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All the United States Virginia Lexington The Coffee Pot
The Coffee Pot is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

Gastro Obscura

The Coffee Pot

The oddly shaped, steam-spewing building is now an art studio and gallery.

Lexington, Virginia

Added By
Mark Breithaupt
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CAPTION
Coffee Pot Art Studio Gallery.   nonstopaz / Atlas Obscura User
Stone, steel, wood, and coffee.   nonstopaz / Atlas Obscura User
Pour me some Joe  
New Cup to Comp the Building  
Aerial of Coffee Pot House  
Reclaimed Barn wood and Windows   nonstopaz / Atlas Obscura User
Creative Mugs for Your Visit   nonstopaz / Atlas Obscura User
Coffee Pot House Studio Creative Mugs   nonstopaz / Atlas Obscura User
A 8 foot tall, 7 foot wide cup has been added to The Coffee Po   nonstopaz / Atlas Obscura User
A 8 foot tall, 7 foot wide cup has been added to The Coffee Pot   nonstopaz / Atlas Obscura User
Coffee Pot Art Studio and Gallery.   nonstopaz / Atlas Obscura User
A warm, rich, artsy Interior.   nonstopaz / Atlas Obscura User
Rich amber stone from Utah.   nonstopaz / Atlas Obscura User
Local quarried black Virginia limestone.   nonstopaz / Atlas Obscura User
Wish I could get a real coffee this size.   Foxx87 / Atlas Obscura User
Local Virginia River Rock outdoor sculptures.   nonstopaz / Atlas Obscura User
The front view  
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About

Don’t be alarmed if you see clouds of steam billowing from an oddly shaped structure in Lexington, Virginia. It’s all part of the appeal of a building dubbed "The Coffee Pot.”

The metal-clad, round building with an attached spout and handle was constructed in 1959 by Kenneth Wills. Known as "The Coffee Pot" or, among the Wills family, "The Teapot," it served as a restaurant for many years.

Initially a concrete walkway, painted red to suggest a hot burner on a stove, encircled the coffee pot-shaped building. According to some sources, original plans for the quirky building included a globe on top that lit up as if it were percolating.

Ownership of the building changed hands within the Wills family after the restaurant closed, and a beer and wine bar ran for several years, followed by a gas station. Sources reported that the bar experience at the Coffee Pot included access to the private upstairs rooms for special patrons. A vacation canoe rental, then later a fresh fish market, filled the space after the bar closed.

In late 2016, after a period of on-and-off residential occupancy, artist Mark Breithaupt purchased the building and began developing the property. Breithaupt now uses it as a studio and gallery for stone, steel, and mixed media sculptural works and gifts.

Update June 2018: In May of 2018, and the art gallery was packing up and moving. 

Related Tags

Architectural Oddities Architecture Coffee Food Restaurants Gallery Art Roadside Attractions

Know Before You Go

Exit 188-A off I-81, then 1.3 miles on the right. Look for the "Coffee Pot Art" and "Fresh Coffee Now" roadside sign in front of the building or watch for the steam emitting from the spout. Circular driveway with ample parking beside, and in front of the building. Coffee Pot Art Business Hours are: Wednesday through Sunday, 10:00 to 5:00; Monday and Tuesday by appointment.

Community Contributors

Added By

nonstopaz

Edited By

sweetsugartree, Foxx87

  • sweetsugartree
  • Foxx87

Published

October 24, 2017

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  • https://roadtrippers.com/us/lexington-va/attractions/the-coffee-pot-house
  • https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/6174
The Coffee Pot
1870 E Midland Trail
Lexington, Virginia
United States
37.747659, -79.387363
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