No. 16 Vol. 6
www.mypaperonline.com
June 2018
Crafted With Perfection, Local Coffee Shop Spotted As Top Drive Thru
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By Cheryl Conway ust like a potter and a piece of clay, the creators at The Coffee Potter brew unique blends to satisfy individual palates. Opened for 15 months, The Coffee Potter on Schooleys Mountain Road in Long Valley has become a popular hub in town for those craving a delicious cup of coffee or a quant place to meet for breakfast or lunch, book clubs and small meetings. Located right along the Columbia Trail, many stop in for a break while walking their dogs, riding their bikes or even their horses. Equipped with an old fashioned drive up window, The Coffee Potter’s drive thru recently gained national recognition. In April, The Coffee Potter was recognized by
a food based website lovefood.com as a top drive thru restaurant in the country. Included on a list of 30 restaurants, the write up about The Coffee Potter described the hub as: “A community-minded cafe delivering specialty-grade coffee, The Coffee Potter in Long Valley does a roaring trade in ricotta pies, sandwiches and an array of cakes and biscuits. The venue is merely two years old, and the owners Geralyn and David Hickey have put together many people’s idea of the perfect coffee and lunch spot.” Surprised to have been noticed nationally, David Hickey says “honestly it’s a mystery.” While on vacation in Montana, Hickey says he re-
ceived an early morning Facebook message from a business owner for 90 years also on the list, who shared the write up on the msn.com website. “My heart completely stopped,” he said, noting that The Coffee Potter was the only drive thru from New Jersey recognized on the list with the closest ones in Pittsburgh, Pa., and Rhode Island. “Was it a secret shopper? How would they fInd us? How they found us and recognized us is a mystery. It’s charming, it’s friendly, but I have no idea why we were selected.” There must be something about the quaint drive thru that garnered national attention. “It’s a little old fashioned,” says Hickey, absent of an illuminated menu with a speaker or microphone like other drive thrus. “You come to us, talk to us and we make the drink,” says Hickey. “You pull up to the window just like you are at a bank; talk face to face. They
love it,” he says, “Even if its five people in line. “It could take five minutes.” Its set up is “a bit unique,” says Hickey, “maybe not as efficient,” he admits, “but I think that’s part of the charm. This gives an opportunity to build a rapport,” a dialogue. Part of his intent is “we want this to be a platform for neighbors to meet.” Incorporated in Nov. 2016, The Coffee Pot opened in March 2017. The 1,254 sq. ft. build-
ing dates back to 1958 and was the Long Valley Post Office. It then became a bank, the township’s tax assessor’s office, then a bank again. It sat empty for three years before the Hickey’s leased it and moved in. The Coffee Pot features drip brewed coffee and espresso drinks, hot, ice or frozen in small, medium and large sizes. Prices range from a small $1.92 coffee to $5.50 for a specialty creation. Fla-
vored teas, hot and iced, as well as frozen and hot chocolate is also served. Inside 25 to 26 customers can fit comfortably. Seven small café tables fill the room with one large high top table and a brew bar with four stools. Hickey describes it as a “pub without alcohol,” furnished with a lot of antique furniture, old church pews, and café tables made out reclaimed barn wood. Separate from cont. on page 2