After years of working in Old Town restaurants, and another eight years in the telecomm industry, Janet Kimmel went for broke. She decided to make her dream of opening up her own restaurant a reality. . “Be careful what you wish for,” said Kimmel.
She contacted the Small Business Administration and within a week, she had a loan. She realized that once she had the loan, she had to do it: She had to open her restaurant.
Kimmel looked for the right place, rejecting spaces in Old Town because she wanted a neighborhood place. When she found a space at 5735 Telegraph Road, she decided it was just right.
With lease in hand, Kimmel and her sister set about transforming the space that used to hold Hearthstone Bookshop. They laid a new floor, hung ceiling tiles, painted walls and ordered new furniture. They thought it would take three months to complete; it took 10.
In the meantime, people were watching and waiting, driving by and wondering what this new place would look like. On Dec. 23, the wait was over. Janet’s Java opened and the customers came, customers like Kathy Sims, who lives across the street. “I watched this place being built. I come in all the time now,” she said.
KIMMEL STARTED to gain favor with the neighborhood right away. Carol Bradfield came to Janet’s Java on opening night, just as the Kimmel was closing for the night.
“Janet gave us a big plate of pastries that she said was going to get thrown away,” Bradfield said. “We took some of them to a neighbor who has cancer. That’s the kind of person Janet is.”
Bradfield’s been back many times; last week she was there with her daughter, Ashley, getting a cup of coffee.
Lauren Cevenini is another regular. “I live right down the street. We’re very excited that there’s a local coffee shop. It’s just nice to have a place to stop on Telegraph Road,” she said.
The teachers at Browne Academy were anxious for Janet’s Java to open. “We were waiting for it to open, I just love it,” said Jean Farquhar, one of those teachers. Last week, she stopped by to get coffee and lattes. “I’m working on grades and need extra energy,” she said.
Kimmel said that the neighborhood has embraced her. “We get big support from the local community.” The owner of the adjacent florist, Festival of Flowers, brings by a couple of vases of fresh flowers every week.
Kimmel gives back by providing a home to local musical groups looking for a venue and local artists looking for space to hang their art. Musicians don’t get paid, but they have the option of putting out a tip jar when they perform, and can sell their CDs.
Artists have the opportunity to expose their work for a few months and possible sell some of their pieces. Hanging there now are the works of Sidney Platt, Jane Jordan and Dan Schwartz.
IT’S MORE THAN the kind of place where “everybody knows your name;” Janet’s Java is becoming the place to go. With live music every weekend, open mic night once a month, special events and local art, there’s a little bit of everything.
Last month, Janet’s Java sponsored a “Bike Night,” initiated by two regular customers, Caroline and Scott Pardue, who rides a motorcycle. At his suggestion, Kimmel set up tents and barbecue pits, and bikers came from all over to spend the afternoon in the parking lot by Janet’s Java. The band Don’t Panic entertained the crowd.
They are just one of the local bands who have performed at Kimmel’s new place. Kerry Miller’s band Less Than Zero performed a couple of weeks ago, and Andreas Barrett’s group The Rub has been there several times.
Last week, Barrett emceed Open Mic Night. “They have great acoustics in here,” he said. Miller said that there was a nice crowd when his group performed and he came to Open Mic Night last week just to see who was playing.
The ML Band has played there and is scheduled to come back again in November. “They are a fun group of people,” said Kimmel. “There’s a teacher, a veterinarian and an architect.” Patrick Garrity’s group Otis Finch has also performed there.
MAYBE IT’S BECAUSE Janet’s Java is so friendly, or maybe because it has a no-smoking policy. But the café has turned out to be a place where parents feel comfortable bringing their children. As far as Kimmel is concerned, children are welcome anytime, as are babies.
Several mothers can attest to this. Marcia Simpson comes in often with her 2-month-old baby and 3-year-old daughter, Lauren Simpson. “She loves to come and play with the toys,” said Simpson.
Simpson knew about Janet’s Java because she worked alongside Kimmel at Wayfarers. “It’s kind of like St. Elmo’s but much brighter,” Simpson said. “There’s always women with strollers. This area really needed something like this.”
Simpson comes in twice a week to meet with other mothers. “It’s comfortable, clean, bright and cheery,” she said.
It’s not just adults who have found out that this is a great place to hang out. Kimmel said that many of the high school students stop by on their way home. Last week, Jimmy Dimon stopped by with his sister, Liz Dimon.
“This is a great spot,” he said.
ATMOSPHERE ISN’T the only thing attracting customers to Janet’s Java. The food and drinks draw their own crowd. They make salads and sandwiches there; fresh pastries come from Mancin’s, Hollin Hall Pastry Shop and Candy Briffa, former pastry chef with The Willard.
Specialty coffee comes from the Daily Roast in Annapolis. Kimmel said that they also feature Fair Trade coffees. “Janet is awesome, the coffee is great and the tuna salad is excellent,” said Cevenini.
Bradfield said, “I really hoped that they knew how to make cappuccino, and they do.”
Sims said, “The desserts are good, coffee is great. I was a Starbucks junkie, but I’d much rather come here.”
“I like the chocolate cake,” said Lauren Simpson.
Kimmel is pleased with what she has created thus far. She likes the fact that her coffee house really has become a neighborhood place. “A lot of customers come and help themselves behind the bar,” she said.
“It’s nice to have a neighborhood place. We meet a lot of people from the neighborhood,” said Sims. Kimmel plans to hold two more bike nights this summer, and is also hoping to have a luau and a crab feast. She’s also available for private parties.