Landscape changes downtown, new coffeeshop to join community
The Gathering moves into The Wedge; new coffee shop Jilly Beans to take over old Gathering spot
John Krudy
Issue date: 11/6/08 Section: News
A new coffee shop, Jilly Beans, will soon replace the downtown building that another coffee shop, The Gathering, occupied until this past Saturday.
Gathering owner Cheryl Balcomb moved her business to a new, smaller lot two blocks down Howell Street, in the Wedge.
She could not be reached for comment.
"Last week, someone who had never been there went and the door was locked. Everything was boxed up. It seemed like she'd left town," said senior Amanda Robertson, who used to go to The Gathering every Monday to lunch on coffee and sandwiches. "I cannot believe it - I thought she had her stuff together."
Jilly Beans' namesake, Jill Nichols, has worked at The Gathering for the last year.
"Before that I ran a daycare center for 23 years, and decided I wanted to try something different," she said. "I fell in love with [the coffee business]."
Nichols said she and her friend and partner Cathy Moore, are building cabinets and counters and expect to open within the next few weeks.
"Everything will be new," Nichols said. "We'll have a state-of-the-art espresso machine, biscotti from Oregon and loose-leaf tea."
Aimee England, who worked as manager of Volume One Books until that store also closed down last Saturday, said she doesn't consider the recent downtown closings a serious widespread problem.
"There's always a lot of businesses shifting around," she said. "Sometimes they move in spurts, and sometimes it's spotty. This time, it's spurts."
Jill Nichols said she and Moore plan to open within the next three weeks. They plan to serve a light lunch menu of sandwiches, soups, salads and "sweet treats."
With The Gathering on hiatus and Jilly Beans under construction, Robertson said she's at a loss for where to find coffee in the interim.
"The coffee's not bad at A.J.'s, but they don't know what a double-tall is, and that's bad," she said. "Checker Records has pretty good coffee. But three coffee shops in one block. That's a lot."
Gathering owner Cheryl Balcomb moved her business to a new, smaller lot two blocks down Howell Street, in the Wedge.
She could not be reached for comment.
"Last week, someone who had never been there went and the door was locked. Everything was boxed up. It seemed like she'd left town," said senior Amanda Robertson, who used to go to The Gathering every Monday to lunch on coffee and sandwiches. "I cannot believe it - I thought she had her stuff together."
Jilly Beans' namesake, Jill Nichols, has worked at The Gathering for the last year.
"Before that I ran a daycare center for 23 years, and decided I wanted to try something different," she said. "I fell in love with [the coffee business]."
Nichols said she and her friend and partner Cathy Moore, are building cabinets and counters and expect to open within the next few weeks.
"Everything will be new," Nichols said. "We'll have a state-of-the-art espresso machine, biscotti from Oregon and loose-leaf tea."
Aimee England, who worked as manager of Volume One Books until that store also closed down last Saturday, said she doesn't consider the recent downtown closings a serious widespread problem.
"There's always a lot of businesses shifting around," she said. "Sometimes they move in spurts, and sometimes it's spotty. This time, it's spurts."
Jill Nichols said she and Moore plan to open within the next three weeks. They plan to serve a light lunch menu of sandwiches, soups, salads and "sweet treats."
With The Gathering on hiatus and Jilly Beans under construction, Robertson said she's at a loss for where to find coffee in the interim.
"The coffee's not bad at A.J.'s, but they don't know what a double-tall is, and that's bad," she said. "Checker Records has pretty good coffee. But three coffee shops in one block. That's a lot."
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