Restaurants & Bars

Coffee Shop Offers A Chill Time With CBD In Valrico

Customers can order their coffee with or without CBD at Valrico's Chill Caw-Fee, and there are CBD products available for purchase there.

Customers at Chill Caw-Fee can request that CBD be added to their coffee to have more of a "chill" experience.
Customers at Chill Caw-Fee can request that CBD be added to their coffee to have more of a "chill" experience. (Skyla Luckey | Patch )

VALRICO, FL — A coffee house, Chill Caw-Fee, in Valrico is changing the way residents drink their java with some added relaxation in its beverages.

When you think about coffee, caffeine and jitters might come to mind. If you add cannabidiol (CBD) to your coffee, then it possibly provides a more chill experience to your morning or afternoon cup.

"We can put CBD into any beverage," co-owner Tom Quigley told Patch. "A lot of our customers ask if the CBD and caffeine counteract with each other when combined. They actually work synergistically."

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The term CBD oil refers to the extracted cannabinoid molecules, from marijuana-hemp plants, which is then infused into oil, for many purposes. The oil does not contain the psychoactive component in marijuana, he said.

"My wife, Lisa has been in the cafe business, and for the past six years, I've been helping companies around the nation launch products that are either cannabis-related or hemp CBD so we decided to open this place," Quigley said.

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Many customers request for CBD to be infused in nitro coffee offered at the Valrico location. Nitro coffee can be compared to a Guinness beer, except without alcohol. The texture is rich and creamy like a Guinness style beer, and is served cold.

CBD oil was legalized in Florida in 2018.

Chill Caw-Fee opened in March, right at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

"It's been challenging to run a business during these times but every new business is challenging," he said. "The community's been pretty supportive."

Quigley said they weren't able to apply for any of the federal aid because they were too new in business, but the community support that they are so grateful for has helped them.

"Unfortunately, a lot of people are under a high amount of stress right now," he said. "Cannabis and CBD and other plant-based medicines really help you to combat stress, or balance your hormones and dopamine levels."

Literally chill out at Chill Caw-Fee with a CBD infused drink or try one of their many pastries and other food items.

CBD lotions, CBD oils for sleep and pets and other CBD products are also available at the coffee shop.

Embracing CBD Use

Quigley's passion for CBD began in 2012 after doctors diagnosed him with a mass on his pancreas. Doctors at Moffitt Cancer Center suggested a surgery called Whipple procedure, which according to the Mayo Clinic is an operation to remove the head of the pancreas, the first part of the small intestine, the gallbladder and the bile duct.

The co-owner got a second opinion from doctors elsewhere four months after the initial diagnosis, and they told him that it was not cancer. He had fatty deposit on his pancreas but it eventually healed. Quigley credits CBD for its healing power.

The second diagnosis was better than the first, but it didn't cure the pain he was in. He had been taking opioids from 2007 to 2010. From 2010 to 2012, he educated himself on the health benefits of CBD and medical marijuana.

He said he went to the state of Washington to receive his medical marijuana card and got approved. He is proud to have brought awareness of medical marijuana to the state of Florida, because he said he worked hard to pass the medical marijuana law in the sunshine state.

If You Go

If you're not interested in sampling CBD at the coffee shop then just order a regular brew.

On Sept. 19, Chill Caw-Fee will host "Medical Marijuana and You," with guest speaker Dr. Kelly King. Trulieve, a cannabis dispensary, will also be in attendance to offer education about medical marijuana.

It's located at 3407 Lithia Pinecrest Road, Valrico. It is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information, visit its website at Chill Caw-Fee.


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