In days past, such a place mighthave been a park, a roller-skatingrink, the nearby soda fountain or

the corner bar. People got together todo lunch or have a drink. Teens wouldloiter at the mall.

But one type of place increasinglyserves a variety of needs across genera-tional lines. The coffeehouse, still anovelty in Fort Wayne 10 years ago,now functions as the spot for socialtransactions.

It makes perfect sense:Atmospheres are inviting. Prices aren’tintimidating. There isn’t the connota-

Whole Latte LoveBy Julianne Will

Photos by Rob BorelNovember/December 2003 Fort Wayne32

It’s a cornucopia of coffee beans ‘n’ treats at theFirefly Coffee House.

There’s always been aneed for such a place. A hangout, a hot spot, a neighborhood joint… call it what youwill. It’s a place whereteenagers can see andbe seen, friends canrelax together, dealscan be made, firstdates can unfold. Lessintimate than a home,more comfortable thana conference room,open to all.

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The space-age meets the humble coffee bean at the Espresso Gallery, where Hubble telescope technology ensures that each bag is roasted to perfection.

At-once upscale and affordable, The Espresso Gallery is a great way to wind down the day. Or to begin one, for that matter.

tion associated with going to someone’shome or a nightclub. In fact, there’s lit-tle social regimen at all to one’s time ina coffeehouse. Perhaps that’s why somany have found it meets their ownrequirements.

But each coffeehouse has a person-ality, just as its owners do. And that isreflected in its clientele, as well as itsdécor, drinks, entertainment andevents. Fort Wayne is home to a sur-prising cacophony of coffeehouse per-sonalities — meaning there is the per-fect spot for everyone.

Espresso GalleryEspresso Gallery, in southwest Fort

Wayne, welcomes an ever-changingstream of customers each day. “Wehave such a great mix of people,” saysKari Romey, who owns EspressoGallery with her husband, Doug.

Teens come in before school, afterschool and on weekends. Soccer momsgather and chat after they get their kidsoff to school. Ladies of a certain agevisit in the afternoons. Classmates stopby together after sessions at the nearbyyoga center. And thanks to EspressoGallery’s new DSL ports and wirelessInternet access, business people comein all day for small meetings or to con-

November/December 2003 Fort Wayne

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duct interviews. “We have a real steadi-ness,” Romey says of the business.

Customers also appreciate theambiance, which could be described as jazzy, sophisticated and striking.Artwork for sale on the walls comesfrom a company out of Atlanta. Thequiet interior was professionallydesigned, and includes hand-paintedtabletops. Live jazz and acoustic musicon weekends complements the mood.It’s polished and oh-so-hip, much likethe regulars.

Naked Clay CaféThe feeling at Naked Clay Café in

northeast Fort Wayne is a bit quieter,casual and creative. Customers onlyleave the comfortable seating on oneside of the shop to satisfy curiosityabout what’s happening with the pot-tery on the other. Naked Clay Caféexisted as a ceramics studio in theMarketplace of Canterbury for threeyears before Dave and Rhonda Bennettmoved to Washington Square andadded a coffee shop two years ago.

“Our clientele is a little bit olderthan most,” says Dave Bennett. Thereare few high school students and morethirty- and forty-somethings. Manypastors host church-group meetings

there, and the space is often used byinsurance or investment brokers, realestate agents and the like for one-on-one business meetings. A new lunchmenu fosters daytime collaborationthere.

The ceramics studio adds a wholeother dimension. Rhonda is developingpackages for birthday parties, bridal

Harkening to the days of the great folk singers and beat poets, Toast and Jam is funky, upbeatand inviting. And developing a national following, too.

showers, corporate team-building pack-ages and more. Anything you can thinkof, “there’s pretty much a party type forit,” Dave Bennett says. Naked ClayCafé is also great for a date -– sippingmochas and painting pottery gives yousomething to fill those awkward voids.

Toast and JamCreatives with a lyrical bent have

found a haven downtown at Toast andJam. “It’s kind of like the central networking place for musicians,” saysJill Mozena, who opened the coffee-house five-and-a-half-years ago withhusband Al.

Wednesday is open stage night,and the first Thursday of the monthfrom September through December isopen poetry reading night. Groups ofall ages come to watch or mustercourage. Most nights there’s just a $1 cover.

Toast and Jam’s setting, a complete-ly restored 1888 Victorian house, helpsvisitors feel at home. The tile andwoodwork are original, and lace cur-tains hang in the windows. There is asofa in the “rug room,” so named forthe rug painted on the wood floor.

The Naked Clay Café, where you can make a pot AND a pot of coffee.

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35November/December 2003 Fort Wayne

Church pews provide additional seating.

Patrons here aren’t holding meet-ings, though; rather, they’re savoring ashared experience: “We have a quietaudience. Here, we focus on the music.This is a listening room, for the publicand musicians,” Mozena says.

Dash-InAnother group has found its

favorite “perch” downtown, too. Legaleagles flock to the Dash-In, says ownerJohn Podzielinski. Many attorneysmake it their first stop of the day, hesays, and “we have a close relationshipwith the judges at the courthouse. Thejudges have adopted this place. Morethan three or four use this place as theirgathering place. A lot of them holdtheir meetings here.”

The Dash-In’s full menu makes itthe hot spot midday. “We see a lot ofbusiness taking place at the tables dur-

Lunch at the Dash-In is a preferred downtown gathering spot for many.

Youth is served at the Higher Grounds, where a cuppa’ joe, a brisk autumn eve and good friends come to meet.

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36 November/December 2003 Fort Wayne

In OurJanuary/FebruaryIssue You’ll Find...

What Fort Wayne isdoing to fight its battle of the waistline bulge.

How to stay warm while looking oh-so-cool.

Fifty yearsof the Big Boy.

The latest hot spotsfor spring vacations

Plus all our regular profilesand features of local

personalities who makeFort Wayne great; in-depth

looks at our arts, diningentertainment and sports

activities; must-see day-trips and excursions;

and the latest trends in home design.

ing the lunch hour,” Podzielinski says.The historic building, with its highceilings and brick, is a popular escapeall afternoon, too. Downtown profes-sionals like to get away from thephones, “get out and get some fresh airand stretch their legs and come overhere.”

Firefly Coffee HouseWhat about Fort Wayne’s vibrant

neighborhoods, you ask? The FireflyCoffee House is at the center of itsnear-northeast community, a mix ofsocio-economic groups, races and eth-nicities. “My dreams have come true. Ireally wanted to get all people, and Ihave,” says owner Cyndi Demaree.

Professionals, high schoolers, col-lege students, families and retirees allmake the Firefly a part of their day.They come to hear the live music, or tomake use of the board games in thecozy seating area in back. Homework isdone between music sets or mocha sips.The Firefly also offers wireless Internetaccess for those who have a card.“More and more people are bringing intheir laptops,” Demaree said.

Higher GroundsHigher Grounds coffeehouse may

be one of the few to actually spawn itsown groups. One is a bunch of regularswith nothing more in common initiallythan showing up at the same timeevery day. The other is a collection offormer Central Catholic students.“That’s been really fun. It’s like a mini-reunion,” says Kim Richards, whoowns the business with her husband,John.

They’re just one of many clusterswho gather ’round tables in the warm,coffee-toned dining room of the St. Joe Village location. Mothers of Pre-schoolers discussion groups, neighbor-hood association committees and youthgroups all make use of the space. Highschool friends spill out to patio tablesin warm weather. Wireless Internetaccess facilitates business meetingsthere. And the shop recently added akids’ table. “We’ve tried really hard tomake it accommodating to everyone,”Richards says.

She, like her fellow coffeehouseproprietors, loves the business that putsher in the heart of a community. “It’sjust like this little family,” Richardssays. “The world gets a little smaller.”

And a good cup of coffee makes itthat much sweeter.

There’s a cozy, artsy appeal to the Firefly, where local artists display and sell their work.

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