Coffee Shops

I like coffee…and coffee shops. So does my husband. My town, Northfield, supports six coffee shops for 20,000+ people. It seems coffee shops are one business that usually “makes it” in small towns. 

An antique creamer filled with milk set next to a coffee cup for perspective.

I remember traveling with my parents when I was younger and going to cafes in small towns, where my mom and dad would get their coffee. At that time there was only one kind of coffee to choose from (well…maybe two…caffeinated and decaffeinated). If you wanted cream it came in little, individual glass bottle sealed with a paper cap. I liked to drink any left over cream my dad didn’t use in his coffee.

It seems coffee shops are the new “cafes”. It’s easier to find a coffee shop in small towns, than a cafe.

This coffeehouse had curbside apeal.

On our way home from our recent road trip to Colorado we decided to get off the interstate for the last 400 miles of our drive. Instead of staying on Interstate 80 we took back roads through parts of Nebraska and Iowa into Minnesota. We made fine time with less traffic and less rush. 

In the entrance to Milady Coffeehouse is a mural of the May brothers, and three antique bicycles on display, which we always like to see.

On road trips usually our first task when we start out is to find coffee. We have a cup of coffee at the hotel but we always look forward to getting a better cup of coffee at a coffee shop.

The kitchen wall and more tables in the balcony.

We scouted out one coffee shop along the new route, not far from the hotel, but when we got there we discovered it was closed on Sundays. So we went on to the next town searching for the next coffee shop, which happened to be Fremont, Nebraska. 

Set up for streaming a church service on the big screen.

We were delighted with our find of Milady Coffeehouse in the historic downtown area, not far off our route. It was housed in an old restored building, the May Brothers Building built in 1881, with eclectic décor and delicious coffee choices.  

Brick, crystal chandelier and metal art…a fun combination.

It was not crowded so we enjoyed looking around. There was a small stage with a big screen TV and they were preparing to stream a church service, with social distancing. There were groupings of sofa and chairs, counter with stools, hi-top tables with chairs, all around the large gathering space. 

A lone person at the window table.
A door to separate the space if needed.

The name Milady comes from a brand of coffee that the May brothers sold within the same walls 130 years ago, when it was the May Brother’s Wholesale Grocery. There was an old “Milady” coffee tin and jar on display.

It was a fun diversion for our coffee break that morning, to find such a great place on the back roads. Too bad this wonderful coffee shop is 330 miles away.

I liked this artwork in the women’s bathroom.

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8 thoughts on “Coffee Shops”

    1. You’re welcome.
      I would love it to be closer…it would be a fun day trip destination.
      If I lived near Fremont I’d be there a lot. 😉

  3. Oh my gosh, I would love to have that coffee shop in our town!! I would love to just go in there, sit, and journal. How fun that you found such an appealing place! So great! You and Gary make great discoveries in your travels!

  4. Maybe we never started that coffee shop as we talked about all those years ago when they were just beginning to be popular but they sure are a lovely place to relax and chat. Dave and I discovered a charming one yesterday after hiking with friends called the Mad River Coffee house. Hope you find many more.

    1. I’d like to think our coffee shop would have been a lovely place to relax and chat!
      I wonder…would we all still live in the Burnsville/Lakeville area? Sometimes it’s interesting to think of what if…

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