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Cafe Van Houtte opens in downtown Oshawa

Cafe Van Houtte is open for business in downtown Oshawa. Employee Emily Menary and co-owner Jonathan Hudgin were serving up plenty of hot beverages on Feb. 16. (Photo by Dave Flaherty)

By Dave Flaherty/The Oshawa Express

There is a new but familiar face in the coffee game in Oshawa.

Café Van Houtte is open at 62 King Street West, owned by Gail Pepin, and her son Jonathan Hudgin.

Coffee enthusiasts will no doubt recognize Van Houtte, as the brand is available in grocery stores throughout the country and there are over 50 cafés in the Province of Quebec.

The Oshawa establishment is only the second in Ontario, with the other one in Ottawa.

“We were advised there was an opportunity becoming available in downtown Oshawa which was identified by Café Van Houtte as a great location for their next café,” Pepin says.

They were attracted to the prime downtown spot, located in close proximity to Oshawa City Hall and the Michael Starr Building.

“The location is across from a beautiful park and is the best corner in downtown Oshawa with very high pedestrian traffic.”

Hudgin notes they completely renovated and modernized the building to fit their vision.

“We raised the ceiling by four feet, took out walls and benches, installed a new floor and took back the outside wall right to the original brick from the 1800s, which is when the building originated.  We changed the entire layout by enhancing the kitchen and installing new heating and cooling systems,” he notes. “It was pretty much a two-month renovation.”

Café Van Houtte prides itself on being a destination of choice for those who love specialty coffee. In addition, the café also offers a wide variety of food options such as pastries, sandwiches, wraps, pizza and desserts.

All the meals are freshly prepared in the café’s kitchen.

Customers can pull up a comfortable chair and use their laptops, or even partake in a game of pool.

According to Pepin, they have built a solid customer base over the past few months.

“It has been great getting to know Oshawa. The catering business has been one of our main focuses and it is steadily building,” Pepin says.

For more information, visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VanHoutteOshawa/ or cafevanoutte.com.

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