St. Anne the Tart bakery to expand outdoor seating with ‘greenhouse cafe’

Coffeehouse on East Fifth Street obtains CARES Act funding through the city of Dayton to pay for project

Credit: Contributed

Credit: Contributed

St. Anne the Tart, the bakery and coffeehouse that opened in March 2019 in Dayton’s St. Anne’s Hill neighborhood, will expand its outdoor seating with the addition of a heated “greenhouse café” over the next couple of weeks.

And volunteers will help build it, starting this weekend.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has hit our little bakery on the hill hard over the last eight months," St. Anne the Tart founder and owner Megan Smith said in a release. "Down 70 percent in seating (capacity), we are grateful for the opportunity to welcome more customers safely and keep our entire family of employees working through the holiday season and beyond.”

The parking lot of the bakery and coffeehouse at 1500 E. Fifth St. will be the site of a “barn-raising” of sorts starting this Saturday morning, Nov. 7, when a team of volunteers will help construct the 20-feet-by-30-feet greenhouse kit. St. Anne the Tart obtained $7,660 of federal coronavirus relief funding via the city of Dayton to pay for the project.

More than 30 Dayton businesses, including several restaurants and pubs, obtained funding for projects and renovations to help them survive the pandemic.

If all goes well, the new greenhouse café could be up and running by mid-November, with heaters and plants in place.

“We have a couple of more details to work through once we have the greenhouse built,” said Anna Teachey, operations manager for St. Anne the Tart. Once it opens, “We are hoping to be able to fit around 20 people inside, but that will all depend on when we are able to measure to make sure all tables are spaced at least six feet apart.”

Siebenthaler’s is going to provide the plants for the greenhouse, Teachey said.

The greenhouse will be open for both public and private socially distanced events.

For more information, check out the St. Anne the Tart Facebook page or call 937-259-8663.

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