Fresh coffee flies into downtown

Downtown Springfield’s coffee drought may be coming to an end in the spring.

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www.lyingcrowcoffee.com

Fresh coffee flies into downtown By STEPHEN SEITZ Special to the Eagle Times Oct 9, 2018 Fresh coffee COURTESY SPRINGFIELD, Vt. -- Downtown Springfield’s coffee drought may be coming to an end in the spring. There hasn’t been a coffee shop downtown since the Jenny Wren Cafe closed several years ago, but lately the aroma of roasting coffee has been permeating downtown Springfield, thanks to the newly established Flying Crow Coffee roasting company, which is located at 3 Main Street. Proprietor Ben Hills approached the Springfield board of selectmen on Monday night to ask for a revolving fund loan of $10,240 to expand his roasting capacity from two pounds per batch to nine. The improved capacity, he said, would speed growth and enable him to hire employees. “”This is a timely and important addition to downtown,” Bob Flint, the executive director of the Springfield Regional Development Corp. told the board. “They hope to open a cafe by November.” Hills said he has a degree from Cordon Bleu of America and has been both a home and professional beer brewer. “This is based on my passion for fresh roasted coffee, which I discovered in 2005,” he said. “Since then, I haven’t looked back.” The board approved the loan, with a ten-year repayment schedule. In other action, the board decided to opt for a temporary repair for the the bakery building roof on Main Street. “There are leaks in the main roof,” said town manager Tom Yennerell. “Since it’s been so rainy lately, we’ve noticed damage to the third floor, mostly staining. We do have some quotes: $33,000 for a standing seam roof, and about $24,000 for a membrane. The current roof is made up of 2-foot pieces of fabricated metal. It’s an old, old roof.” Yennerell noted that nothing major could be done before spring. Selectwoman Stephanie Thompson asked, “Could we do half the roof now and finish the rest in the spring?” “That can be done for $3,000 or less,” Yennerell said. Yennerell also reported a setback with the Vermont Agency of Transportation on upgrading the sidewalks on South Street, particularly in the area of Jake’s South Street Market. “They rejected our plans,” Yennerell said. “Our goal is still to put the project out to bid in winter. That’s the best time for projects like these. We will work to resolve this quickly.” School board member Stephen Karaffa, who also acts as liaison to the selectmen, asked if there was anything the school board could do to help. ‘We need wider sidewalks,” he said. “As it is now, three kids take up the whole walk.” The board took no action. Those wanting more information about Flying Crow Coffee should visit the Web site, www.flyingcrowcoffee.com.