Seated in an overstuffed chair inside the new coffee house in Oconto Falls, owner Sophie Ford talks about her grandmothers with affection.
Cornelia “Corki” Ford, Sophie Ford’s paternal grandmother, was a professional artist whose seaside paintings and other artwork are displayed at Ford’s coffee house, Corki’s Cup of Joy.
“Painting was just really important to her—and cooking. Every time I smell basil, I think of her,” Ford said. “I’ve incorporated a lot of the basil and pesto tastes into the sandwiches.”
Corki passed away last year due to Alzheimer’s disease, and Ford treasures the time they spent together.
Choosing to name the coffee shop after Corki was an easy decision for Ford. She even incorporated Corki’s handwriting in the logo, which shows a coffee cup with the words “Corki’s Cup.”
“I kept all my greeting cards from her over the years, so we actually had her handwriting,” she said.
As Ford pursued the concept of opening a coffee shop, everything fell together perfectly, she said.
“I just feel like Corki’s been with me this whole time,” she said.
But not everything was perfect. She had reservations about the name when she learned her maternal grandmother felt a little jealous. Ford spent summers in northern Minnesota with Joy Madland, or “Grammy,” as she refers to her.
“She loves to cook, and she also likes to paint. I think a lot of the cooking (knowledge) I got from Joy,” Ford said.
A co-worker of Ford’s hit upon the name Corki’s Cup of Joy, thus incorporating both names, and Ford said she was thrilled with the result. Last month Madland helped Ford decorate the coffee shop.
With the help of Spaulding Construction (Ford is dating co-owner Jeff Spaulding) and Spaulding Floorworks, the former RadioShack store was converted from retail store to cozy café.
A couple oversized chairs rest close to the counter, and tall, circular tables line one wall. Square tables and chairs, each chairback imprinted with the image of a coffee cup, are scattered near the expansive front windows. Altogether they provide seating for 20.
The walls are freshly painted in warm tones of yellow, orange and brown, sectioned by wainscoting and capped by a deep-hued crown molding. Wood also encases the wide windows, accenting the openings that had previously been blocked by shelving when RadioShack leased the space.
The laminate floors have a hardwood look, and the large custom-built counter of a deep mahogany wood is showy, yet functional.
“That would be my biggest pride and joy in here—all of the woodwork, just because it turned out so rich-looking,” Ford said.
She said she wants people to experience the calm and comfortable atmosphere of a coffee shop, but for those on-the-go, there’s a drive-through window.
Corki’s Cup of Joy will offer a full coffee bar menu, with espresso, mocha, latte, tea and Door County Coffee. Menu items include hot breakfast and lunch sandwiches, plus a variety of breakfast treats such as muffins and donuts, along with quiche and soups.
“Most of the baking will not be done on-site, but it will be done daily, so it will be fresh,” said Ford, who orders many of her products from local vendors.
“I wanted to keep it as local as possible. That’s why I chose Door County as my main resource for coffee,” she said.
She also asked local art students to share their talents. McKayla Johnson and Vanessa VanDen Elzen from Oconto Falls High School filled a blackboard with her menu items, price list and logo last week.
“Art was really important to Corki, and bringing in the art department made it feel a little more that she was, kind of, overseeing it,” Ford said. “She really would’ve enjoyed that, especially having younger kids interested in art.”
Although she has no experience in running a coffee house or café, Ford said she loves to experiment with food.
“I love to cook. I absolutely love it. Even if I don’t like to eat it, I still like to cook it,” she said.
Inspired by her work at a bank, Ford earned an associate degree in financial institutions management. She was employed as a bookkeeper at Oconto County Lumber for over three years before deciding to open the coffee house.
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Ford moved to Oconto Falls as an 8-year-old when her mom married a man from the area. She attended Oconto Falls schools but graduated from a boarding school in Eagle River. She has lived in Wisconsin, Minnesota and New Mexico, but has always been lured back to Oconto Falls.
“When you walk in (an Oconto Falls business), and you have the counter person say ‘Hi’ by your first name, it means something,” she said. “I just have always liked the small-town atmosphere.”
Categories
