05/30/2025
A few housekeeping notes before we get all sentimental on you, because we are still getting lots of questions and it is a bit confusing!
☕️ We sold Root to the owners of the Blue Spoon.
☕️ They will assume ownership of our equipment and other assets in this space on June 1.
☕️ They will still operate Blue Spoon a few blocks to the north.
☕️ They will close this space for 2 weeks while they reconfigure the space and equipment and train their staff.
☕️ They have decided to reopen on June 13 under a different name: The Balkan, which on the weekends will be called The Canary Lounge. They will have a cocktail bar and a food menu, along with waiters and bartenders.
☕️ We are downsizing and opening a smaller, simplified coffee shop called McKay Street Coffeehouse in the new library being built in Frontenac. Part of that project is the Heritage Hall Museum which takes visitors on a stroll down McKay Street about 100 years ago. It is across from Miners Park and a block from the school where Brad’s mom and Andra taught and he went to school. His family has lived in Frontenac since his great grandpa immigrated from Italy in 1905 and worked there as a coal miner.
☕️ We will do a soft opening at McKay Street at 2 p.m. June 5 in time for Mining Days. Brad and Dominic, our son and lead barista, will run the shop. Andra will continue her full time job at Pitt State but will continue to play an active role in the ownership and management of the new shop, just as she did with Root. Morgan, one of our baristas, is coming with us. Jess, a barista who graduated last year, will help out this summer until we get new baristas hired and trained in August.
☕️ At McKay Street, we will serve many of the same handcrafted coffee, espresso, chai, and Italian sodas you’ve grown accustomed to, although the menu will be simplified a bit and signature drink names will reflect the heritage of Frontenac. We will sell the same bags of beans we have sold at Root and we will still partner with Signet Coffee Roasters for our coffee beans and Bearded Lady Roasters for our espresso beans.
☕️ We will not serve crepes at McKay Street but will serve pastries and later this summer hope to have some ready-to-eat refrigerated lunch options.
☕️ We hope you’ll drop by and check us out!
☕️ On May 31 from 8 to 11 a.m. here at Root, we will hold a collaborative “Goodbye-Hello” come-and-go party with the new owners. We’ll have some free sips of iced tea and lemonade and they’ll have some pastry samples while supplies last. We’ll offer 10 percent off all lattes as a thank you, and we’ll draw for a few giveaways.
☕️ We’ll close on May 31 at 4 p.m.
There are so many people to thank, and if we start we fear we might overlook someone, so we’ll just say thanks to each and every person who played any sort of role in making Root the special place it was for almost 10 years. You know who you are.
✌️ ❤️ ☕️
Peace, love, and coffee,
Brad and Andra
