Popularity of open mic night at local coffee house grows
By Jennifer Eisenbart
Staff Writer
If you stop into The Coffee House at Chestnut and Pine, you immediately get the sense there is more to the place than just coffee and tea.
Co-owner Rhonda Sullivan said when the coffee shop opened that it was always going to be more than just the food and the drinks – for example, showcasing local artists and musicians.
One key part of that has taken off with flying colors, as open mic night at the coffee shop has become a hit.
“The coffee house is a gathering spot in our community – a place for people to go and relax,” said Sullivan, who co-owns the business with her husband and other relatives.
“We wanted to showcase local talent,” she added. “It is open to the imagination.”
Every Thursday evening – or in the case of last week, Friday, the day after Thanksgiving – musicians pack into the coffee house to show off both their own work and popular hits.
Sign-in for the evening is 6 p.m., with performances starting at 6:30 and running until the business closes at 9 p.m.
The performance evening has been drawing steadily increasing numbers since its beginning in September, and performances range from vocals to guitar.
“I’m just a small part of a big thing,” said Eric Erickson, who plays guitar and helps orchestrate the event.
“You come in, you sign up and you sing a couple of songs,” he added.
“It seems to be growing,” Erickson said. “There seems to be something happening here.”
Erickson said new people are showing up, and from a wider radius. There is also a wide range of ages. Teenagers come in and show off, while last week, there was a 90-year-old performing.
“These are some of the best audiences in the world,” Erickson said. “They are just open and receptive and really nice.
“It’s like your living room,” he added.
Two of those teenagers agree. Kellen Caldwell performs as a solo act and also with fellow Burlington High School student Becca Otis.
“It’s just a really awesome, relaxed performance environment,” he said. “It’s a great experience.”
Otis, who has been working with Caldwell on a number of different projects, said The Coffee House is something special.
“The Coffee House is just really cool and eclectic,” Otis said.
Sullivan said that the open mic night is an example of the “three Cs” she touted when the business opened – coffee, connection and community.
“The open mic is definitely a great example of that,” she added.
Anyone who wishes to take part in the artist presentations offered at the coffee house is encouraged to email the owners at [email protected], and to like “The Coffee House at Chestnut and Pine” on Facebook.
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