7/9/2010 6:00:00 AM Watershed serving community, now coffee
Watershed Community Cafe, 129 E. Main St., is Stoughon’s newest coffeehouse and is run by Watershed Community Church. Pictured, from left, are: Cheryl Housely, coordinator/event planner, Jeff Lovell, pastor and Jason Rowe, coffeeshop manager.
At a glance
Location: 129 E. Main St. Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 7-11 a.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Featuring: Coffee, espresso drinks, tea, light bakery Of Note: On Sundays Watershed meets for church in the coffeehouse at 10 a.m. however the business remains open and serving during that time. On the web: www.iamwatershed.com
Two-and-a-half years ago, a small group of people met at Jeff Lovell’s home to discuss the concept of a new church – and how it could best serve the community. Now that same group is not only serving the community – they’re serving coffee, as well.
As coffee shops go, Stoughton’s newest java joint is fairly typical: an array of coffee beverages, espresso and tea, a small assortment of bakery items, comfy couches, café tables and free WiFi.
But what’s unique about this coffeehouse is that it doubles as the meeting place for Watershed: a community church on Sundays.
Watershed Coffee is the business side of this laid-back, come-as-you-are congregation that’s made up mainly of 20 through 40-somethings who simply wanted to have their place in Stoughton. Their pastor, Jeff Lovell, said the coffee house was the fruition of the congregation’s desire to play a larger role in the community.
“The concept of church has always been that of a place or somewhere to go,” Lovell said. “But faith is way more than a Sunday morning trip to the church. Faith is living it. We’re offering people a chance to be a part of something hopeful.
“We didn’t just have to have a coffee shop or just to serve coffee,” Lovell noted. “We wanted to be a part of this community ... and foremost what makes us succeed are that we are good people with a great product.”
Watershed Coffee offers a light, airy atmosphere with seating for about 40-50 people. There are a variety of seating options, including couches, chairs and tables, and even some super-comfy lounge-type seating.
Built-in bookshelves offer patrons a chance to read anything from “To Kill a Mockingbird” to the latest issue of Country Living magazine. The front end of the shop is slightly elevated and offers a large window for plenty of natural light. That space will double as a stage when Watershed gets around to bringing in entertainment (kids story times, family nights and more are being discussed).
In the back, a large children’s area features a variety of toys and books for little ones, with nearby seating for mom and dad to keep a watchful eye. And plenty of small tables to fit a cup or two of coffee.
Watershed offers a full array of coffee and espresso beverages, from lattes to mochas and everything in between.
Right now, they have a small variety of pre-packaged bakery items, just until Watershed can secure a local vendor for fresh products. And in addition to the caffeinated beverages, they’ll soon be selling a variety of juices, milk, bottled water and soda.
It’s true, many a Dane County resident is fond of Ancora coffee, the joe that brews at Watershed. But as Lovell stressed, caffeine is not the only thing they hope to serve.
“Last summer, as a group we sat down and discussed the needs of this community,” he said. “And we started talking about our own dreams. A coffee shop in the heart of downtown was a natural inroad for us.”
However, Lovell said Watershed isn’t just there to get people to buy coffee or simply have a business. “We’re not just here to get people to do our thing, we want to help people along the way,” Lovell said. “Coffee is simply something that puts us on common ground.”
Watershed raised enough money to lease the building, which comprises three levels. The main level is where the coffee house operates. The lower level will be constructed as part of phase II. And the third level is an apartment – which Watershed is using as “affordable housing” for people in need. “We have tenants living in there now,” said Lovell. “It’s a young couple who could really use a break.”
At 1,800 square feet per floor, Lovell said they were fortunate the building owner “shared the same vision” as they did. With the coffee house up and running on the main level, the group has big plans for the rest of it.
Lovell said the basement will serve as classroom and meeting space for the group, and anyone else in the community who might need a place to convene. It will also serve as the church’s home base for helping those in need.
“Our plan is to have weekly or monthly projects – depending on their scope – that reflect those needs,” Lovell said. “At the end of the year we’ll have some big bulletin board showing all the ways simply buying a cup of coffee can help.”
Their first project?
A food pantry of sorts, minus the food.
“When we talked about needs, we realized Stoughton already has a great resources for food and clothing, but we wanted to be able to offer a need that couldn’t be purchased with food stamps or isn’t readily available in the food pantries, Lovell said.
“So we talked about being able to offer personal items and especially diapers and wipes for babies. That stuff can really add up.”
Of course in order to do that, they have to sell a lot of coffee. So Lovell and the rest of his group are hoping the community-at-large will think about where they are getting their brew, and consider how buying from them will help the everyone in the area. How?
A big portion of all proceeds the church gets from coffee sales will go back to meet needs in the community.
“It’s been a great team effort making it all come together,” said Lovell. “The shop is run all on volunteer time, which I think shows a commitment to he people of this community.”
Watershed is an Independent Christian Church, that is, if you have to label them.
“That’s the box we’re in, if that works,” said Lovell.
“Really, we’re just a non-denominational community-focused church.
“We’re all about being a church in this community, living out a life of love, generosity and grace.”
