Jenny Wren Café owner to thank community with cupcakes

Not many people would throw a cupcake party after their business was robbed at gunpoint. But Jenevieve Johnson, the owner of the Jenny Wren Café in downtown Springfield, is going to do just that Saturday.
http://rutlandherald.com/article/20140425/NEWS02/704259971

The Jenny Wren Cafe coffee shop on Main Street in Springfield following an armed robbery there yesterday. Photo: Photos by Len Emery Published April 25, 2014 in the Rutland Herald Jenny Wren Café owner will thank community for its support with cupcakes By SUSAN SMALLHEER Staff Writer SPRINGFIELD — Not many people would throw a cupcake party after their business was robbed at gunpoint. But Jenevieve Johnson, the owner of the Jenny Wren Café in downtown Springfield, is going to do just that Saturday to thank the community for its support after Wednesday afternoon’s robbery. Johnson said she’s going to bake up a cupcake storm for Saturday, and ask for donations, with all the money going to the “Girls on Track” program, an offshoot of Girls on the Run, at Riverside Middle School. “One person’s actions should not make us stop believing in Springfield. This is a wonderful town filled with great people and we are not going to let poor decisions made by individuals bring us down. We are proud to be on Main Street. We are proud of the fact that the café connects people in our town and we are proud be a Springfield business. We lost money but we can’t lose heart. The drug problem needs to be solved but what can we do in the meantime? Support small businesses so moments like this don’t take them down,” she said. Johnson said Thursday that the outpouring of support after the Wednesday afternoon robbery has been nothing short of amazing and overwhelming and extremely touching. “The outpouring of love and support is so beautiful and we are so thankful. You have made it so visible why we love this town so much! We will open at 8 a.m. (our normal time) but we might be moving at half pace today while we mentally adjust,” Johnson wrote on the cafe’s Facebook page. “We are going to plan a special event for this Saturday that must include cupcakes so we hope to see you and fill the café with love and community spirit!” “I’ve always been a cheerleader for Springfield,” said Johnson, who bought the café five years ago when she was 25. “I’ve had nothing but good experiences here.” Johnson had on her hat as executive director of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday afternoon — she was at a job fair at the Murray-Nolan Center when her employee texted her about the robbery. “I came flying down,” she said. “The police were already looking for somebody.” Police late Thursday released a more detailed description of the suspect: a white male between the ages of 19 and 29, 5 feet 4 inches tall to 5 feet, 9 inches tall, with a slight build, weighing between 125 to 150 pounds. Police said the man had a dark buzz cut with acne on his face. He was wearing a red Ecko hooded sweatshirt, non-zip. There was lettering in white with a bear emblem on the sweatshirt and he was wearing baggy blue jeans. Police said he showed the clerk a black, compact semi-automatic handgun, and that he would have been in downtown Springfield between 2:40 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. Police said he may be exhibiting signs of addiction or “financial despair.” Johnson was on hand for a much busier than usual lunch rush, since she took the day off from her other job — executive director of the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce — to lend moral support to her employee who was alone in the café during the robbery. Someone sent flowers to “Team Jenny Wren,” and there was a constant flux of people just coming in and sympathizing with Johnson. There was Springfield School Superintendent Zach McLaughlin picking up lunch for his staff. And others called in to order lunch, or to promise to come in Friday if Johnson and her small staff were too busy. The café, which started life as Apron Strings Cafe, is open mornings and afternoons, and it features sandwiches with a touch of Springfield whimsy: Wellwood, Gear Shaper, Black River, Love Joy, Eureka and Crown Point. Wednesday’s armed robbery — the assailant placed a black handgun on the cafe’s counter while demanding money — wasn’t the first time the café has been robbed in the past year, Johnson said. Last fall, a regular customer stole the cafe’s tip jar. And a month or so ago someone stole an expensive leather coat from the second-hand clothing store that rents space from Jenny Wren Café. In that case, Johnson chased down the leather-coat thief because he was so brazen as to wear the jacket on Main Street minutes after he stole it. She said she chased him down, confronted him and he took off the jacket and returned it. She still reported the theft to the police. Johnson said she had lost “a good chunk” of money in the theft, but said police asked her not to disclose the amount. She said her employee’s safety was much more important than any amount of money. She praised the police for their quick response and attention. Johnson declined to give the name of her employee, saying police wanted to protect her until the robber was arrested and she was able to identify the person in a lineup. In fact, Thursday afternoon, the employee thought she saw her assailant on Main Street and Johnson called the Springfield Police Department. A business across the street saw the woman and Johnson looking at the person, and took down the car’s registration, just in case. “I’m hope this is resolved quickly,” said Johnson, as her employee talked to Officer Larry Muldoon. Johnson said she’s now going to install security cameras and at least for Thursday, she had brought a gun in to work with her. Springfield Police Chief Douglas Johnson said Muldoon had been working on the case ever since Wednesday afternoon when it happened. He said police were able to respond quickly to the café because an officer was already on The Square. “The person disappeared awfully quickly,” said the chief, saying police suspect it was a local man or someone with local connections. “I’m trying to stay positive and be positive,” she said. “We need to support each other.”