Legacy begins at Circa Coffee

A new café has opened in the Covington Arts District in a space that formerly housed Pike Street Press and, earlier this year, an office for the Obama campaign.

Circa Coffee, at 222 W Pike Street, has been open between the hours of 7 AM and 3 PM for about a month.

Alex Cunningham, who handles the menu for the café, says business has picked up as word has spread through word of mouth.

"We haven't even started to pass out flyers yet," he says.  "Once we start that, business is really going to boom."

In addition to a selection of coffees and teas, Circa Coffee serves classic sandwiches and soups.

In the future, Cunningham plans to draw upon his culinary background to add more adventurous items to the menu.

"Our menu is eclectic, but friendly to everybody," he says.  "If the community has a good recipe, we'll try it out for a week."

The space features plush seating spaces, a fireplace, free Wi-Fi, and a big screen TV - inviting patrons to linger.

"I grew up watching Cheers," Cunningham says.  "We aim to be at a point where the community embraces us so much that it becomes a legacy.  And then one day I can bring my grandchildren and tell them, 'I helped start this place'."

"It's not that Starbucks, cliché kind of atmosphere," says Nathan Rushman, a NKU student who works at the café.  "We're going to be real here."

In the future, they would like to bring in bands to play unplugged sessions.

"One thing up and coming with the area is the Mad Hatter," Cunningham says.  "And the Madison.  It's a big music area.  We want to be part of that."

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Sources: Alex Cunningham and Nathan Rushman, Circa Coffee
Photography by Scott Beseler