The Collegian

Issue date: 2/19/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Andrew Dodson

Media Credit: Andrew Dodson Jilly Beans coffee shop succeeds in place of the Gathering coffe shop in downtown Hillsdale.

You can smell the hot chocolate before you even reach the door. It's three o'clock, and for two novice café owners, Jill Nichols and Cathy Moore, business is in full swing.

The two women opened Jilly Beans coffee house in late November in the downtown building that previously occupied The Gathering. They redesigned everything about the coffee shop, leaving only the carpet serving as a reminder of previous days.

Nichols worked at The Gathering for a year before owner Cheryl Balcomb closed it in early November. She and Moore's husbands went to high school together, then reconnected at church years later.

When the Gathering closed and the building became vacant, Moore said putting in a bid was a no-brainer for her.

"I said 'We ought to open that place,'" she says.

"And I said, 'Really?'" Nichols interjects.

"And the rest is history," Moore says, laughing.

The two share an easy camaraderie. Sitting at a back table, they lean back in the coffee shop's new chairs, facing each other.

"What do you think, Mrs. Partner?" Nichols asks Moore.

The coffee shop doesn't just have new chairs - sleek black modern models that discourage long study sessions unless you have a pillow - it also features a coffeemaker called the "La Chimabai," which only two other businesses in the country use. Disney World in Florida is one of them.

"We researched it and fell in love with it," Nichols said.

A barista at The Gathering for a year, Nichols says Jilly Beans retains the customers The Gathering first attracted.

"The Red Hat society uses it for their meetings, people come here for Bible studies, book clubs and a lot of college kids pop in in the evenings," Nichols said.

Three high school students scrunched on the black leather "love couch" at the back of the store also weigh in.

"Everybody calls this the love couch," Stephanie Murray said, laughing. "But nothing ever happens here."

"It turns colors; it's so wicked!" Murray said.

Nichols and Moore plan to ratchet up their store's community involvement with events like a book signing this Saturday and live music next month. March 10 and 12, Jilly Beans will feature the former Hillsdale College band known as Seraphim, now under the name Eastern Gate.

Ultimately, however, the two agree that their goal is simple.

"We want to serve great coffee - and our coffee is from Italy," said Nichols. "Excellent coffee for people for a fair price."

For three local high-school students, Jilly Beans succeeds at its mission and then some.

"We try to come here as often as we can," says Murray. "It's fun. It feels earthy - kids can hang out here. The Gathering felt so adult-ish."

Ninth-grader Barack Michael agrees.

"The owners are a lot nicer here," he said. "They let us laugh a lot."

And all three appreciate the new drinks and food options.

"They've got really good muffins - they're fluffy and delicious," Murray said. "They make my belly giggle."

Where do Nichols and Moore see themselves in a year?

"Right here," Moore says.

"We're loving it," said Nichols. "And so far, we've only had pleasant surprises."

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