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Former nurse opens new coffee shop in Sudbury

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A new coffee shop has opened in the Chapters building in Sudbury.

Good Earth Coffeehouse officially opened its doors Monday.

Good Earth Coffeehouse officially opened its doors Monday inside Chapters on the Kingsway in Sudbury. June 12/23 (Amanda Hicks/CTV Northern Ontario)

"I was a little bit stressed and nervous," said co-owner Sarah Walsh. "But I have an amazing team and they're handling it wonderfully."

Walsh is originally from Nova Scotia and came to Sudbury with her sister in 2010 to study nursing at Laurentian University.

She was a pediatric nurse and worked in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for eight years.

Walsh said she 'tips her hat off' to anyone in nursing, adding that it's a difficult profession.

Looking for a career change that could give her more time with her family, she stumbled upon a coffee franchise.

"I went on maternity leave with my second son and decided it was time for a change," Walsh said.

"I drove by and saw they were looking for franchise owners and decided to apply."

She said she was drawn to the company because it aligned with her values.

"I have two young children and I was interested in the sustainability efforts to make our earth better, as well as the idea of owning a coffee shop," Walsh said.

Good Earth Coffeehouse focuses on sustainability and various food options for those with dietary restrictions.

"They're conscious of being vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, those types of alternatives and you can find them on our menu colour-coded," she said.

Walsh said the coffee is traded directly through the rainforest alliance.

"They deal directly with the coffee farmers, so to cut out the middle man trying to make extra money," she said.

"And sometimes they find a female-based coffee farm and buy that coffee."

Good Earth Coffeehouse is in the process of obtaining its liquor licence with hopes to eventually sell local beers and hand-crafted cocktails.

It will celebrate its grand opening on June 30, offering live music and free coffee cards.

Walsh said the coffeehouse will eventually host live bands and open mic nights. 

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