Mayday Coffee & Shop

123 N. HIGH STREET

The first thing that greets customers upon entering Mayday Coffee isn’t the smell of coffee; it’s the colors. Pale neutrals, with an Instagram-ready mango colored neon sign that reads “maybe coffee is addicted to me”—everything is soft shades of cream, terracotta, birch, peach, light grays. Shelves with planters await filling with bouquets of flowers in the same soft color scheme as the shop. My mother—immediately enchanted by the bouquets—picks out a lavender, plum, lime green, and peach beauty for $45.

Austin Piona, Mayday’s 23-year-old owner, knows all too well what happens when customers come in for a beverage—they leave with an arrangement, too. He has dreamed of designing something like this since he was a kid, back when he would design in sims and video games, along with real life. “The style is my style,” he says. “I love pastels and natural woods and natural textures, with a California coastal vibe.”

Flowers weren’t even originally in the plan, but Mayday’s location had the space to do it in house. Austin has a well-established florist friend who gave him lots of training, which he supplemented with YouTube videos. “We didn’t really expect to sell them at this volume,” he says. “Customers will buy them here, even though they weren’t planning to go to a florist. But at Mayday, we have flowers right next to the register.” It’s a winning combination: Over Easter weekend alone, they sold over 100 bouquets.

Mayday has a larger mission than just coffee and gorgeous flowers. Born and raised in California, Austin moved to nearby Downingtown when he was 11. His high school years at Downingtown East were marred by numerous suicides, including his childhood best friend. When he moved back to the area after attending University of San Diego, he asked himself what was there to do in high school? “That’s why Mayday exists,” he explains. “want to give back to this area. I thought, ‘What better place than in a college town?’”

He’s certainly got the ingredients for success in the industry, having worked in

10 different coffee shops over a span of seven-and-a- half years, in roles ranging from cook to barista to assistant manager. “I thought of all I’ve ever seen,” he recalls, “and that’s where I got the design from.”

Austin says the layout of the shop flows very well and leads to loyalty from customers as well as employees. His experience informs how he treats his employees, too. “Flexible schedules, and we pay well. We don’t want people to just leave.”

He envisions more locations in the future, or perhaps a speakeasy, or a brunch spot, or duplicating Mayday in a place like Villanova. It’s a question of how much Austin can expand himself, because at the end of the day, he needs to train everyone.

At 5pm on a Friday, there are two tables of women sipping lattes and chatting over their laptops. At another table, a young man in a cap and blazer reads a book. There is a couch and soft chairs behind a low wall with circles cut into it, and two

Coffee & Community

Mayday owner Austion Piona's focus was at least as much about building a space for cultivating relationships as it was about selling coffee.

larger tables with four seats each line the front window. It is all designed to inspire connection.

“Sitting on a bench, or the bar, or at the big table, the layout is meant for customers to sit next to a stranger and build community,” says Austin. “So often restaurants are booth style, which is isolating, and not designed to create conversations and build community. Once people start talking, they realize they have a lot in common.”

“We should all talk about it,” he muses. “And not do it alone.”

City Buns

34 S. HIGH STREET

“What makes City Buns so special is that they can be enjoyed in many different ways,” says Vicky Lambert. “They're perfect for breakfast, but they're also great as a late-night treat or a midday indulgence. And with all the unique and creative flavors we offer, you'll never get bored of them.”

Tiny and narrow, City Buns is nestled between West Chester Barber Shop and Mimi’s Tea Cottage. With its white brick walls, it has a bright, clean vibe, and the scents of the ginormous buns on display waft deliciously through the space.

City Buns began when Vicky’s husband Tom shared a “crazy idea” for a cinnamon bun shop that would offer uncommon and delicious flavors that have never been done before. “I was already a passionate baker,” she says, “and I love experimenting with different methods and ingredients, so I knew that we could create something truly special together.”

After scheming for weeks, Vicky made the big decision to quit her job working in a chemistry lab so she could focus on this project. “It was a big leap of faith, but I knew in my heart that City Buns was something that we could make into a reality,” she told us. For the next year and a half, she dedicated herself to perfecting recipes, with Tom helping on the business side.

Although Vicky is entirely self-taught, she has brought on some fellow bakers and pastry artisans with a whole list of experience to work together to make City Buns the absolute best. “We have been working on improving the recipes over the past two months, making sure to consider every ounce of customer feedback we have received,” she says. “And let me tell you, [the recipes] are unbelievably good.”

The store began with four core flavors: Classic Cinnamon, Maple Pecan Sticky Bun, Pistachio Sticky Bun, and Lemon Blueberry Bun. New flavors on the horizon include Brioche Tarts, Nutella S’mores, Chocolate Lovers, Berry Cheesecake, Monkey Bread Cups, Mini Buns, as well as catering offerings. “We are in a phase of testing and taking in customer feedback as well as building our team to make sure we provide an awesome, special, and mem- orable experience and to be able to serve more buns to our amazing customers,” says Vicky. “So, expect some changes in all the best ways, and some more upcoming surprises. We urge our customers to let us know what they think. We love our new products, but what matters to us the most is that our customers love our products even more.”

Every item that they serve is made fresh daily and sourced with local ingredients. Their brioche dough requires 16 hours of proofing time and must be made fresh each day to ensure the product has the best flavor and texture. For this reason, quantities are limited. Once they sell out, they can’t offer more buns until the following day, but they will guarantee buns for customers who order ahead.

“I'm so proud of what we've accomplished with City Buns,” Vicky says. “They're a true labor of love, and I think you'll taste that in every bite.”

photos ERIK WEBER

@westchesterviews story jesse piersoL

@JESSEPIERSOL