Berres Brothers Cafe to hold open house

Monday, April 30, 2007 12:48 PM CDT

Berres Brothers Café will be holding an open house for its expanded restaurant and new menu Tuesday. Local acoustic guitar artist Jeffrey James will be performing during the event.

One of the changes in the floor plan of the cafe is a Grab N' Go case featuring fresh fruit, salads, cottage cheese, cold sandwiches and wraps. Fresh bakery items will still be available daily, with hot sandwiches and soups being served Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Specialty coffee drinks received a makeover through the creative efforts of Berres Brothers baristas and customer suggestions. Eight original drinks including lattes, cappuccinos and mochas will be revealed at Tuesday's open house.

The coffee roasting company is planning a monthlong celebration in June to highlight the changes taking place. A Battle of the Bands event introducing local teen talent is planned for the first Saturday of the month. Behind the Beans Classes, which teach people how to brew a cup of coffee, will be offered the first and third Saturday of the month. There are also plans to add a lounge area in the present facility where patrons can relax, spread out on couches and utilize the café's wireless Internet.

“We've had many relationships in Watertown that have been beneficial for all involved. Now we want to focus more on how we can use the energy and values of Berres Brothers to make a difference on a regular, evolving basis,” Pete Berres of Berres Brothers said.

Plans for a fund-raising partnership with the Watertown High School DECA Club are in progress, and Maranatha Baptist Bible College has been working closely with Berres Brothers on a project with one of its business classes.

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Berres is also interested in establishing a corporate program focused on sponsoring the development of creative solutions for serving at-risk students and alternative learners.

Discussion has been held to start an “Outward Bound” type program for Watertown area students. The project would give students needing extra encouragement the opportunity to earn outdoor adventures as a part of experiential learning. These trips would be in state but also have the possibility of sending groups to Guatemala where Berres has extensive contacts through the coffee industry.