Reviewed by: Pat Byington
NEW: Bandido Coffee coming soon to Five Points South
Reading time: 4 minutes
Great news for coffee fanatics in Birmingham! Local entrepreneur Raul Chavez recently announced plans to launch his latest venture—Bandido Coffee—in Five Points South.
Bham Now caught up with Raul at the future location of Bandido Coffee to learn more about the project.
Raul Chavez’s latest venture
Bandido Coffee founder and owner Raul Chavez is a Birmingham native and a tried-and-true entrepreneur. For the past couple of years, he’s focused on growing his barber shop brand, Fade Parlor.
“I’ve been barbering for almost 13 years now; I started working at my mom’s barber shop and eventually took over the management role. Then I spent a year working with my dad, who has an insurance agency. Both of my parents are entrepreneurs, so it runs in the family.”
Raul Chavez, Owner, Bandido Coffee
Raul founded Fade Parlor in 2022; now, he operates three locations throughout the Birmingham area:
- Fade Parlor Downtown — 2201 2nd Ave S #107, Birmingham AL 35233
- Barber Bar 280 — 4700 Hwy 280 Ste 11, Birmingham AL 35242
- Fade Parlor Homewood — 813 Green Springs Hwy Ste 140, Homewood AL 35209
With Fade Parlor on solid footing, Raul began looking for a new entrepreneurial venture.
“I was looking for a new challenge, I’ve always wanted to get into the food and beverage industry, and I’m a coffee addict. What better way to start off than by getting into coffee?”
Raul Chavez, Owner, Bandido Coffee
A new coffee concept for Five Points South
- Bandido Coffee: Instagram
- Address: 1024 20th St S #103, Birmingham, AL 35205
Opening a coffee shop in Birmingham has always been a dream of Raul’s.
“I am constantly drinking coffee—I don’t want to look at how much I spend on it! I enjoy the atmosphere of the shops, I enjoy the beverages, I enjoy all of it. When I take a sip of coffee, it feels like joy is entering my body. So getting to work in that field has always been a dream of mine.”
Raul Chavez, Owner, Bandido Coffee
Recently, an opportunity arose when Lyndsy Yim of SRS Real Estate Partners and Abra Barnes with Barnes & Associates shared a new retail listing: the former Panache by Domestique Coffee space in Five Points South.
“I have always loved Five Points South and I had looked at several spaces here when I first started Fade Parlor. I grew up in Birmingham, so Five Points South has always been a cool spot. I think this is a great opportunity for me to bring something new to Five Points South and add to the culture.”
Raul Chavez, Owner, Bandido Coffee
What to expect at Bandido Coffee
With Bandido Coffee, Raul wants to create something different than other coffee shops in Birmingham.
“I love all of the coffee shops in Birmingham, and they all have a very nice, chill ambiance. I want Bandido to be edgier—almost like a dive bar. It’ll be a little more rough around the edges, a different twist, and with great coffee.”
Raul Chavez, Owner, Bandido Coffee
When it comes to coffee, Raul will be leaning on the expertise of his operating manager, Oscar Alcantar. A mastermind when it comes to coffee, Oscar gained experience working at Seeds, Cala Coffee, Revalator and O’Henry’s.
Soon, he and Raul will offer beverages inspired by Latin culture at Bandido Coffee.
“Starting off, we’ll be offering various coffee flavors. As we get into the summer, we’re thinking of offering aguas frescas with Mexican flavors. Eventually, we want to offer pastries such as pan dulce and churros.”
Raul Chavez, Owner, Bandido Coffee
If all goes well, Raul hopes to open Bandido Coffee in Five Points South by mid- to late-July.
Excited to see a new coffee shop coming to Five Points South? Tag us @bhamnow to let us know!
