Stamford cycling shop keeps rolling with new cafe
Seeking to capitalize on customers' penchant for enjoying a post-ride cup of coffee with fellow cyclists, co-owners Julie and Yori Gabay opened last month the Pacific Cafe coffee bar in their store at 984 High Ridge Road.
Pacific Cafe stands a few hundred yards from the Starbucks in the High Ridge Center shopping plaza, but the Gabays and their colleagues said that they view their venture as a distinct gathering place that is not aiming to compete with the giant across the road.
The Gabays had contemplated opening a cafe in their store for a couple of years, dating back to when their business was based on Pacific Street in the city's South End.
Pacific Cafe's offerings include coffees such as the "Bullet Proof" variety, which contains MCT oil and grass-fed butter, espressos, hot chocolate and teas.
In its first few weeks, the cafe has already attracted longtime customers, new clients who do not cycle and employees of neighboring businesses.
"If you ever go cycling outside the country... after you finish any kind of bike ride, you hang out at the coffee shop," Nascimento said.
[...] the Gabays plan to hire a barista so that they will be able to keep running the cafe when cycling sales pick up again in the spring.