Things are happening at the Shop! Here's what we've been up to.
Infrastructure
It's been a long 2 years of fixing things in the building. When we got here, there was no furnace, no water and a bit of a mess with the electrical. Ceilings were falling down in several places and walls were cracked, bulging and ripped apart. The flooring had (still has some) gaps, holes and severe dips. Basically, it was a very old building that had not been maintained for decades.
The basement flooded... a lot. Last spring during Homecoming the heavy rains (remember them?) flooded the basement with 4-5" of water. Externally, all the drain pipes basically pushed the water back into the building. So almost every rainfall saw quite a bit of water in the basement (the video is at the opposite end of the building to the main gusher)
One contractor (someone most of us know) told me that if this was his building he would have budgeted more than $100,000 just to fix it, let alone put a storefront in there.
Where We've Been
We completed the upstairs renovation 2 years ago. Three offices have been occupied by NavigateTomorrow (web development and training) and 812Studios since late 2022.
Where We Are Now
- We have a furnace, water and the electrical system is pretty much fixed.
- We believe the basement flooding issue is fixed. Water in the basement is barely a trickle during a prolonged heavy rain.
- We have 2x20' i-beams supporting the first floor - one on each side of the building. The floor in the main room is now level and rock solid. The seating area still needs some work.
- The coffee making equipment is purchased awaiting installation.
What's Coming
- The ceiling on the first floor is being finished by Pro Drywall in the next week or so.
- The walls in the main room will be done by the end of February.
- Flooring by the end of March. There are still large holes in the floor and the hardwood needs repair in places.
- The Kitchen is slated for the end of April.
- The rest of the water, cabinets, equipment etc. should be in by mid-April.
What's it going to look like?
The right side of the building will be the main entrance and coffee bar where you'll order and pick-up. (Yes - we'll have an app / online ordering). The left side of the building will be seating for around 20-24 people at tables with chairs, a couple of couches and a separate work area for people who just want a place with free wifi to get things done (yes - free wifi).
The atmosphere will be like a typical coffee shop - warm, inviting, slightly hushed with some great music and friendly smiles.
The seating area will be available for meetings as well with all the tech you need (big screen, wifi, power, and of course - food and coffee!)
So, when are you going to open? I WANT my coffee!
I know - believe me - I know. I'm not going to provide a date here yet. Honestly, the way this has gone so far (ever seen the movie "The Money Pit"? LOL) I don't want to promise. BUT, if everything above happens the way it's scheduled, we'll be in good shape to open sooner than later in 2025.
Thanks for your patience. We hope to see you soon!
If you'd like to stop by - feel free to knock on the door and I'll give you a tour!