Brewing Hospitality: Why it's About More Than Coffee for Richard Tomasello

Richard Tomasello is well-versed in the world of hospitality, so it only makes sense that his two coffee concepts, Well Red and The Fox, would be irreplaceable in the Auburn community after being open for only a short time.

Richard’s first culinary experience was when he was just 14 working at a pizza place. He fondly remembers how it wasn’t the pies but the people who made it an experience worth remembering. He recalls how watching the art of customer service made a lasting impression on him. 

“The pizza place was really my inspiration for one day owning my own business,” said Richard. “The family I worked for was incredible. It was always important to them to remember their customers’ names, and that stuck with me. I loved watching people light up when you welcome them by name when they walk in the door.” 

After graduating from Auburn University, Richard opened The Depot, a gulf-coastal brasserie in the Auburn-Opelika area with meticulously plated, globally- inspired, fine and fresh seafood. It was this experience, he says, that was the refinement of customer service and hospitality that would be instrumental in his next venture. 

Well Red is home to an experience that is equal parts coffee, wine, and books. The passion began with Richard’s love of books and desire to own a bookstore, but the wheels started to turn when Richard took a trip with his wife to North Carolina, where he discovered the inspiration for Well Red: a charming place called Battery Park Book Exchange. He recalls, “It was a beautiful space, full of used books. My wife and I spent all day there- we started out with a morning cup of coffee and some pastries and ended the afternoon with sandwiches and a bottle of champagne, all while sharing books and conversation.” 

Richard was determined to find a place to make this dream a reality on the Plains. In March 2020, Well Red was born. The perfect culmination of coffee, books, and wine came to the heart of Auburn. When asked why all three, Richard explained, “For my wife and I, it’s about sharing the things that we love and that bring us joy. I love books, we both love wine and coffee, and she is super passionate about design, so in bringing Well Red to Auburn, we wanted to provide the community with something that we love, but also a concept that Auburn was missing.” 

While Well Red is differentiated by what it offers, it is also differentiated by the exceptional customer service. The Well Red staff is just as passionate about the people of Auburn-Opelika as their owners are, and it shows. Baristas greet regulars by name, and the space is filled with lively conversations between staff and customers. Instead of grabbing a table number at the counter, or hearing your coffee order shouted out, baristas ask your name and where you are sitting and personally deliver your drinks and treats to you.

“What we love is the impact we feel like we are having on the community,” Richard said. “We got a wedding invitation from a couple, and wow. They wrote us a letter explaining how Well Red had impacted them. Their first date was on the back deck, and Well Red came to have a special place in their heart throughout their relationship.” 

Well Red has created new relationships over a glass of wine on the back porch, and nurtured old friendships through conversations over coffee. Richard knows that the people make the place. 

When it came to opening The Fox, previously Coffee Cat, Richard wanted to make sure that it had its own character, as opposed to a variation of Well Red.

“We wanted The Fox to have its own personality. We wanted it to be on brand with what people can expect from us at Well Red as far as the drinks and the baked goods, but we wanted it to have a different feel.” He adds, “We love the type of funkiness that was Coffee Cat’s, and we wanted to keep those vibes, especially because the building lends itself to that type of atmosphere.”