For a little over a year, Elliot Lake has been treated to a new coffee shop in town that serves more than just coffee.
This week's Mid-week Mugging brings you Kathy's Brew Haha!
Opening in Oct. 2016, owner Kathy Mitchell offers not just coffee and tea, but laughs as well. She decided to open her own business because she wanted to be her own boss. She operates with the store with two friends.
"I wanted to be an entrepreneur," she said. "I just wanted to run my own business."
The local shop isn't just a take-out shop. Mothers get together at the shop so they can come together and relax.
"I have some mother groups that come into the store," she explained. "I have high chairs for children to enjoy a lunch as well as their mothers."
The name for the shop took Mitchell three months to decide. The name's origin comes from Germany and is spelled Brouhaha, meaning hubbub, uproar, or a noisy and overexcited reaction.
"I thought this reflected me well," she said.
Customers coming into the shop will notice that it's not the typical coffee/tea/sandwich shop. Customers will also see cards for sale from a local photographer as well as art pieces hanging on the walls.
"We're not just the typical coffee shop," she explained. "We have other things. In total, there are around 27 local artists displaying their work."
One thing Mitchell said that she enjoys is customer feedback about what they would like to see at the shop.
"I have a book for comments and suggestions in the front," she said. "Customers can write what they would like to see here and foods they would like to try. Customers wanted more. I gave it. I'm now selling different types of cheeses. I encourage them to write suggestions and ideas so I can serve them."
An interesting idea from a friend was a book exchange. This book exchange has become successful with customers. As Mitchell was conducting the interview, a customer brought a bag full of books for the exchange.
"You take a book, leave a book," she said. "It's quite pleasant. It gets people to the store. A friend suggested it. It's now here."
Born in California, Mitchell said she moved to Canada because of an ex.
"I came kicking and screaming," she said, laughing at the comment. "I found a wonderful community and network of friends."
What makes Kathy's Brew Haha! stand out is the variety of drinks that are served on the menu. According to Mitchell, the most popular drink right now is the cafe latte made with Italian beans. Her most popular food item is the grilled finny.
An example of her menu includes:
- The Brewster for breakfast: a fresh panini bun soaked in egg, lightly grilled with the choice of medium or extra old cheddar and sprinkled with powdered sugar.
- Grilled Finny
- Soup
- Kettle chips
- Veggie bowl
And what's new at Kathy's Brew Haha! is the wide selection of cheeses. Examples are:
- Royal Stilton Blue
- Dubliner
- Jarlsberg
- Oka Raclette
- Dill curds
"A lot of people come in for different reasons and that's why we have cheese samples and tea samples," she explained. "Word of mouth helps business."
As for 2018?
Mitchell said she's looking for entrepreneurs to build their own business in the building.
"We're looking for other people to share the space," she explained. "They would have their own store and space. We're always looking for new ideas and suggestions to help the shop and serve others. We're crazy. We can do what we want.
"Come in and give it a try."
Kathy's Brew Haha! is located at 126 Ontario Ave. and is open Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.