BRIDGEPORT — For the past couple years at Jackalope Coffee and Tea House, an eclectic mix of dwellers have descended upon the colorful cafe.
There's the laptop and tablet set, the chatty interlopers, cops from the nearby police station, neighborhood old-timers, and various hipsters, students and artists. There's sometimes even a dog or two.
"We wanted to create a community center kind of vibe, not one person at one table looking at a computer," said January Overton, who co-owns the coffee house at 755 W. 32nd St. with her husband John Almonte.
Casey Cora says the clientele is quite the hodgepodge:
Now, the coffee shop is planning for a potential expansion and celebrating its two-year anniversary with a bang with a big old block party, complete with record vendors, jewelry makers, art work, free samples and live music from a rock band all dressed like the Hamburglar and a retro lounge act with a spacey vibe.
The event takes place noon-6 p.m. Saturday inside and outside of the coffee shop. It's free to attend. Here's a look at the day's festivities:
1:45-2:45 p.m. The Hamburglars
1-3 p.m. Carla Starla performs free psychic readings
2:10-3:10 p.m. Fido to Go Food Truck sells gourmet doggie items
3:00-4:30 p.m. The Astronauts Space Age Lounge Combo
Overton said the idea to start the coffee shop is rooted in her own experiences growing up in Bridgeport.
"I went to the North Side to do the things I wanted to do, so we wanted to do something here in the neighborhood for people who grew up here," she said.
Two years into owning the operation, Overton said she's learned lessons about surviving in the world of small business.
For instance, she's decided against keeping the place open later than 8 p.m. because "c'mon, no one drinks coffee after 7 p.m." and that slow, steady growth is better for business than rapidly rising.
"It means longer-term success," she said. "We're kind of seeing that."
And it also means a possible foray into liquor sales.
It's early, but Overton said the Jackalope team is kicking around the idea of expanding the cafe to include a full-service bar with craft beer and cocktails.
"We're trying to make it where the first two rooms are for students and families and the third room would have this upscale feel without an upscale price," she said.
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