Brewton’s newest coffee shop is a “go.”

Monday, the city council approved a lease for the former Shell station located at the intersection of Jennings Park and Burnt Corn Creek.

The venture, which is the brainchild of Matthew and Erin Brittingham, is expected to open within six months after renovations begin. The business is expected to employ two to five people and offer an assortment of coffee, beverages and baked goods six days a week from 6 a.m. until 5 p.m.

While the couple hasn’t been inside the building, the two said they are excited about the prospect of opening.

“I work with a general contractor, so I believe I can do the majority of the work myself,” Mr. Brittingham said. “Our goal is to turn the building into a quaint little coffee shop that assists in supporting the local economy. We are thrilled to able to move forward with that.”

The site will feature a drive-thru and inside and outside seating.

“We’re really hoping to capitalize on the local student crowd,” Brittingham said.

Cost of the renovations is $20,000, he said.

As part of the lease agreement, no charge will be levied while renovations are ongoing. The rate will increase to $100 per month for the first six months of operation and then $400 from that point forward.

In other business, the council:

• appointed Jan Ewing Dees to the city’s housing authority board;

• awarded a $17,000 to DynaPak Corporation for refuse bags for citizen use – a decrease of .08 cent per box than its last contracted price. Councilman Pat Poole voted against the bid, stating he believed the city should not be in competition with local businesses; and,

• awarded a three-year debris monitoring bid to Thompson Consulting Services for monitoring loads picked up and measuring size of load for adequate FEMA reimbursement in the event of a disaster.