ORANGEVILLE - An Orangeville native and his family are hoping to bring some new life into the small town after re-opening a cafe that was closed for several months.
Now Monroe residents, Justin Thomas and his wife, Amy, are a couple who always wanted to open a restaurant or bar but never got around to working out specifics. But when the restaurant where Justin often ate with family and friends throughout his childhood closed, everything seemingly fell into place.
"We just decided to venture out on our own and give it a shot," Justin said.
Today, anyone can stop in to Thomas' Cafe Three Eleven on Orangeville's High Street to enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner. The location used to house Podunk, which closed about a year and a half ago.
Justin, a 2002 Orangeville High School graduate, isn't new to the food industry. He spent six years working as a clubhouse manager at the Monroe country club and was in charge of food for all dinners and parties, as well as the bar.
His love for food started early, and by age 11 he was helping his grandparents, Audrey and Asa Wilcox, make pizzas at their popular bar and grill in Orangeville called Asa's.
Amy works as a dental assistant at Green Valley Dental in Monroe. Now, the couple work together often and say they've enjoyed the opportunity. They have two children, Preston, 5, and Paige, 2.
"We don't get to see each other much otherwise," Amy said.
The cafe officially opened Dec. 13, and the Thomas' said they have received positive feedback from both customers and the community.
"It's been really cool getting to meet a lot of new people and bringing people into town," Justin said. "It's been good for everybody."
The cafe offers breakfast and lunch items along with baked pastries and desserts all made from scratch.
The Thomas' employ seven people at the cafe, including Bobby Dinges, an Orangeville native, as the cook and Jeannine Parriott, an Orangeville resident, as the baker who is most well-known for her desserts.
"I've got a phenomenal staff going on," Justin said.
The couple spent about six months renovating the space to give it a fresh look. They had the ceiling raised, repainted the walls and turned an adjacent room into a sitting/waiting area for patrons. The walls feature local framed art for customers to enjoy while they eat.
The cafe is open for breakfast and lunch Wednesday through Sunday and is also open for dinners on Friday night. The Thomas' are planning to extend their hours soon by serving dinner Wednesday through Sunday.
Patrons can rent the cafe for parties or events, and the Thomas' will also offer catering. They plan to host live music and "wine and paint parties" in the near future. They already have a "sign and wine party" planned for Feb. 24, where attendees will paint a wooden sign while drinking wine.
"It's been great getting back into town and seeing everybody," Justin said. "We wanted to try to bring back the town a little."
Now Monroe residents, Justin Thomas and his wife, Amy, are a couple who always wanted to open a restaurant or bar but never got around to working out specifics. But when the restaurant where Justin often ate with family and friends throughout his childhood closed, everything seemingly fell into place.
"We just decided to venture out on our own and give it a shot," Justin said.
Today, anyone can stop in to Thomas' Cafe Three Eleven on Orangeville's High Street to enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner. The location used to house Podunk, which closed about a year and a half ago.
Justin, a 2002 Orangeville High School graduate, isn't new to the food industry. He spent six years working as a clubhouse manager at the Monroe country club and was in charge of food for all dinners and parties, as well as the bar.
His love for food started early, and by age 11 he was helping his grandparents, Audrey and Asa Wilcox, make pizzas at their popular bar and grill in Orangeville called Asa's.
Amy works as a dental assistant at Green Valley Dental in Monroe. Now, the couple work together often and say they've enjoyed the opportunity. They have two children, Preston, 5, and Paige, 2.
"We don't get to see each other much otherwise," Amy said.
The cafe officially opened Dec. 13, and the Thomas' said they have received positive feedback from both customers and the community.
"It's been really cool getting to meet a lot of new people and bringing people into town," Justin said. "It's been good for everybody."
The cafe offers breakfast and lunch items along with baked pastries and desserts all made from scratch.
The Thomas' employ seven people at the cafe, including Bobby Dinges, an Orangeville native, as the cook and Jeannine Parriott, an Orangeville resident, as the baker who is most well-known for her desserts.
"I've got a phenomenal staff going on," Justin said.
The couple spent about six months renovating the space to give it a fresh look. They had the ceiling raised, repainted the walls and turned an adjacent room into a sitting/waiting area for patrons. The walls feature local framed art for customers to enjoy while they eat.
The cafe is open for breakfast and lunch Wednesday through Sunday and is also open for dinners on Friday night. The Thomas' are planning to extend their hours soon by serving dinner Wednesday through Sunday.
Patrons can rent the cafe for parties or events, and the Thomas' will also offer catering. They plan to host live music and "wine and paint parties" in the near future. They already have a "sign and wine party" planned for Feb. 24, where attendees will paint a wooden sign while drinking wine.
"It's been great getting back into town and seeing everybody," Justin said. "We wanted to try to bring back the town a little."