New coffee shop opens in Beaver

By Fred Pace
Register-Herald reporter

April 26, 2008 10:04 pm

— From its cherry breakfast cookie to its amazing crab dip, or its Panini chicken sandwiches, Persnickety’s Coffee & Pastry is not your normal coffee shop.
“The cherry breakfast cookie comes from Michigan from Penn Street Bakery and I can’t hardly keep them in stock,” said Cora Browning, the owner of the new coffee shop in Beaver. “I have never eaten something that devilish for breakfast. It’s wonderful.”
The new coffee shop opened last week on Ritter Drive.
“I love it here,” David Adams of Daniels said. “It’s a homey atmosphere with great coffee and food. The bologna salad is out of this world delicious.”
Tim Davis of Pax agrees.
“The crab salad sandwich is my favorite,” he said. “I feel like I have to stop here daily to have one.”
Browning said almost everything is handmade from scratch.
“It can take some time to make everything, but it’s so good,” she said.
In addition to brewed and specialty coffees and pastries found at most coffee shops, Persnickety’s also serves teas, cookies, sandwiches, chips and dip, boxed lunches and mini pizzas.
“We also have excellent boxed lunches, chicken, steak and more,” Browning said. “The boxed lunch comes with everything for $8.25. That price can’t be beat.”
Persnickety’s offers carryout for those who call ahead.
The various baked goods, foods and coffees at Persnickety’s are available seven days a week.
“We want to be convenient for the early bird or the weekend crowd,” Browning said.
While the food menu is not extensive (there are six sandwiches to choose from), Browning says she has several new recipes in the works for new dishes and coffee drinks.
“We hope to grow the menu items as the business grows,” she said.
There are currently 10 coffee, tea and espresso beverages to choose from in various flavors.
“Our prices are comparably less than what you see at the big-name coffee shops,” she said.
A small-sized Espresso costs $1.25, while sandwiches start at $5.
Browning, 30, is a 1994 graduate of Liberty High School. She is originally from the Glen Daniel area.
Browning worked at various Starbucks for several years on and off in Detroit, Kentucky, Indiana and other areas of the country until quitting to pursue her dream of opening her own coffee shop.
“I took some time off from work and decided it was time to do what I had always dreamed of doing,” she explained.
The original decoration and interior design of the shop were done by Browning, but since its opening, regular Persnickety’s customers have been contributing to the inner decor.
“Some have brought in knickknacks, candles and stuff like that,” Browning said.
However, the new cafe is both a coffee house and a nice place to meet and make new friends.
“We want to start a speed dating event here,” she said. “We think it will be something fun that is not offered around here. We want to become a place where you can meet and make new friends.”
Speed dating is a formalized matchmaking process or dating system whose purpose is to encourage people to meet a large number of new people.
Browning also plans to feature music with live entertainment sometime in the near future.
“It’s something we are currently working on,” she said.
So far, Browning said word-of-mouth publicity has been bringing the most customers in.
“Once people find out we are open and come in, they have all come back again and again,” she said. “I think if anyone gives us a try they will become a loyal customer.”
There are several tables, a couch, chairs and a bar at which to sit.
“We also want to be family-friendly,” Browning said. “Kids love the mini-pizzas and brownie bites.”
Persnickety’s is open for business Monday through Thursday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 6 a.m. to midnight; and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
It offers 25-cent coffee Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and $2 Latte in any flavor from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday and Sunday.
Service is friendly and is a priority, according to Browning.
“Customer service is the area where we stand out from the rest,” she said. “I will bend over backwards to make my customers happy.”
If you are looking for inspiration, an interesting escape or a place to meet and make new friends, you won’t find a place more interesting than Persnickety’s, Browning says.
“Give us a try,” she says. “Come meet and make new friends here at Persnickety’s.”
— E-mail: fpace@register-herald.com

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