soon, as well as a few other new menu items.

The shop will still be using the same local roaster, Fonseca Coffee Roasters – a small private roaster located in East Falls. Knockbox Cafe is also carrying pastries and bagels from Le Bus, Four Worlds and Crust Vegan Bakery.

By the way, a “knockbox” is a device that a barista slams an espresso puck into after a shot of espresso has been pulled.

The shop’s current hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m., but once things get better with the COVID-19 pandemic, it will go back to 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily.

For more info and updates, check out Knockbox Cafe’s Instagram, or Facebook page.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCMiCXdj_cX/