The much-loved Michael's Coffee Shop & Bakery opened in Carlyle on Aug. 14 after five years in a slightly smaller space in Arcola. According to owner Michael Ellis of Arcola, the decision to relocate the shop to Carlyle was, "a great opportunity and I really want to acknowledge Ron and Lois Paul for the commitment they made to allow me to come here."
Ellis's first day of business in the new store was "a soft opening. I'm calling it 'Look and Latte Day,'" he says. "We're just doing drinks and allowing our customers to come and check out the new space. After that, we're offering our full food and drink menu."
"It's been a great first day and we're ready to roll."
First-day customer Kristen Mitchell of Kenosee, says, "I'm excited for good coffee and another good lunch spot in town."
"We'll be offering breakfast, lunch and supper," adds Ellis. "We'll have bacon and eggs, toast made with homemade bread, cinnamon buns, and of course, great coffee and tea. For lunch, it'll be sandwiches made with homemade bread, and four different soups daily. One of those will be a gluten-free option. We'll also have pizza by the slice, good cookies; the fundamentals."
Ellis, who is originally from Prince Edward Island and says he's "from the Maritimes," is planning an all-day offering that is a staple in that part of Canada. "Pizza and donairs! Even for breakfast. It's a Maritime thing. For the Maritimers around here, it'll remind them of home and for anyone else, I think they'll like it too-at any time of day."
Ellis's commitment to quality food was validated during a visit by master chef and Food Network personality, Massimo Capra. "He said not to change anything about my approach to food," says Ellis. "He said I was on the right track."
Ellis's obsessive attention to quality is also reflected in his specialty coffees and teas. "We're pretty intentional with the coffee we serve," he says. "Our espresso is from Guatemala. It's the best. We source our coffee from all of the world's major growing regions. Besides Guatemala, we serve coffee from Columbia, Tanzania, Costa Rica, Honduras, Bolivia and Ethiopia. And our teas are all fair trade and organic," he adds.
"Our coffees taste good and they do good," Ellis adds. "It's ethical coffee. We have fair trade and direct trade. We have a direct line from the [coffee] farm to our grinder. The price point of our drip coffee subsidizes health care and education in the areas that supply our coffee."
"Our primary roasters are Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters in Calgary," adds Ellis. "I'd also like to add some guest roasters in the future."
While attending the Canadian Coffee and Tea Show in Vancouver, Ellis decided: "We want our cafes to be like going to a friends' house. It's about community. There's something special about coffee. It creates a space to tell our stories. By creating that space, you really build people and a community."
"I'm just really excited to serve the community here in Carlyle."
Ellis plans "lots of new stuff and an official grand opening in the next month." For updates, visit Michael's Coffee Shop & Bakery at 125 Main Street, Carlyle or check out Michael's Coffee Shop & Bakery on Facebook.
