Cedar River Coffee heralds community revival
From staff reports
Cedar River Coffee Company has opened for business in the former Chase Bank building in downtown Cedar and will host a grand opening on Saturday, May 1. The coffee shop is owned by Cedar resident Cindy Gale, a healthcare supervisor at Munson Medical Center. Cindy’s husband Andy runs Bay Area Recycling for Charities.
Watch this video of Cindy introducing Cedar River Coffee:
“I’ve always been a coffee drinker and a coffee lover,” said Cindy. “I attempted many years ago to open a coffee shop, and it fell through. Ever since then, it’s been something I have wanted to do.”
Cedar River Coffee is part of a community revival this year. The Cedar City Market II—owned by Theresa and David Gersenson—reopened in February in the former Pleva’s space. (Watch a video tour of Cedar City Market II). The Cedar Tavern has new siding for the first time since the late 1960s. And Kathleen Koch, the energetic Cedar booster whose family owns the Polish Art Center, is working on convincing Bunting’s Cedar Market owner Bill Bailey to play polka music, year-round, at the gas pumps.
The coffee shop has received a warm reception in Cedar.
“The most common reaction is ‘Thank goodness, it’s about time we have a coffee shop in Cedar’,” said Cindy. “This is a community spot where we can all meet and greet. I’ve seen more neighbors in last few days than I have in a year.”
In keeping with the Gales’ mission to recycle and to reduce waste, all cups and plates in the cafe are recyclable. The interior decor uses recycled products as much as possible, with siding made from pallet wood, floors from the old bank building, and tables repurposed from the tops of old water containers.
Cedar River Coffee serves espresso drinks, brewed coffee, hot teas, frappes, sandwiches, salads, breakfast bowls and wraps, with cinnamon roles from Traverse Bay Cafe, brownies and cookies from Hannah’s of Lake Leelanau, and croissants from 9 Bean Rows Bakery.
The cafe is located at 9104 S. Kasson St. in Cedar. You can’t miss the 11.5-foot coffee flag in the front of the store. Cedar River Coffee is open Wednesday-Saturday from 7 am-3 pm, and Sunday 8-3. Starting June 1, the cafe will open 7 days a week.
