Compass Coffee opens doors of drive-thru cafe in West Falls Church

Compass Coffee has opened in West Falls Church.

The regional coffee shop chain began now serving customers yesterday (Monday) at its newest location in the Shops at West Falls Church (7393 Lee Highway/Route 29). Visitors on that first day included Falls Church City Mayor Letti Hardy and Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik.

“[It] was an outstanding opening day with lots of members of the community stopping by the new cafe!” Compass Coffee co-founder and CEO Michael Haft told FFXnow by email. “…Everyone is very excited about the drive thru and central, accessible location.”

The launch comes just a couple of weeks after the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a special exception to allow the cafe, which replaced a BB&T bank. This is the company’s second drive-thru location, joining one in Arlington, and its first shop in the county, though it can also be found in Fairfax City.

Haft says the company is “thrilled to…become a part of the growing West Falls Church neighborhood.”

Haft started the business with fellow Marine Harrison Suarez out of a desire to find the perfect cup of coffee after they were subjected to “terrible” blends during their deployments, according to Compass Coffee’s website.

“We are thrilled to become a part of the growing West Falls Church neighborhood and are excited to expand our commitment to providing exceptional coffee that’s not only delicious, but convenient for everyone,” Haft said. “We look forward to welcoming both new and familiar faces through our doors.”

With the West Falls Church opening, Compass Coffee has expanded to 17 shops since launching in D.C. a decade ago.

In addition to coffee and other hot and cold drinks, the cafe serves breakfast sandwiches and pastries. The West Falls Church location is only the second to also have paninis, including Mediterranean turkey panini and sun-dried tomato mozzarella options that “are already a fan-favorite within the community,” according to Haft.

The 2,552-square-foot building has two drive-thru aisles, one for in-person orders and another for online and mobile pick-ups.

“Whether you’re on your way to work or stopping by for an afternoon pick-me-up, we love being able to provide a quality coffee experience,” Haft said.

A grand opening celebration will be held this Friday (April 5). Details will be shared on Compass Coffee’s Twitter and Instagram pages.

Future Fairfax County sites could be on the horizon. Haft says Compass Coffee is “actively looking” at expansion options in Northern Virginia, though he didn’t share any specific locations.

“[We] are excited to see what the near future brings,” he said.

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