Whether someone is looking for a latte or a biscuit with gravy, Jennifer and Dan Brummer want to make their new dine-in coffee shop — Jenz Java — a place where community members can gather.
Dan grew up in Bennington — a small Kansas town with few choices for dining.
“As kids, we always wanted someplace to go,” he said. “Our parents and grandparents never had any place to go.”
So, when Dan was speaking with his neighbor in Haven and found out that the building at 202 Industrial Drive was up for sale, he knew he wanted to buy it and open a coffee shop.
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The Brummers moved quickly. They had relocated to Haven from Salina last fall and were enchanted by the community. They redid the inside of the small shop, gathered together antique furniture, tacked on metal walls and made the place inviting.
What they came up with is a cozy, eclectic, modern coffee shop.
They also installed a drive-thru.
“If we couldn’t have a drive-thru,” Jennifer said. “We weren’t going to do it.”
The store will carry all types of coffees, from mochaccinos to double nut lattes to caramel lattes. Each drink will be prepared by Shelby Littlestar, who will serve as the manager and barista. Littlestar will also bake biscuits, cookies and cobblers.
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For now, the store will serve biscuits and gravy, breakfast burritos and bagels each morning. In the beginning, lunch items will include club sandwiches and wraps, BLTs and chicken salad.
“We are seeing what people want,” Jennifer said.
In addition to the regular fare, the Brummer’s will bring in end-of-week specials for both meals and coffees. They hope to feature a new local roaster each month, serving that location’s fresh-roasted coffee. They also have salads, lemonade and meal replacement shakes and teas.
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Hours and location
The store hours are 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays at 202 Industrial Drive. But as the store evolves, the times and menu may change. Jennifer, Dan and Shelby are all open to new possibilities.
Shelby, who just received her associate’s degree in business from Hutchinson Community College, is thrilled to put her plan into action. While a student, she workedmond up a business plan for a coffee shop similar to this one.
“I always wanted to run a business,” she said.
As for Jennifer and Dan, they want to create a location for the community.
“We want to bring the community together,” Dan said. “They don’t have a place to go and mingle and hang out. We want to be that place.”
