Soon a new coffee business will “be there for you” in Eureka.
Maggie Schamber, 40, of Eureka said she plans on having a soft opening for her new coffeehouse, The Orange Couch Coffee House, 98 The Legends Parkway, at noon July 27.
The Orange Couch Coffee House gets its name from the orange couch from the sitcom “Friends.” The couch was part of the set of the main character’s favorite hangout, Central Perk.
“The idea was to be inspired by ‘Friends’ and I wanted to have people who come to my coffee shop feel welcome, feel that the place is cozy,” she said.
Schamber said she had a dream to open a coffeehouse after she moved to Eureka four years ago.
“I said 2020, it’s gonna be my year,” she said. “It started before all the COVID-19 craziness. That’s why people may think that I’m a crazy lady because I am opening a coffee shop in the middle of the pandemic.”
Schamber said she started by re-searching a location for a new branch while she was working for Together Credit Union, but credit union officials passed on the space and she said she knew it was a great space for her dream business.
work full time at the coffeehouse.
Schamber said she fell in love with “Friends” in 2004 when she came to the United States from Poland. She said the show helped her learn English.
“This is the show that makes me happy and relaxed,” she said. “So, I go back to it over and over and over.”
She said along with having an actual orange couch, there will be other ‘Friends’ memorabilia in her establishment.
Schamber said she will serve coffee, tea and smoothies. She said no food will be made in-house, but she plans to sell doughnuts and pastries from a local bakery.
She said the average price for a medium cup of coffee will be around $4.
The coffee vendor will be Crimson Cup Coffee of Columbus, Ohio, she said.
Schamber said once she put a sign on the space announcing the coming open-ing, she has benefitted from a lot of buzz on social media.
She said she took note of a few comments pointing out that Eureka already has a coffee place, La Finca, 137 S. Central Ave.
“My coffee shop is just a different style and different vibe and I believe that there is room for both,” she said. “I am hoping to cater to commuters, people who use Hwy. 109 to go to I-44 to go to work, because it’s an easy turn in, right turn out.”
Julie Wood, Eureka’s city clerk and director of economic development and communication, said she is looking for- ward to seeing the ‘Friends’ decor.
“It’s always exciting when a new business comes to town and they have such a neat concept,” she said.
Schamber said she has hired seven employees. She said Orange Couch will open at 5 a.m. on weekdays, 6 a.m. Saturdays and 7 a.m. Sundays, and close at 7 p.m. – at least for the first month, after which she’ll decide what times work best.
Sounds like something that Rachel would do.