New New Castle coffeehouse up and running

NEW CASTLE, Colorado — If you like a traditional breakfast of eggs, sausage or bacon, Patti’s Main Street Coffeehouse probably isn’t for you.

But if you enjoy homemade quiches, New York bagels, freshly baked cinnamon rolls and a variety of specialty coffees and teas, this is the place to be.

Patti Reich, a fourth-generation New Castle native, opened the coffeehouse at 219 W. Main St. on July 1. She took over from her cousin, Pam Bunn, who owned and operated the New Castle Café for the past nine years. Bunn closed the cafe on May 31, after accepting a job with the Garfield County Clerk and Recorder’s office in Glenwood Springs.

The interior décor of the shop is vintage, which includes tablecloths adorned with fresh flowers and a 100-year-old candy case owned by her uncle, longtime resident and former mayor Pete Mattivi. The case holds a display of pastries as well as vintage dishes that are used to serve the meals. People in the community have donated vintage knickknacks, and old books are stacked around, along with local newspapers.

On the wall, artwork by local artists is featured.

“We’re going to have an artist of the month on the west wall,” Reich said. “We’re trying to promote downtown art.”

Although the decor is vintage, the large screen projector TV hanging on an upper wall is not. It is used to show the news in the mornings and sporting events.

“Or people can use it for business meetings to do a Power Point presentation and hook their computers to it,” Reich said. “We have wireless Internet access.”

At lunch, fresh deli sandwiches are available, along with house salads and desserts.

“There’s always a pastry,” Reich said. “We have different cakes and pies every day.”

A variety of coffees from the Daz Bog Coffee Co. out of Denver are offered. Teas come from the Two Leaves and a Bud Tea Co. out of Basalt.

While the Main Street Coffeehouse is only open for breakfast and lunch, in the near future, Reich plans to open once a month for dinner with her significant other, Bill Pugh, who will be in charge of the menu and the cooking.

“It will be on the first Saturday of the month and feature a dinner with one entree, a set price, limited seating and reservations only,” Reich said. “He’s always wanted to open a steakhouse. That’s his time to shine.”

Pugh has been instrumental in supporting Reich in her new venture, as have her family members. Her cousin Brittany Smith is working the coffee counter and another cousin, Roxanne McFall, is making aprons.

“My family is helping me. I’ve never done this before, but I have a passion for people,” she said. It’s like having a party at your house every day. It’s all about that I want people to have a good experience. I want to send everybody out with a smile. It’s a fun friendly atmosphere and I’m having so much fun — I think everybody is.”

Hours of Patti’s Main Street Coffeehouse are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The shop is closed on Monday.

For more information, contact Reich at 984-9115.