Couple Brings Their Love of Coffee to Canton
Judy Wade and Shaune Huysamen know great coffee leads to great conversations, and they want to keep the talk going. The pair opened Whitetail Coffee Company, a coffee shop at The Mill on Etowah in 2021.
![Whitetail Coffee in Canton Georgia](https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-3_2024-02-02-224301_txtb.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=8309d5d7b10e76dedb970d0cdfb34deb 320w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-3_2024-02-02-224301_txtb.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=eeb56338cd822584ee903d82abca11fc 540w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-3_2024-02-02-224301_txtb.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=efcace455284f6e615840f37fcd60ebf 768w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-3_2024-02-02-224301_txtb.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=b1a668e6b0aa874065de1e75ef93d620 1024w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-3_2024-02-02-224301_txtb.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=954c2291902ef2764d5ae99ae5e0c981 1200w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-3_2024-02-02-224301_txtb.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=d4ce6db66033cb183d29b4f043543ac9 1440w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-3_2024-02-02-224301_txtb.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=bd5a94bf74743e2a9e4ec5329e333f2b 1920w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-3_2024-02-02-224301_txtb.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=76bd220a31aca6823e663597c91dbebb 2560w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-3_2024-02-02-224301_txtb.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=86a3b4f89613ea9c90fe54b0056f198c 3840w)
The coffee shop menu offers drip coffee, lattes, cappuccinos, and a variety of seasonal and specialty drinks such as the Whitetail Special, a blend of cinnamon, honey, and vanilla with espresso and steamed milk. The couple decided to open Whitetail Coffee Company after the success of Whitetail Bicycles & Coffee, their local store in the community of Milton, which opened in 2016. The Milton shop sells and services bicycles as well as coffee, and serves as a community hub for road, mountain, and lifestyle bicycle enthusiasts. Shaune and Judy say they are thrilled to bring their love for coffee and community to the city of Canton.
![Whitetail Coffee beans](https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=1e7166a6ebfd4fb84962e2b65b1ac571 320w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=13869f6b2e80063f30d3dd6ae3d2b7a3 540w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=fa77d792993de4e88d06c6314dd09afd 768w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=704ea6ac2c4e61a067ba7a3ae7b0aba4 1024w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=5fdffd090f846946f5a0696705277cd3 1200w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=0ad6f4eb6dfb68db8ce416dfa0504171 1440w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=18a6a4e0f071070ba0998499df5ae773 1766w)
How did you become interested in opening a coffee shop?
We both have a passion for great coffee, and it was already a small part of Whitetail Bicycles. We also thought it would be a great addition to downtown Canton, especially being in such a unique setting like The Mill on Etowah. We felt like there was a void in the market in the sense of all the local mom and pop coffee shops use the same ingredients and offer the same drinks. We really wanted to be in the group of shops that “stood out!”
What brand of coffee do you serve your customers and why?
Intelligentsia Coffee because we find that consistency and next level quality and taste profile is hard to beat. We choose to focus on the craft of making the coffee using top-notch ingredients and leave the roasting process to the big guys who specialize in roasting coffee.
Where do you get your ideas for your specialty drinks and what are some of your favorites?
We travel internationally as well as in the U.S. and make it a point of visiting unique coffee shops in our travels. It’s one of your favorite things to do. We carefully procure the top ingredients that make a drink that leaves you wanting another one. Our favorites change, but our current favorite is our “Black Salted Mocha.”
![Whitetail Coffee Company in Canton Georgia at the Mill on Etowah](https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/whitetail-coffee-co_-the-mill-on-etowah.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=3bbe0b2ef4c0bd5c8fcc869eef2799d7 320w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/whitetail-coffee-co_-the-mill-on-etowah.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=a5bdb93fa6d62d75cdef13e2a2bf6897 540w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/whitetail-coffee-co_-the-mill-on-etowah.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=490fc58d2095f8d7869f86b63bb9eaca 768w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/whitetail-coffee-co_-the-mill-on-etowah.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=26da04a673b83be74696282714fd1051 1024w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/whitetail-coffee-co_-the-mill-on-etowah.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=3fdd8cf7ab26f1e59cb314637863d170 1200w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/whitetail-coffee-co_-the-mill-on-etowah.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=5f28605f8b0e76283fbded3ce61dd10a 1440w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/whitetail-coffee-co_-the-mill-on-etowah.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=c97c6801ada9f269bf1a3516a5e690a0 1920w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/whitetail-coffee-co_-the-mill-on-etowah.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=ac055c9db5fd910759e38e813bdd7cb2 2400w)
Why did you choose The Mill on Etowah for your coffee shop?
Actually, our initial visit to The Mill was because we had intentions of opening a second Whitetail Bicycles, but The Mill had another plan for us! They wanted coffee, so we gave them coffee. We fell in love with this idea and couldn’t turn down the great opportunity to be a part of this community. Now fast forward a year and a half and Whitetail Bicycles will be opening at the Mill in the spring of 2023.
What is your favorite family holiday tradition?
We love waking up Christmas morning with coffee of course, opening presents together, followed by a day of staying in our pajamas, good food, Hallmark movies, and being together.
![Whitetail Coffee](https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-1_2023-11-01-173405_eeci.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=30b2314ad9b589cdd7d78d0b70833310 320w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-1_2023-11-01-173405_eeci.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=ac80776704052fde407063bfdb8d02bf 540w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-1_2023-11-01-173405_eeci.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=b846c5a6d310ec5bf22d12382e906f3e 768w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-1_2023-11-01-173405_eeci.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=35e45a16e7d9ce8fcb7ae00defda2c6b 1024w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-1_2023-11-01-173405_eeci.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=0fb0907a60db6f4b269ecc136432a3c2 1200w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-1_2023-11-01-173405_eeci.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=5e9d07c1458143257f518640c6bd904c 1440w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-1_2023-11-01-173405_eeci.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=4a1fc9348373c2f4704b86c449c18442 1920w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-1_2023-11-01-173405_eeci.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=cd21139db2a5ea2bfe7b122ba0b2ee90 2560w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Whitetail-Coffee-1_2023-11-01-173405_eeci.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=72ae58f7a6fce6ea1f1794514df83559 3840w)
What are some of your favorite foods during the winter?
Shaune isn’t a turkey guy, so Honey Baked Ham, steaks, pecan pie, sweet potato casserole, cheese grits, and twice baked potatoes!
What is the one thing you would like your customers to know about you and your business?
We make every drink with care and attention to detail because we value our customers. We want them to have not just a good cup of coffee, but an experience. We appreciate our regulars that have become friends.
This article was featured in the Historic Canton magazine. Read more.