click to enlarge - Courtesy
- Gavin Wynkoop-Fischer and Maggie Gray of the Buttery
Maggie Gray and Gavin Wynkoop-Fischer are in the process of opening a neighborhood market and espresso and wine bar in the former Cosmic Cup Café space in downtown St. Johnsbury.
The Buttery is inspired by Fox Market and Bar in East Montpelier and the Genny in Craftsbury, Gray, 33, told Seven Days. She'd hoped one of those businesses would open a location in St. Johnsbury, but as they expanded elsewhere, she and Wynkoop-Fischer, 34, decided to do it themselves.
"We felt like we were filling a few niches that were important in St. J, and the opportunity was kind of ripe," Wynkoop-Fischer said. "We want to add to the energy that's moving forward in town."
The Cosmic Cup closed its doors at 379 Railroad Street in January. Gray operates Haven, a secondhand furniture and home goods store, in the same building. She and Wynkoop-Fischer have signed a provisional lease pending the completion of a crowdfunding campaign for funds to purchase Cosmic Cup's kitchen equipment. If all goes well, they'll open by early June.
The Buttery will serve bagels from Cosmic Cup's Liv Genier and a "snacky" evening menu, including build-your-own charcuterie boards, Gray said. It will also host pop-ups, building on collaborations she started at Haven with Montpelier catering biz Agatha and Eden Ciders. Gray will manage the wine bar, focusing on local and regional natural wines and bottles under $30.
Wynkoop-Fischer has worked in the Upper Valley's coffee industry for the past five years. He's spearheading the creation of the Buttery's espresso bar, where he'll "nerd out" on coffee from roasters such as Northfield's Carrier Roasting, Burlington's Brio Coffeeworks and Woodstock's Abracadabra Coffee, he said.
At Haven, people often stop in just to chat. The Buttery will have the same vibe, Gray said — and midcentury furniture.