Travail Coffee to Open on University Avenue
The specialty coffee shop, owned by Thomas and Shelby Toole, is scheduled to open at 2204 University Avenue on Nov. 4.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Coffee
Travail Coffee, a specialty coffee shop owned by Thomas and Shelby Toole, is scheduled to open Nov. 4 at 2204 University Avenue in Oxford. The shop occupies the former location of Little Angel's Day Care.
Why it matters
The opening adds a specialty coffee option to Oxford, with drinks built on beans from six independent roasters. It gives local coffee drinkers another place to find pour-over and drip coffee.
The shop plans to serve beans from Onyx Coffee Lab, Black & White Roasters, Valor Coffee, Makeworth Coffee, Lost & Found Coffee Co., and Methodical Coffee. Its menu will include pour-over and drip coffee, and it will operate Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The players
Thomas and Shelby Toole
The owners of Travail Coffee, who are launching the specialty coffee shop on University Avenue in Oxford.
The details
Travail Coffee is located at 2204 University Avenue, a site previously occupied by Little Angel's Day Care. Owners Thomas and Shelby Toole are building the shop around coffee from six specialty roasters.
Timeline
Nov. 4, 2026: Travail Coffee is scheduled to open at 2204 University Avenue.
Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Regular operating hours once open.
Culture Shift
Travail Coffee's menu of beans from six independent roasters follows a broader movement among specialty cafes toward curating coffee from many small roasters rather than a single house blend. The approach reflects a shift in how independent coffee shops position themselves against national chains.
Oxford coffee drinkers gain a new option for pour-over and drip coffee on University Avenue, with weekday and Saturday hours from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The shop's menu of beans from six roasters gives customers a range of coffee choices in one place.
The takeaway
If you want fresh coffee on your way into the day, Travail Coffee's Monday-through-Saturday 7 a.m. opening gives you an early option on University Avenue once it opens.
What happens next
Travail Coffee is scheduled to open on Nov. 4, 2026.
Further reading
Explore more local options in the Coffee section for other specialty shops around town.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Oxford Eagle.
