Some big news for lower Broadway! After a long search for the right business 2 Alices Coffee Lounge is coming to Newburgh in the last available ground floor space of Safe Harbors of the Hudson, 117 Broadway. Partners, Mikey Jackson and Aurelia Winborn just signed their lease last Thursday, and by the look on their faces, they seem excited! 2 Alices is well known for their Cornwall location that specializes in high quality coffee and espresso drinks as well as light food such as pastries, bagels, soup and mac and cheese. They are also known for their live music, karaoke, and game nights. So what can we expect from the Newburgh location? And even more important, when will they open?
Mikey says that over the years they have learned what it takes to run a coffee shop. One of the most important factors is that it should be a part of the community. Their Cornwall location attracts all age groups and they hope their Newburgh location will do the same. They will be offering free WiFi and areas for parents to bring their toddlers as well as study space for college students. The occupancy for the space is for approximately 45 people with flexibility to adjust seating to accommodate large groups who would like to use their space. There is no set opening date but they are aiming towards the end of 2014. Business hours will be 7am to 7pm and will be extended once they receive their liquor license. Once they obtain that license they can then look into offering trivia and karaoke nights in Newburgh. 2 Alices will also be hiring 8-10 people for their Newburgh location. They are not interviewing as of yet however, Mikey has learned with his Cornwall location that it is optimal when his employees live walking distance to the coffee shop.
Mikey grew up in Rockland County and Aurelia in Texas. Before moving to the Hudson Valley they both lived in NYC. They spent many years looking for a second location for their coffee shop that had all of the right elements. Newburgh kept coming up over the years. It’s close to where they live and something felt right for them at the right time to open up the coffee shop in Newburgh. It is very exciting to see a new business coming to the city that has community involvement in their business model.
This new lounge will give locals more choices and be a nice addition to lower Broadway. Already we have seen improvements in the Ritz Theater with the new marquee, the new collaborative workspace called Space Create and the popular Teran Studio just next door. There are also some preliminary projects being planned for properties directly across the street on Broadway. Stay tuned.
