Local
HAMILTON — The Cappuccino Depot has a new owner and will reopen as a Kofenya coffeehouse next week.
Liz Snyder, owner of the Kofenya location in Oxford established in 2004, purchased the business at 221 High St. on March 26. She had been in touch with the previous owner, Terry Schmitt, about obtaining the store for about two years.
“The Oxford store has been so great it seemed like a good opportunity to expand in another community,” she said. “It just got to the point where Terry was ready to move on and we were ready to expand.”
Kofenya, which will open Wednesday, April 7, will share staff with the Oxford store for now and will be open weekdays. Eventually, the café will employ up to 10 people and also will have evening hours, said Annie Petro, store manager.
“Coffee shops take on a really different feel at night. We look forward to being part of the nightlife,” Snyder said.
Kofenya — an Americanized version of the Russian word for café — serves espresso-based drinks as well as flavored coffees. Eventually, the shop will serve sandwiches for lunch. Petro said they will be infusing more personality into the location by repainting, adding couches and chairs for lounging, and hanging artwork. Miami students will help design the space.
Miami University Hamilton will continue holding events at the venue in the interim and is looking forward “to a really good relationship with Kofenya,” said Michele Dienno, marketing director for MUH.
The MUH partnership was one of the big draws for the space, Petro said.
“It just makes sense to promote that relationship. It’s fun that we can have our coffee shop serving for an entertainment aspect that is already built into the business,” she said.
While she’ll be busy running the two Kofenya locations, Snyder said “that’s why I got into coffee.”
For more information, visit kofenyacoffee.com.
A different owner runs three other Cappuccino Depot locations in the Hamilton area.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2843 or jheffner@coxohio.com.
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