High-end coffee comes to city in downtown
By Lauren Parker- Gill, Staff Writer, The Times
Fuel City Cafe owners Nicole Catanese and David Long (center) were surrounded by the support of the Coatesville community and the Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce for the ribbon cutting ceremony that welcomed their new business to Coatesville Tuesday.
COATESVILLE – Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce, members of city council, the city manager, officers of the Coatesville Police Department, including Chief Laufer, friends, family and customers, gathered to welcome Coatesville’s newest business, Fuel City Café, to town with a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday morning.
Café owners Nicole Catanese and David Long felt the support of the community, which is exactly what they hoped for when they made the decision to open Fuel City Café at 247 E. Lincoln Highway in Coatesville; to bring the community together.
Catanese and Long have been planning to open a café in downtown Coatesville for about a year. Stating they previously had to drive over 6 miles for a good cup of coffee, they also wanted to encourage others to visit and invest in downtown Coatesville.
Named after Coatesville’s industrial history, the café has a cool, industrial feel with plenty of seating – for when you want to sit back, relax and enjoy your “fuel” also known as coffee.
Fuel City’s USDA organic menu offers coffee and espresso from Golden Valley Farms in West Chester. Fresh pastries, sandwiches, paninis and wraps are also from local businesses, Yori’s Bakery, Delightful Desserts and Culinary Creations in West Chester.
In addition to coffee and made-to-order espresso drinks, other beverages, such as teas and juices are also available. Detox waters and smoothies will be featured items on the menu, beginning April 1.
“Business has been awesome so far. Everyone is so supportive and welcoming.” Catanese said.
Catanese and Long hope their new cafe will bring the community together, which is how they came up with Fuel City Cafe’s tagline: cafe, coffee, community.
Stating they are regularly busy, Catanese says their customers are not only from Coatesville, but also surrounding areas, such as Exton, Downingtown and Lancaster.
Following a successful opening March 2, Fuel City hosted its first Open Mic Night a week ago and it was wildly successful.
“It was so packed, you could hardly move!” Long said.
Catanese and Long plan to host monthly open mic nights, along with other events, including a grand opening celebration in June. The block party will take place in the parking lot next to the café and though it is still in the planning stages, Catanese promises it will be a great family-friendly celebration.
Fuel City will also host painting classes, to be directed by local artist, Kelly Hewson. The first class is scheduled for April 15 from 7 – 9 p.m. and will be $30; due to space limitations, reservations are required in advance.
Hewson’s artwork also adorns the walls of Fuel City with original paintings featuring various landmarks within the city of Coatesville. They are available for purchase for $50 and up.
Immediately following the ribbon cutting, City Council president Linda Lavender- Norris quickly spread the word that Tuesday was also Catanese’s birthday. She and City Council vice president Marie Lawson then led the attendees in singing happy birthday to her, creating an even stronger sense of community that morning.
Follow Fuel City Café on Facebook to stay up-to-date on future events.
