QUOTE(Hilary Smith @ roanoke.com)
PEARISBURG -- Residents now have a place to have a cup of coffee, bagel or other pastry and surf the Web.
A few weeks ago downtown Pearisburg welcomed the town's only locally owned coffee shop and Internet cafe, Courthouse Cafe.
When a small brick building across the street from the newly renovated Giles County Courthouse was advertised for sale, Pat Laughlin and his son-in-law, David Ribbe, jumped at the chance. After making an offer to the National Bank of Blacksburg, the building was theirs.
While remodeling the building, Laughlin and Ribbe toyed with the idea of renting the space for offices or using it as a bookstore. They decided a coffee shop seemed the best choice.
"The people said this is what they want," Laughlin said.
Once the restaurant started coming together, the team decided to set the place up with wireless capabilities and add a computer with high-speed Internet access for customers. Already the cafe has morning customers coming in to use the Internet and read electronic versions of out-of-town newspapers.
Ribbe also expects that hikers coming off of the Appalachian Trail will stop in for the Internet access to e-mail friends and family.
"We want it to be a hangout, a place to network," said Laughlin.
"It's a place to communicate," Ribbe said.
The Internet access may bring a functional element, but the Courthouse Cafe also boasts itself as a place for local artists to showcase their work.
The walls are decorated with paintings, the window sill is lined with pottery and handmade baskets hang from the ceiling.
"All these people have been starving for a place with class and to showcase culture," Ribbe said.
Laughlin also said the town has several residents who make musical instruments and sew quilts and that he would like to find a way to display those pieces as well.
"It's a place where the town can promote local artists," he said.
Neither Laughlin nor Ribbe has any experience running a coffee shop and brewing coffee. They have relied heavily on tips from multiple sources.
Ribbe said coffee bean supplier Mattie Hardy of Mattie's Roastery in West Virginia gave them some pointers and a few local baristas offered to help with the logistics and food preparation.
"We had no clue how to make coffee," Ribbe said. "We have a better feel for how things are going [now]. I'm sure we'll get better with time."
A few weeks ago downtown Pearisburg welcomed the town's only locally owned coffee shop and Internet cafe, Courthouse Cafe.
When a small brick building across the street from the newly renovated Giles County Courthouse was advertised for sale, Pat Laughlin and his son-in-law, David Ribbe, jumped at the chance. After making an offer to the National Bank of Blacksburg, the building was theirs.
While remodeling the building, Laughlin and Ribbe toyed with the idea of renting the space for offices or using it as a bookstore. They decided a coffee shop seemed the best choice.
"The people said this is what they want," Laughlin said.
Once the restaurant started coming together, the team decided to set the place up with wireless capabilities and add a computer with high-speed Internet access for customers. Already the cafe has morning customers coming in to use the Internet and read electronic versions of out-of-town newspapers.
Ribbe also expects that hikers coming off of the Appalachian Trail will stop in for the Internet access to e-mail friends and family.
"We want it to be a hangout, a place to network," said Laughlin.
"It's a place to communicate," Ribbe said.
The Internet access may bring a functional element, but the Courthouse Cafe also boasts itself as a place for local artists to showcase their work.
The walls are decorated with paintings, the window sill is lined with pottery and handmade baskets hang from the ceiling.
"All these people have been starving for a place with class and to showcase culture," Ribbe said.
Laughlin also said the town has several residents who make musical instruments and sew quilts and that he would like to find a way to display those pieces as well.
"It's a place where the town can promote local artists," he said.
Neither Laughlin nor Ribbe has any experience running a coffee shop and brewing coffee. They have relied heavily on tips from multiple sources.
Ribbe said coffee bean supplier Mattie Hardy of Mattie's Roastery in West Virginia gave them some pointers and a few local baristas offered to help with the logistics and food preparation.
"We had no clue how to make coffee," Ribbe said. "We have a better feel for how things are going [now]. I'm sure we'll get better with time."