New shop offers cool treats and hot drinks to Richland customers

Last month, Duquesne University graduate Kelley Costa, 31, of Hampton, quit her job in corporate tax accounting to follow her dream.

“My favorite two things in the world are coffee and ice cream,” said Costa, 31, owner of the new Churn café, which opened Oct. 30 at 5330 Route 8 in Richland.

“I know the coffee industry like the back of my hand,” she said. “I've been going to ice cream shows since I was 19.”

“I've always wanted to make my own,” Costa said about hand-dipped ice cream she plans to concoct in Churn's workroom, along with whatever custom coffees — lattes, espressos or mochas — customers might desire.

Costa stocks about 40 varieties of Torani flavored syrups to make Churn's coffee-based beverages.

“Our ice creams are going to change every day,” she said. “We're going to have eight ice creams all the time.”

On opening day, plenty of friends dropped in to sample Churn's menu and extend best wishes to Costa, who has a master's degree in business administration.

“This has been her dream,” said close friend and neighbor Kelly Watson of Hampton.

“This is good,” Dan Howard of Richland said about his peanut butter latte.

Deanna Budziszewski of Richland and Stephanie Herrmann of Pine brought their children to the grand opening.

“This is my new favorite place to come and get ice cream,” said Ben Herrmann, 11, a fifth-grader at Eden Hall Upper Elementary School.

Classmate Evan Budziszewski, 11, described his brownie ice cream as “phenomenal.”

Stephanie Herrmann called Churn's coffee “exquisitely rich” after sampling a dark chocolate latte.

“We're going to move all future PTO meetings here,” said Herrmann, president of the Hance Elementary School Parent Teacher Association.

Costa also owns two, seasonal soft-serve ice cream stores in Shaler and Bethel Park.

Family members helped Costa choose her shop's Churn name over Christmas dinner last December.

“Because we're not a franchise, we can be creative,” said the daughter of Joe and Nancy Costa of South Park. “They think I'm crazy, but they're proud,” she said.

Churn's contemporary rustic décor includes a dark wood floor and a distinctive ceiling of bronzed and stamped metal tiles.

“Our ‘wow' factor is our ceiling,” Costa said.

Choices at Churn include a single-scoop ice cream cone for $2.65; a 20-ounce milkshake for $4.39; and 12-ounce house-blend coffee for $1.79.

Five years ago, a health scare — surgery to contain a brain aneurism — helped inspire Costa to reset her personal and professional goals.

“It made me take more risks,” she said. “Nothing is promised.”

Deborah Deasy is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-772-6369 or ddeasy@tribweb.com.