Coffee and community

New downtown shop aims to make a potent connection

By Jennifer Eisenbart

Staff Writer

The building at the corner of North Pine and East Chestnut streets has seen many different uses.

In the past 30 years, it has been a shoe store, a gift shop, a clothes resale shop, a men’s clothing store and most recently, Canella Response Television.

But when CRT decided to build a new facility out in the Burlington Manufacturing and Office Park, the building – which was built in the late 1800s – suddenly stood empty.

Not for long, though. On June 21, The Coffee House at Chestnut and Pine opened. The business, which serves, coffee, tea, bakery items, sandwiches, soda and generally a good time, will have what it is calling “Latte Fest” Saturday from 1-9 p.m.

There will be live music, and owners Rhonda and Paul Sullivan hope the tie-in with the Communitywide Sidewalk and Rummage Sales will help spread the word about the city’s newest coffee hotspot.

“It’s just more of an introduction to the community,” said Susan Rubach, one of three other family members heavily involved in the shop. “So much has been word of mouth and Facebook friends. It’s been nice to watch it build that way.”

The Coffee House opening this summer comes after two community gathering spots closed in the last two years – first The Daily Brew at the corner of Pine and Milwaukee, and then Veronico’s on Pine.

In fact, some of the items in the new coffee shop are from those two spaces. Tables were purchased from Veronico’s, and the old blackboard that used to show prices at The Daily Brew is in use for the same function at The Coffee House.

But rather than trying to replace those two businesses, Rhonda Sullivan said the concept is something more.

“I think that we’re not trying to be the one place,” said Rhonda. “We want to be another place for people in Burlington to enjoy.”

In fact, Rhonda, Paul, and the other family members are using the “three Cs” to describe their mission – coffee, connection and community.

“This is your community. This is your place,” said Sharry Sullivan, another family member helping with the store. “Please come.”

Already, Rhonda said, study groups are frequenting the shop, as are book clubs. Just last week, the local improv comedy group “Funkin’ Wassals” asked if they could meet at the store.

The more, the merrier, said the owners.

“It’s that kind of community connection,” said Sharry.

The idea for the shop has been around for years, but it wasn’t until the end of 2011 that Rhonda and Paul purchased the building. Since then, they completely gutted the space that used to house the offices of CRT.

Now, walls are a soft white, and numerous windows allow ample light onto the first floor. In fact, in renovating the front of the building, the couple found a set of windows that had been painted and completely covered.

Those are now clear, with the entire front of the building finished with thermal glass to let in the light but keep out the warm – and eventually the cold.

“We want to assure people in the winter it’s going to be a comfortable place to be,” Paul said.

The building is so old, in fact, that the new bathrooms on the first floor reveal the shared wall that originally connected the corner store to the building next to it.

But while the building itself has history and ample decoration, part of the interior is currently more personal. In the raised back of the shop – accessible by three steps – is artwork by Jane Sullivan, Paul’s mother who was a long-time student of the arts.

The furniture in that back area – chair, couches and tables – all come from the homes of the various family members.

“Living room furniture,” said Rhonda. Paul added, “Literally.”

Artwork from area artists will be accepted, including a planned exhibition of popular Burlington scenes show through paintings and photography by local artists.

It’s just the start of what the Sullivans hope will be a fruitful endeavor.

“We’re in it for the long term,” said Rhonda. “We’re fortunate to live and work in Burlington already.

“For us, it’s important that this business be a part of the community as much as it is a business.”