Amber Higgins and Darian Blauch, owners of The Caffeination Station, expect the venue at 707 E. Broad St., Palmyra, to open in early December.
They plan to be open for breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
Higgins and Blauch have experience in food service, including specialty coffees. They own Blauch’s creation, The Chubby Unicorn Food Truck, which was named Best of Lebanon County 2021. They also own D’s Crazy Farm Catering Inc., the mother company of both The Caffeination Station and The Chubby Unicorn Food Truck.
“Initially, we ran into a need for specialty drinks in the food truck. So, we started The Caffeination Station to introduce the coffee bar into all of the food trucks. It has been successful from day one,” Higgins said. “And then … we found this wonderful space, and it sort of was impromptu with how great a cafe it would make, and decided to make a brick-and-mortar Caffeination Station.”
When asked how The Caffeination Station got its name, Higgins replied, “Honestly … we were just joking around one day. And like, my college degree is in graphic design, and I just drew this illustration of like a sorta cartoony train but still like a realistic old-school steam engine. And I was like, ‘Yeah, the caffeination station,’ thinking like train station. And then this space actually sits half a block in front of a railroad crossing. So, it was kind of like a no-brainer that it just, it all really just fit together.”
The Caffeination Station has been in Higgins and Blauch’s food trucks for about a year under its name.
The Caffeination Station sources its coffee and tea from a roaster right here in Lebanon County: East Indies Coffee & Tea Company. In addition, Higgins and Blauch hired Lebanon County cabinetmakers, painters, and other contractors throughout the process of their renovation.
“Essentially, it’s the great little place that we’re trying to add to Palmyra, give it our touch,” Blauch said. “I mean, it’s got the train theme. We’re even putting a train that’s gonna run around the ceiling. [We] try to make it interesting, something new, something different for the area.”
“So, [we’re] just trying to bring something good and consistent to the area,” Higgins said. “I know there’s been a lot of turnover in some shops area here, a lot of menu changes and hour changes, so we’re just trying to open up another avenue for everyone.”
“The space that this cafe has, I mean, it’s hard to describe … but it’s this gorgeous, vaulted ceiling. It’s super earthy tones, exposed beams. It’s got this gorgeous loft area. And it’s like natural, stained concrete floors, hand-cut glass tiling,” Higgins said.
“It’s just a really pretty space, that for the smaller events to rent it out … and also have the coffee and the breakfast options just makes it really personal.”
Higgins and Blauch said the venue can be rented out for birthday parties, graduation parties, bridal showers, wedding showers, baby showers, church groups, book clubs, and get-togethers with fewer than 50 people.
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