Post by Freehold Resident on Jul 9, 2007 14:40:39 GMT -5
OUR TOWNS
Ice cream, coffee and a mission
New business seeks to embody spirit of community, diversity
JOHN A. ANDERSON
A dream has come alive in western Union County, where New Town Road crosses Providence Road.
Harry Dean's Coffee and Ice Cream Parlor has just opened the door for business, and the shop is already bustling with patrons.
The choice of location is bold and brilliant in the same stroke. When we first moved to Waxhaw, that corner with just a yellow blinking light was the site of a gas station that sold Chinese food -- or a Chinese take-out place that sold gasoline, depending on your priorities. Today, Harry Dean's occupies the northwest corner of the unofficial boundary where Waxhaw, Marvin and Weddington converge.
Harry Dean's has an excellent chance of becoming a neighborhood coffee shop where people in that part of the county rendezvous from morning to evening.
This would be consistent with its mission statement, which says: "We aspire to be a positive force in our community by bridging the wonderful diversity in our community. Harry Dean's should be a gathering place for the whole community."
Mission statement for a coffee shop? Absolutely! Harry Dean's is the realization of a dream created by Sara and Rick Rohrer. Both came from food service backgrounds, and Rick was a management consultant in that field.
They moved from Freehold, N.J., with the idea of creating a place that's "the perfect spot for a delicious breakfast, lunch or light supper, a great place for moms to relax and fun for kids, a destination for unwinding with a delicious pastry and espresso."
Two visits the first weekend of operation confirmed to me that they had succeeded.
A family sat outside at one of the cafe-style umbrella tables, licking ice cream cones.
Inside, several people sipped coffee, munched pastries and talked, read, or tapped away on a laptop. (Harry Dean's offers complimentary WiFi). A group of teenage guys was engrossed in video games at the computer station, and two preschoolers played with toys and games that Harry Dean's provides in a quiet nook.
Earnest young workers were busy taking and filling orders, dipping ice cream, and generally providing service with a smile. It was so busy, I decided to come back on Sunday to talk to the owner.
Mid-afternoon Sunday was a bit quieter, but not much. Sara Rohrer sat down and told me more. She told how Rick came up with the concept.
They were in the process of moving to Charlotte when he was diagnosed with cancer. A year later, he passed away. But before that happened, they agreed they would carry out their plans and turn Harry Dean's into a real place.
Who is Harry Dean? Well, as Sara explained it, the name is an amalgam of their children's names, Harrison and Deanna. The logo of a pleasant-faced, slightly old-fashioned-looking gentleman serving a cup resembles husband Rick.
"But to us, Harry Dean is a real person," she said. "Harry Dean is the person who drives our passion to be more thoughtful people; his spirit can be found within all of us. He is committed to his family, his community, and his country. He is a little bit old-fashioned and wears his heart on his sleeve. The world is a better place for having known him."
Vision, mission statements -- what kind of coffee and ice cream joint is this?
In my opinion, it's one that will benefit the community and be successful at the same time.
Blue Bell ice cream, homemade sandwiches, soups and pastries round out Harry Dean's offerings.
The official grand opening is July 13-14. Come by and see the dream for yourself. OUR TOWNS
Ice Cream and Fingerprints
Police, fire authorities and other groups have scheduled a fingerprint ID clinic for children, should they ever be lost or missing. This will coincide with the Harry Dean's grand opening July 13-14. To take part, call 704-773-6411. John A. Anderson
Ice cream, coffee and a mission
New business seeks to embody spirit of community, diversity
JOHN A. ANDERSON
A dream has come alive in western Union County, where New Town Road crosses Providence Road.
Harry Dean's Coffee and Ice Cream Parlor has just opened the door for business, and the shop is already bustling with patrons.
The choice of location is bold and brilliant in the same stroke. When we first moved to Waxhaw, that corner with just a yellow blinking light was the site of a gas station that sold Chinese food -- or a Chinese take-out place that sold gasoline, depending on your priorities. Today, Harry Dean's occupies the northwest corner of the unofficial boundary where Waxhaw, Marvin and Weddington converge.
Harry Dean's has an excellent chance of becoming a neighborhood coffee shop where people in that part of the county rendezvous from morning to evening.
This would be consistent with its mission statement, which says: "We aspire to be a positive force in our community by bridging the wonderful diversity in our community. Harry Dean's should be a gathering place for the whole community."
Mission statement for a coffee shop? Absolutely! Harry Dean's is the realization of a dream created by Sara and Rick Rohrer. Both came from food service backgrounds, and Rick was a management consultant in that field.
They moved from Freehold, N.J., with the idea of creating a place that's "the perfect spot for a delicious breakfast, lunch or light supper, a great place for moms to relax and fun for kids, a destination for unwinding with a delicious pastry and espresso."
Two visits the first weekend of operation confirmed to me that they had succeeded.
A family sat outside at one of the cafe-style umbrella tables, licking ice cream cones.
Inside, several people sipped coffee, munched pastries and talked, read, or tapped away on a laptop. (Harry Dean's offers complimentary WiFi). A group of teenage guys was engrossed in video games at the computer station, and two preschoolers played with toys and games that Harry Dean's provides in a quiet nook.
Earnest young workers were busy taking and filling orders, dipping ice cream, and generally providing service with a smile. It was so busy, I decided to come back on Sunday to talk to the owner.
Mid-afternoon Sunday was a bit quieter, but not much. Sara Rohrer sat down and told me more. She told how Rick came up with the concept.
They were in the process of moving to Charlotte when he was diagnosed with cancer. A year later, he passed away. But before that happened, they agreed they would carry out their plans and turn Harry Dean's into a real place.
Who is Harry Dean? Well, as Sara explained it, the name is an amalgam of their children's names, Harrison and Deanna. The logo of a pleasant-faced, slightly old-fashioned-looking gentleman serving a cup resembles husband Rick.
"But to us, Harry Dean is a real person," she said. "Harry Dean is the person who drives our passion to be more thoughtful people; his spirit can be found within all of us. He is committed to his family, his community, and his country. He is a little bit old-fashioned and wears his heart on his sleeve. The world is a better place for having known him."
Vision, mission statements -- what kind of coffee and ice cream joint is this?
In my opinion, it's one that will benefit the community and be successful at the same time.
Blue Bell ice cream, homemade sandwiches, soups and pastries round out Harry Dean's offerings.
The official grand opening is July 13-14. Come by and see the dream for yourself. OUR TOWNS
Ice Cream and Fingerprints
Police, fire authorities and other groups have scheduled a fingerprint ID clinic for children, should they ever be lost or missing. This will coincide with the Harry Dean's grand opening July 13-14. To take part, call 704-773-6411. John A. Anderson