What started as a vision from a small group blossomed into a success story as Cafe Carnegie celebrated its first anniversary.
Spearheaded by Chris Wallander, a volunteer who has been active with the Connellsville library for many years in different capacities, Cafe Carnegie has grown from offering different foods to having weekly entertainment.
“I can't believe it's been a year,” Wallander said. “It's surely been a busy year for us.”
Wallander now acts as director for the cafe and is pleased at its continued success.
The cafe was opened in late January 2014, in a little-used room in the library, which was renovated and built to suit the needs of the quaint eatery. Its mission is to provide financial support to the Carnegie Free Library through an atmosphere conducive to the enjoyment of reading, healthy food, good coffees and teas and enhancement of the entire library experience.
Students from Connellsville Area Career and Technical Center worked on shelves, as well as electrical work and lighting. Other volunteers lent their skills to get the cafe up and running.
“We did really, really well when we opened,” Wallander said, “then in March and April, the bottom fell out.”
But once word got around about the wonderful food served at the cafe, the 20 seats of the facility soon began to fill on a regular basis. Now business is steady.
“It's really been a very good year for us,” cafe manager Brandi Turtzer said. “We see a lot of regulars, and we now also offer more food.”
When the cafe's doors first opened, the menu consisted of fresh, homemade soup and a few panini selections. There are more features today.
“We have salads now, which are really popular, and we offer nine or 10 different paninis every day,” Wallander said.
The soups served daily are a popular draw, and customers don't wait for a cold day to enjoy a bowl.
“We sell a lot of soup all through the year,” Wallander said.
In addition, the cafe offers KiVaHan coffee from a business out of Cranberry, loose-leaf teas, cappuccinos and fresh desserts made daily by volunteers who keep the pastry and pie trays filled.
The cafe has air conditioning for warm summer days and sells its own personalized mugs and travel mugs, which proved to be popular Christmas gifts for members of the community.
Wallander said coffee grounds will be saved for residents who wish to use them in their gardens Anyone interested is asked to call.
“We will gladly do that for anyone who wants us to save them for them,” Wallander said.
Magazines and newspapers are always in ample supply for those who want to sit and relax. Musician Dave Petrone plays guitar every Monday afternoon to add music to the atmosphere.
Small groups and reunions have found a unique meeting area at the cafe.
Business has been so goodthat a new employee has been hired.
“I'm relatively new at the cafe, and I have a vested interest in working there as my grandfather's great-grandfather was involved in the creation of this library,” employee Lori Padilla said. “Cafe Carnegie is a quaint place to work, with good homemade food and great patrons. It's a big-city eatery establishment with comfortable, small-town delights. I'm enjoying learning the menu and serving up great meals and specialty drinks.”
Padilla and Turtzer are the only paid staffers of the cafe, which relies on the work of many volunteers to keep the eatery a success and growing.
“We started out as a small coffee shop and have grown into a luncheonette,” Wallander said. “It's great to see the community and the businesses supporting us the way they do. We look forward to the years to come.”
Cafe Carnegie, in Carnegie Free Library, 229 S. Pittsburgh St., Connellsville, is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays. Call 724-550-1320 for more information.
Marilyn Forbes is a contributing writer.
