NORWICH – The new owners of Cafe, Inc. are eager to make their mark on the Norwich coffee shop they purchased just before Christmas. John Jablonski and Tara Mirabito have big plans for their newly-acquired business, including a revamp of both the decor and the menu.
The couple, who got engaged right before Thanksgiving, hasn’t wasted any time putting their mark on the cafe. Already they have added a few signature beverages to their coffee menu, including the Jablo (JAY-blow) Special. A play on Jablonski’s high school nickname, the drink combines hot cocoa with a shot of espresso for some extra kick.
“That’ll get you,” laughed Mirabito, recalling the first time her fiancé had tried out the highly caffeinated beverage. Jablonski is working on creating a Taratini smoothie in her honor, to compliment the existing menu offerings.
Next on the agenda will be adding a splash of color to the cafe’s neutral walls.
“I think it will liven it up,” said Mirabito. But don’t bother asking what colors she has in mind, her lips are sealed.
She plans to complement the new wall colors with original artwork including paintings by both her sister and grandmother. There is talk of a colorful mural as well.
The couple envision the cafe as a place where an ecclectic mix of people will gather not just for coffee, but to socialize as well.
“We want to be a part of the community,” said Jablonski. He and his fiancee plan to add a Sony Play Station and invite local musicians to jam in order to encourage that sense of community.
The couple is rapidly adjusting to their new role as small business owners, but they admit there has been a lot to learn. While they had talked about going into business together, their discussions had not included the possibility of owning a coffee shop. But when the opportunity presented itself, they jumped at the chance.
After having lunch at the cafe one day, Mirabito had been approached by Al Collins, who opened the shop less than six months ago. Collins was looking to sell the small business and offered it to the newly engaged couple as an early wedding present, she explained.
“At first I was a little leery about it, because we’ve never owned a business before,” said Mirabito. But after spending a couple of days crunching the numbers, the pair decided it was “do-able” after all.
“It was offered to us at such a really great price, we felt we couldn’t turn it down,” she said.
Jablonski told Collins they were interested, and they approached their bank, GHS Credit Union, about securing a small business loan. They expected the process to be a lengthy one, especially in the current economic climate. To their surprise, they were approved the same day.
“We expected it to take a lot longer,” said Mirabito. On Dec. 23, only a week and a half after that first conversation with Collins, the cafe was theirs.
While the couple went into business ownership suddenly, they didn’t go in completely unprepared. Jablonski recently completed a microenterprise class offered at SUNY Morrisville’s Norwich campus.
The program, a cooperative effort between the college and Commerce Chenango, was designed specifically to assist prospective entrepreneurs start and operate a business. According to Jablonski, the class helped him understand the ins and outs of opening a business.
“I’d have to say that really changed my outlook,” he said.
Jablonski said he is also familiar with other resources out there to help new business owners. He has met previously with Ginny Thompson from Binghamton University’s Small Business Development Center, and plans to do so again in the future.
“It’s going to be an eventful 2009,” laughed Mirabito. In addition to the new business venture, she and Jablonski have a wedding to plan and a baby on the way.
Cafe, Inc., located at 10 Mechanic Street in Norwich, is open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 316-9817 or email jablo82002@yahoo.com.