Gales Ferry gets its Joe
Mitzi’s Coffee and Crepes hopes to become a gathering spot
ILedyard n a town not known for it bustling commercial development, any new business is kind of a big deal. But when news broke that a family owned coffee shop would open in Ledyard, residents were ecstatic. And now after several months of clamoring for it, their long wait is just about over.
On May 26, Mitzi’s Coffee and Crepes will have its grand opening in a suite formerly occupied by a bank at 39 Kings Highway in the Gales Ferry part of town.
The family business, developed by locals Mitzi and Douglas Meyer, along with Mitzi’s son, Luke Cloutier, and his significant other, Valerie Furman, will offer an assortment of unique blends of coffee, baked goods, paninis, and savory and sweet crepes, all in a spacious more than 2,000-square-foot venue that has a traditional dining area, a lounge and a private meeting room for the public.
“We want to be a gathering place, somewhere warm and welcoming for people to come,” said Mitzi Meyer.
The Meyers and Cloutier had talked about starting a family business for awhile, but last year they settled on the idea of opening a coffeehouse, something that they knew a huge number of residents were in support of because of a survey posting on the Ledyard Community Facebook Forum.
So after finding a space they fell in love with in May, the group started applying for permits in July. Although they loved they space for its potential, one hurdle in getting the business off the ground was that location required serious renovations because it used to be a bank.
“It’s been a slow process because we did everything minus the plumbing and electrical work ourselves,” said Cloutier, the coffee lover in the family who, along with Douglas Meyer, was responsible for making the renovations. “We built these counters, we built the walls, we replaced all the ceiling, we really demoed everything that came in the bank.”
While they made headway on construction, on the purely business side of things Mitzi Meyer and Cloutier made a trip out to Portland, Ore., to meet with coffee shop
consultant Oksana Fisenko of Alex Fisenko & Associates. While in Portland they also completed a master barista course.
As first-time business owners, they said there was a large learning curve and they learned many lessons including that one’s opening date is rarely what you originally expect. When they started, the hope was to open the business in January, something they soon realized was impossible because of the extensive renovations.
Also unfortunate was that news of the coming shop slipped out before the family ever made an official announcement, so residents became aware of the project far earlier than it was ever going to be ready.
However, now that everything is almost complete the excitement around the shop is just as palpable as it was at the beginning, both in Ledyard
and beyond.
Around town people constantly ask the family members about when they are opening, and Furman, who is from Colchester originally, said she has friends from back home who are even frequently texting her asking about the opening, excited to make the trek despite the distance.
“People are very excited from all the surrounding towns and its been very rewarding,” Furman said.
While there are many chain coffeeshops, Cloutier said the family felt the need for a place where people could just go to hang out. The shop also will showcase artwork by local artists on the walls that visitors can buy, and the family plans to feature local songwriters and live music as well. They are also thinking of hosting local authors, too.
“We don’t just want to serve coffee, we also want to curate culture a bit too,” said Cloutier, who is also a musician.
“Anything in the arts realm, we’ll see what we can do to help,” added Mitzi Meyer.
“We’re excited to start this business in our community and we’re very appreciative of the support,” Mitzi Meyer said. “I don’t think most people starting a small business in some places in America get the kind of support we’ve gotten.”