Dapper Owl: Where the Coffee’s Hot, the Beer’s Cold, and Everyone’s Welcome

Story and Photos by Selena Haynes (she/her)

When you walk into Dapper Owl, you can sense the English Pub vibe that owners, Tracy and Nina Terrell have created. The deep, rich colors of the walls and majestic-style furniture certainly pay homage to traditional coffee shops of England. 

After living in England for ten years, Tracy’s love of coffee shops and pubs became a dream come true with Dapper Owl. You can have your coffee in the morning and a beer in the evening. “I just brought together two things I love – a good English Pub and coffee,” said Tracy. “There’s nothing like this anywhere that I know of in Rutherford County.”

While you may see Tracy more often, the structural design of Dapper Owl was created by her wife, Nina Terrell. Nina, a civil engineer by profession, is no stranger to a good cup of coffee as she grew up in Oregon frequenting the unlimited number of eclectic stand-alone coffee shops. She is more behind the scenes and designed the outside and the kitchen while Tracy handles other aspects of the operations. “I always knew we’d work well together. We complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses and stay in our own lanes! We always say we’re Nina and Tracy, we’re Nitra,” said Nina.

One of their biggest challenges was understanding the timing of opening. Tracy said, “We never imagined it would take 18 months to open the doors. The red tape was never ending but we made it intact.”

Not only does Dapper Owl serve coffee and beer, but they also serve a variety of baked goods and hand pies (or oggies) made by Tracy’s daughter, Emily, who fell in love with baking while living in the UK and traveling through Europe. Once back in the States, Emily attended New England School of Culinary Arts where she studied pastry arts. She completed her internship at the Harvest Restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

“We are very lucky to be a local Artisan bakery! We produce the baked goods in limited quantities, using traditional methods and natural ingredients. The artisan products are handmade, free of chemical preservatives, colors and additives. Our pastry chef, Emily, is a qualified professional,” said Tracy. 

Although they proudly serve Frothy Monkey coffee, if coffee and beer aren’t your beverages of choice, you can also find a selection of tea and non-espresso drinks such as hot chocolate, Matcha Latte, Chai and the Owlet – a sparkling water, lemonade and cherry syrup specialty. 

Other signature lattes, which are inspired by people or places Tracy knew in England, include The Polly, Beehive, Wicked Lady, and Bonfire Night – one of Tracy’s favorites.

No Hate Here

Tracy takes pride in the fact that at Dapper Owl everyone is welcome. “We’re an inclusive place. No hate. We love everybody here and that’s how it should be,” said Tracy. When asked if they have run into any issues within the community being an LGBTQ+-owned business, Tracy said, “Zero. We have been supported in every way from everyone.”

As for the recent backlash from the city council involving the Tennessee Equality Project and Boro Pride, we asked if they were intimidated in any way. “Absolutely not. We are businesswomen and tough broads. We simply want to serve everyone the best cup of coffee and homemade pastries in town. Intimidation – NEVER!”

From Bible study groups to poetry and singer-songwriter nights, Dapper Owl has something for everyone. They’ve also partnered with Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). “We just want to support the arts as well as the athletes, stated Tracy. 

Most recently, Dapper Owl was the place for an LGBTQ+ speed dating event hosted by Nashville Pride and sponsored by Connect Media Group. Tracy is also planning a pre-pride celebration for Boro Pride. More information will be coming soon. 

The Owl is available for the public to rent in the evening from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. You can choose to rent the space only or have your event catered. If you don’t need the whole place, you can rent a meeting room only.

If you’re looking for a place to chill with a unique vibe all its own, Dapper Owl is a pub above. For more information on Dapper Owl, visit their website: https://dapperowl.coffee/. They are located at 2412 East Main St, Murfreesboro, Tenn. 37217