In a town famous for its abundance of coffee options, Eastlake has long been lacking. After Hines closed we had the 14 Carrot’s coffee cart, which is great but only a cart, and the lovely and friendly Louisa’s, which is only open until 7:00 on weekdays and 2:00 on Sundays. Sure, there’s a Starbucks, and Sitka and Spruce serves coffee on weekends until 2, but when they tore down the building with Hines, Porta, and Bandoleone, the neighborhood lost a lot. (The city lost a lot too, since Bandoleone eventually had to close in its new location, but that’s a whole different rant.)

So when the signs went up for Voxx last summer in the new building, the neighborhood got excited. And we waited. And waited. In December there was a sign that said they’d be opening in January, but then January came and went. Voxx finally opened last Sunday.

And this afternoon, armed with a letter that needed writing and a book, I wandered over to check it out.

Nostalgia for Hines and its dark spaces and low couches aside, Voxx seems like a fine place. They’re serving Stumptown coffee and perhaps wine, along with the usual assortment of pastries and pre-packaged salads. It will be open until 10:00 daily. The space has big open windows and surprisingly comfortable wire chairs, and it reminds me a lot of Fuel or the new Vivace. The baristas were friendly. Voxx is certainly a welcome addition to the neighborhood, and it was busy but not packed the whole time I was there.

I have not yet been in to Mort’s Cabin, next door, because I don’t ever find myself in need of folksy lampshades or rustic bears for my nonexistent cabin in the woods, but if that’s your thing, it’s been open for about a month now.