First Photo: Some say The Roost Latonia has become the heart of the Latonia neighborhood. Second Photo: The Roost Latonia owner Billie Kegley accepting the Authenti-CITY award from Covington Business Retention & Expansion Specialist Patrick Duffy.
‘So much more than a coffee shop’
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second of five articles naming the winners of the 2024 Authenti-CITY awards given by the City of Covington at a ceremony last Friday to mark the end of National Economic Development Week. More about the awards can be found at the bottom of this article.)
COVINGTON, Ky. – To understand the fierce appeal of The Roost Latonia – and why it enjoys such a loyal following – you have to sort through the collage of its fun personality as well as the many roles it fulfills for its patrons.
Start with its great wittily named beverages, like the “Brown SUGA Boba.”
Then there are its not-to-be-missed events like, “If Dolly and 50 Cent Hosted a Yard Sale,” the “Betty White Bash,” and the “Latonia Hold ‘Em Weekend.”
The Roost also hosts weddings, Bluegrass concerts, and classes on how to raise backyard chickens and start vegetable seeds over the winter.
Sorting through its inventory of antiques and thrift-shop pieces will steal an hour of your time.
And finally, there’s the way the place pulls the community together when it needs healing.
Some say The Roost Latonia has become the heart of the Latonia neighborhood, and since every wonderful thing about The Roost starts with its owner, Billie Kegley, that kind of makes her the left ventricle of the heart of the neighborhood, pumping out all the vital good stuff.
“Through good times and bad, The Roost has always been a community place,” said Covington Business Attraction & Expansion Specialist Patrick Duffy. “Billie and her team are always planning fun events, promoting local artists, and connecting visitors to the Ritte’s Corner business owners.”
Located at 3616 Decoursey Ave., The Roost came to be when Kegley had a vision for a welcoming space that nurtured creativity, fostered genuine connections, and served good coffee.
But that was just the start. She launched a catering and events business, serving great local flavors, good times, and bringing fine people together.
Duffy said The Roost Latonia has something for everyone: good beverages, an interesting inventory, and great indoor and outdoor spaces that you can hang out in or rent for your own event.
But what keeps folks coming back – and makes them feel part of something cool – is The Roost’s authentically “unmistakably confident” vibe.
“People in town know that if you want to know what’s happening in Latonia, there’s only one place to go, and that’s The Roost,” said Duffy. “For that reason, and so many others, we gave an Authentic-CITY award to The Roost Latonia.”
About the awards: The first-annual Authenti-CITY awards were unveiled by Covington’s fun and irreverent Economic Development team in 2021 to celebrate National Economic Development Week in an off-the-wall way.
There were no rules and no criteria – just staffers getting together after hours (maybe over a few drinks, maybe not) and debating fiercely about what businesses, places, events, people and organizations most “kept it real” in The Cov. The fervor had to do with this: Narrowing down the massive list (because, you know, Covington is such a cool place).
# # #