Hot Shots Espresso leaves Valdese building, keeps rolling as mobile business

The day after Christmas marked the end of Hot Shots Espresso’s Valdese era, but not the end of the business. The coffee trailer still pops up selling all the same drinks and treats that built a dedicated customer base for owners Cory and Elizabeth Largent.

Hot Shots Espresso opened in the foyer of the 201 St. Germain Ave. SW building in Valdese last May, Cory said, but ultimately it wasn’t the right fit. The Largents announced the return to the mobile-only setup in mid-December, citing unforeseen circumstances.

“Nothing bad happened,” Cory said. “We just needed to make sure what we’re doing moving forward is going to benefit us, and so we just had to make some changes.”

The biggest advantage of working out of the trailer, Elizabeth said, is the flexible schedule. Both of the pair’s sons play sports and Cory is a basketball coach at Freedom High School.

“The downside is not having a set schedule all the time,” Elizabeth said. “And we really rely on people to look us up and find our schedule and see where we’re at.”

The Hot Shots Espresso Morganton Facebook page is updated regularly to share where the trailer will be on a given day, and at what time.

Elizabeth said the move did not limit the coffee shop’s menu, which includes lattes, smoothies, blended drinks, matcha drinks, and more, with sugar-free options and alternative milks.

Hot Shots Espresso can also be booked for festivals, sporting events, and other events.

When the Largents moved to Morganton in 2018, they envisioned opening a coffee shop. At the time, there were few coffee shops in the area. They signed a three-year lease for the building at 810 Fleming Drive, but the owner ended up selling the building. That was when they set up the coffee trailer.

Elizabeth said finding another building is up in the air.

“We just moved out of Valdese and that was a lot financially, and so now we’re going to just kind of settle down for a little bit and regroup,” Elizabeth said.

Cory thanked everyone who has supported them along the way.

“We appreciate all of our fans, customers, (and) supporters always tracking us down wherever we are,” Cory said. “It’s a really good feeling to have people look after you and your business, and we really appreciate that.”