|
Affable Aroma Downtown business--more than just a cup of joe [FEB. 21, 2000] As you push open the eight-foot tall wooden doors to Beans and Such located at 115 South Kickapoo, the smell of freshly ground coffee beckons you to come in. "It smells so good in here," says a shopper from Lake Fork on Thursday. She and her friend were "doing Lincoln that day." |
|
|
Not just Thursday but every day one can expect an offer of coffee and a smile from business owner, Mary Lanterman. Mary purchased the business in 1991 from Sue Cause and moved it from 501 Broadway to a rented storefront at 202 South Chicago. She expanded the giftware line and quickly outgrew the location less than five years later. The current building was purchased, and Mary and her son, David, undertook a four-month renovation. Many customers marvel at the store’s beauty and assume it has always "looked this way." Mary keeps a photo album at the counter showing the before renovation photos. No one would guess that in 1996 the building had an orange and beige tiled floor, suspended ceilings and plain plaster walls. The street front was a scene from the '70s, with display windows that jutted on to the sidewalk and the typical recessed glass entry door.
[Mary grinding beans for the first pot of coffee]
During the renovation, the entire lower front of the store was taken off and boxed in while work was in progress. What emerged was a façade reminiscent of the 1800s. The "new" entry doors actually came from the building’s second floor. They were refinished and brass "push/pull" signs were added. Inside, the space was split for storage in the back and the shop in the front. Custom plaster moldings were made for the ceiling and wood panels and shelves for the walls. The color scheme evolved after the decision to leaf the ceiling molding in gold. Mary scoured wallpaper books until she found a sample with a gold pattern; the background was plum. The result is a warm and beautiful location with the feel of a bygone era. Customers can find Mary at the store almost daily and David helps out on weekends and during the hectic holiday season. Two other employees fill in part time. Mary states that her business is split pretty equally between the coffee and gourmet food lines and the giftware line. Of the more than thirty flavors, Mary’s favorite coffee is Toasted Almond Crème, and her favorites from the giftware line include the Tiffany style lamps and the lawn/garden items.
|
Besides the gourmet foods, which include raspberry salsa (great over cream cheese with tea biscuits), there are gift items by Fitz and Floyd and May Engelbreit, a baby corner featuring Winnie the Pooh, luxurious bath and body items, scented candles, pillows with quotes, heavenly angel statues and Hayes-Parker indoor/outdoor decorations that are based on architectural artifacts. Assortments of soothing and sentimental instrumental CDs are the latest addition to the store. The shelves, attractively filled with numerous items, entice customers to linger, looking again and again to be sure nothing has been missed. Mary says that everyone works on the displays, which are changed every four to six weeks. After more than eight years in business, Mary’s best advice to someone thinking of opening a business downtown is to "not expect miracles overnight." Building a business takes time and Mary appreciates her customers who have been so supportive. She feels downtown Lincoln is "on the upswing" and plans to "stick around." Beans and Such is a partner in and has been a sponsor of various Main Street Lincoln activities. They include the Main Street logo in their advertising and Mary and David have both served on the Design Committee. When asked what the organization has done for them, Mary states that "they are someone to turn to for help" and cites the number of improvements Main Street Lincoln has made in the downtown area. If money were no object, Mary’s wish list for downtown would include a nice decorative sidewalk. No doubt, there would be many people on that sidewalk following the drifting aroma from Beans and Such, and walking right through the big wooden doors.
[One of the many displays inside Beans N' Such]
[Wendy Bell |
