By Stefanie Gans
“We always wanted to do this ever since we moved to Virginia,” says Stefan Trummer, of his newest venture: Trummer’s Coffee & Wine Bar.
In 2008, Trummer and his wife Victoria moved from New York City to Clifton to open Trummer’s on Main—and put other projects on hold. When developers from Virginia Gateway wanted to add a coffee shop to the Gainesville shopping center after Caribou Coffee dropped off the project, there was an opening. The space was initially offered to Cupcakes Actually—Trummer helped fund the the store, which is owned by Victoria’s step-mom and step-aunt—but when the owners weren’t ready to expand, they reached out to Trummer. Trummer then tapped Victoria’s mom, Lisa Royster.
“She was like, super excited,” says Trummer, of his mother-in-law. “It’s her life’s dream to open a coffee shop.” Friends of Royster remember her wishing about her own a coffee shop since she was 17. Previously, Royster worked for a title company and this will be her first gig in the hospitality industry, which she is already preparing: later this month she’s heading to barista school in California.
With belegte brötchen and ise cafe, Trummer’s Coffee will bring snacks and sips from the owner’s homeland of Austria. Belegte brötchen are “little, tiny open-faced sandwiches— 3-4-5 bites [and] very prettily decorated,” says Trummer. Other eat-in and to-go options will include paninis, salads, cheese plates and charcuterie. Pastry offerings will also lean Euro with (whole wheat) croissants, tortes and Trummer’s mom’s apple cake. The coffee bar will probably tap Lavazza or Illy coffee and will pay homage to Austria with ise cafe, a frappe-like drink where vanilla ice cream is whisked into coffee and topped with coffee-flavored whipped cream.
Night time brings Trummer’s signature cocktails plus wine and beer and more small plates, though the menu is still being developed. Trummer emphasizes simplicity for his second shop. This will “be like a fun little neighborhood spot,” says Trummer, with “very uncomplicated” food. / Opening February 2015; 14013 Promenade Commons St., Gainesville
