New & Established Artists for January 2012 Art Exhibit

Happy New Year!  We have a new art exhibit up to celebrate the first month of the year.  I think you’ll enjoy this exhibit, it features art work from a new artist and artwork from an established artist.  The result is fresh and fun!

New artist Billy Basinger: Billy Graduated from Shawnee High School in Lima, Ohio in 2007. He is currently studying architecture at Miami University of Ohio with a minor focus in painting. He is set to graduate from Miami in the spring of 2013. After graduating he plans to focus on fine arts specifically that of painting and also kinesiology, in the pursuit of master programs in both fields.

Established artist Barbara Spurgeon: Home grown artist Barbara Spurgeon returns to Lima, Ohio after living in Texas for 25 years. Allen County trees and wild flowers are a favorite subject matter of Barbara’s water color paintings, but she paints other things as well. Barbara teaches watercolor classes, gives demonstrations, and does custom painting. She is a member of the Lima Area Watercolor Society and regularly participates in their art exhibits (St. Rita’s Hospital, 2nd floor). Barbara enjoys home decorating and likes to talk about home repair projects, floor covering, and wall treatment. She also cooks a pretty good soup.
Web Site: http://www.spurgeonfinearts.com

Billy Basinger Poses in Front of Two of His Pieces

Dual Art Exhibit Opens This Saturday, December 10th

Gallery Space Expanded to Feature Two Artists

Dual Art Exhibit Opens This Saturday, December 10th

Lima, Ohio – Due to long waiting lists and the popularity of their art exhibits, The Meeting Place on Market has expanded its art exhibit space to allow two artists to exhibit at a time. The first dual art exhibit featuring all the gallery space opens this Saturday, December 10^th, from 1-3 pm.

Fine artist and photographer June T. Bell and graphic artist Toni Beener will be showcasing their artwork throughout the month of December. June Trefz Bell earned an Associate of Applied Science in Livestock Production from The Ohio State University. Growing up on a farm in rural central Ohio gave June her agricultural roots and her strong sense of family. Although her formal training was not in the arts, her creativity and talents took her in a direction different from her degree. After the completion of an eight week Business Plan Course from the Bluffton Center for Entrepreneurs, Bellz Artistry LLC, June Trefz Bell, Artist/Owner was formed.

Peace and Tranquility, photograph by June T. Bell

Toni Beener began building websites for clients using and developing her own art graphics in 2005. Encouraged by family and friends to go into digital art, she delved into the study of digital art and the computer artistry programs she uses. She uses a variety of photography, including her own, for the elements she instills into her work and always has a camera ready for any new ideas. Before Toni entered the world of digital art she was a freelance writer; she still pursues writing when time allows. She is a member of Riverside Art Center in Wapakoneta and the HTML Writer’s Guild.

Rhapsody, graphic art by Toni Beener

The public can meet both artists at an opening reception on Saturday, December 10^th, from 1-3 pm at The Meeting Place on Market, 220 West Market Street in downtown Lima. A local author will also be hosting a book signing during that time. Karen Bowden-Cox will be available to sign copies of her book, Honorable Revolution: A War Worthy of Sacrifice. Author Karen Bowden-Cox wrote the epic saga of her grandparents, five generations removed, in tense thrillers appropriate for teens through adults, males and females alike. A cum laude graduate of Ohio Northern University in Ada and a summa cum laude post graduate of Wright State University in Dayton, the author taught English, French, and journalism, earning “Teacher of Year Award” at Delphos Jefferson in 1991.

Honorable Revolution by Karen Bowden-Cox

The artists’ artwork and the author’s books will be available for sale, making perfect Christmas gifts with a local flavor. For more information, visit www.meetingplaceonmarket.com or call 419-222-0985.

Use the Downtown Lima Holiday Shopping Pass & Win Prizes!

Do you miss the times when Christmas shopping was fun?  When you looked forward to strolling through the streets, looking at the beautiful window displays, instead of waiting in lines longer than your driveway?  When you shopped at a slower pace, running into people you meet, instead of running them over in a dash to get the last thingy-ma-bob?

I sure do.  Although I was born in the 70s, I still experienced some of that kind of shopping in my travels to bigger cities and Europe.  One of the reasons we wanted to open a coffee shop in downtown Lima is that we wanted to experience that type of community shopping again.  Not only does it foster a greater sense of community, it’s just more fun, and it benefits our local economy.

In the spirit of community shopping, a group of downtown shops has joined together to create the Holiday Shopping Pass, a shopping map that rewards downtown shopping with the chance to win prizes.

The Holiday Shopping Pass lists nine downtown shops that offer fun and unique holiday shopping experiences. As customers visit the shops, they can present the pass and get a special sticker for each location. Once a customer has filled the pass with stickers from at least seven retailers, it can be turned in for the prize drawing. Winners will be drawn on December 22^nd. Three prizes are available:

The Relaxation Package: Large gourmet coffee and tea gift basket from The Meeting Place on Market, with a variety of comic
books and graphic novels from Alter Ego Comics, & a $50 gift certificate from David’s Finery.

The Looking Good Package: A $50 gift certificate from each: Don Jenkins Jewelry, Nitza’s, and Hofeller, Hiatt and Clark.

The Pampered Artist Package: 72” Zeikos Pro tripod from Mack Camera ($80 value), a $50 gift certificate for an art class from ArtSpace Lima, and a $50 gift certificate from Pears Avenue Boutique.

The shopping pass not only offers a fun way for people to find the perfect gift, it also benefits our community.

Based on the Civic Economics Andersonville Study of Retail Economics, if every family in the country spent an extra $10 a month with a locally-owned, independent business instead of a national chain, over $9.3 billion would be directly returned to local economies.^[i]

Participating retailers are:

Alter Ego Comics, comic books
and movie and TV collectibles, 230 N. Main St., www.alteregocomics.com,
419-224-6700

ArtSpace/ Lima Gift Shoppe, hand-made art work and gifts,
65 Town Square, www.artspacelima.com, 419-222-1721

David’s Finery, gifts and decorative items, 115 N.
Elizabeth St., www.davidsfinery.com, 419-222-7089

Don Jenkins, fine jewelry, 117 N. Elizabeth St.,
419-224-3211

Hofeller, Hiatt, & Clark, quality men’s clothing, 237
N. Main St., www.hofellers.com, 419-228-5621

Mack Camera, cameras & photography, 119 N. Elizabeth
St., 419-225-5876

Nitza’s, ladies boutique and tailor shop, 300 N. Main St., www.facebook.com/nitzasinlima,
419-227-3877

Pears Avenue Boutique (Opening sometime in November), unique
furniture and décor, 300 N. Main St., www.pearsavenue.net

The Meeting Place on Market, gourmet coffee, tea and gift
baskets, 220 W. Market St., www.meetingplaceonmarket.com,
419-222-0985

Holiday Shopping Passes can be  picked up at any participating retailer, or downloaded from www.downtownlimaohio.com. Completed passes must be turned in by December 21^st, 2011, at the Civic Center Business Office, 7 Town
Square, open Monday – Friday, 12 – 5 pm.

Download the Downtown Lima Holiday Shopping Pass

---

[i]
Based on Civic Economics Andersonville Study of Retail
Economics: When you spend $100 at an independent business, $68 returns to the
local economy versus $43 when spent with a national chain. Based on U.S. Census
projection of 115 million households.
From: http://www.independentwestand.org/spend_local/

Gluten Free Cooking Class November 17th

Learn how to make gluten‐free sandwich bread and gluten‐free
muffins with The Meeting Place on Market’s baker, Mary Weis!
Food tasting included!

When:  Thursday, November 17th, 6—7 pm.

Cost:  $10/attendee

Where:  Classes at The Meeting Place on Market, 220 W. Market St.

How to Sign-Up: Download this Gluten-Free Cooking Class Sign-Up Sheet to sign-up.  Bring it in to The Meeting Place, or email:  info@meetingplaceonmarket.com, or mail it to:  The Meeting Place on Market, 220 West Market Street.

Local Food Producers or Food Artisans Sought

We are looking for some local food producers or food artisans who want to sell their items at The Meeting Place on Market!

The Meeting Place on Market is hoping to offer a select collection of quality food items made with whole ingredients by area producers or artisans. The products we sell must be made with pure ingredients and provided by independent owners. Honey, flour, and handmade chocolates are just a few examples of the type of food items from local producers that we would like to offer for sale.

We are reconfiguring our store layout to set aside an area dedicated to these types of items. We are also looking for a display freezer for frozen baked goods or other frozen items (if you know of someone who has a good used freezer available, we would love to know about it).

If you are interested in submitting your products for considering, or if you have questions, please contact Jennifer Brogee, 419-236-5711, Jennifer@kaffeescape.com.

List of Our Made from Scratch Bakery Items

Made From Scratch With Wholesome Ingredients

Order now for the holidays and don’t worry about it anymore!  We can mark your order to be ready on a specific date.  Stop in, or give us a call!  419-222-0985.  Email:  info@meetingplaceonmarket.com

Download Bakery Flyer

Traditional Baked Goods

Yeast Breads

Buttermilk, Cranberry Walnut, Wheat, Oatmeal, Rosemary Orange, Rosemary Onion, Rye

Quick Breads

Banana, Banana Nut, Chocolate, Hawaiian, Pumpkin, Zucchini, Zucchini Nut, Zucchini Cranberry

Muffins

Blueberry, Vanilla, Lemon Poppy Seed

Mocha, Chocolate Chip, Banana, and more

Cinnamon Rolls

With or without pecans

Apple Pie Squares

Fruit Tarts

Raspberry, Blueberry, Cherry

Baked Egg Casserole

Southwestern, Three Cheese, Bacon & Swiss, and more

Gluten Free Baked Goods*

Gluten-Free Breads

Sandwich, Challah, Orange Juice Bread, Pumpkin, Banana Nut, Banana

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

Gluten-Free Cookies

Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter

Gluten-Free Muffins

Blueberry, variety of other flavors

Gluten-Free Brownies

Gluten-Free Cakes/ Coffee Cakes

Carrot, Yellow, Chocolate, Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Gluten-Free Pies

Variety of fruit and cream pies

* Although we do everything we can to keep items gluten-free, items are baked in a kitchen that also bakes items with wheat  and gluten.

Sugar Free Baked Goods

Sugar-Free Cookies

Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin,

Peanut Butter

Sugar-Free Muffins

Blueberry, plus a variety of other flavors

Sugar-Free Cakes/ Coffee Cakes

Rhubarb, Peach, Strawberry Streusel,

Blueberry Streusel, Apple Cinnamon

Sugar-Free Pies

Variety of fruit and cream pies

Desserts

Jumbo Cookies

Hershey’s Chocolate Chunk, Reese’s Peanut Butter

Cheesecakes

Black Cherry Forest, Blueberry Swirl, Caramel Chocolate, Chocolate Chip, German Chocolate, Harvest Apple, Heath, Mint Chocolate Chip, Mocha Chocolate Chip, New York, Oreo, Buckeye (PB & Choc), Pumpkin Swirl, Raspberry Swirl, Reese’s, Strawberry Swirl, Triple Chocolate, Lemon Swirl

Cakes

Brown Butter Raspberry, Brown Butter Apricot, Checkerboard, Chocolate, Chocolate Cherry, Chocolate Raspberry, and more

Pies

Apple, Apple Crunch, Apple Cranberry, Caramel Apple, Burst O Berry, Banana Cream, Butterscotch, Old-Fashioned Sugar Cream, Cherry Blueberry, Cherry, Cherry Crunch, Chocolate, Chocolate Cream, Coconut Macaroon, Custard, Lemon Meringue, Peach, Peach Crunch, Peanut Butter, Pecan, Pumpkin, Raisin, Rhubarb, Strawberry Rhubarb

Trays

Apple Pie Square Tray, Bagel Tray, Breakfast Variety Tray,

Cinnamon Roll Tray,

Cheesecake Tray,

Dessert Variety Tray, Fruit Tart Tray

About Us

We are a locally owned,  independent gourmet coffee shop & bakery located in downtown Lima, Ohio.  We pride ourselves in made-from-scratch, delicious  food with wholesome ingredients.   Est. 2003.

Four Ways to Order:

Call 419-222-0985

Email onlineorders@kaffeescape.com

Online www.meetingplaceonmarket.com

Stop by The Meeting Place on Market, 220 West Market Street, downtown Lima

Press Release: The Meeting Place on Market Restored to Full Power

Lima, Oh – After an electrical fire on Wednesday, The Meeting Place on Market is now restored to full power and has resumed normal business
hours.

“We would like to thank the Lima Fire Department for keeping the fire from spreading.  Thank you also to Sprint Electric for immediately answering our call to fix our wiring, and AEP and the City of Lima for restoring us to full power quickly,” said Greg Stover, co-owner of The Meeting Place on Market.

Normal business hours are now in effect:  Monday – Friday, 7:30 am – 5:30 pm and Saturday, 9 am – 3 pm.  The Meeting Place on Market is a locally owned coffee house, café and bakery in downtown Lima.  For more information, visit www.meetingplaceonmarket.com, or
www.facebook.com/meetingplaceonmarket.

Contact Person:

Jennifer Brogee
Co-Owner, The Meeting Place on Market
jennifer@kaffeescape.com
419-236-5711
www.meetingplaceonmarket.com

The Coffee House Diaries 9.6.2011

I’m sitting and writing this in the southwest corner of The Meeting Place, overlooking Trinity Church. We call this area of the café the Terrace.

When we opened The Meeting Place on Market over eight years ago, more than anything else, we envisioned a place that would bring people together. I admit a little bit of idealism here, but I saw people sitting together and talking and laughing over a mocha or a cappuccino, Italian style. I pictured a guy with a guitar entertaining on the weekends, business people relaxing in the afternoon, and soccer moms having a mocha while their kids color.

And over the last eight years I have seen this and more. However, the business environment has drastically changed since then, and we’ve been slow to change with it.

From the beginning The Meeting Place on Market was a long shot. We were advised to stay away from downtown Lima. We were denied funding because of our location. But we believed in the idea, and based on the numbers we had, the numbers of people working downtown, the competition, the profit margins, we had a feasible business model.

Much has changed since then. St. Rita’s, the largest downtown employer, added a Starbuck’s and full-service cafeteria. The two banks surrounding us closed their downtown branches. Two Paneras, another Starbuck’s and a Biggby opened, and McDonald’s started serving gourmet coffee drinks and smoothies (I use those terns very loosely). The price of coffee went up more than 40%. And as we all know, the economy has been moving at the speed of molasses, if that, while inflation continues to rise.

But although we are downtrodden, we do not despair.

We are turning a corner, and I am idealistic yet again. I am hopeful that out of the crucible of financial leadenness, we will come out stronger than before. And this is our plan:

• New hours. In order to reduce dead time, we have changed our hours so that we close at 5:30 pm nightly. This also presents a new opportunity – we will be available for public or private events after that time. Fundraisers, concerts, meetings, parties, classes and more can be held at our location after hours.
• Local focus. We want to help local producers succeed, and hopefully contribute to our success as well. We will be looking for creators of high quality food items, such as honey, jams, chocolates, flour, spices, and more, and we will be offering shelf space for sales of such.
• Technology. We have been working on a robust online ordering system for over two years now. We hope to be able to release it within the next month, giving our customers the ability to order their food and drink online for almost instant pickup.
• Community. We will continue to focus on people – on our customers, our employees, local musicians and artists, and fellow business owners. We will support our friends and neighbors downtown. We will encourage everyone to shop at local, independent businesses.
• Coffee. Look for even more varieties of coffee, including coffee from some new sources. Look for more fair trade/ organic options. Watch for classes on coffee brewing, using a French press, using a moka pot, espresso drink tips, and more.

On Friday I asked for a sign. It’s been a tiring couple of years for all of us. We are in a financial crunch and sometimes there is a time to give up. So I asked for a sign.

The only sign I was given was the happiness I saw on people’s faces who were participating one way or the other in events at The Meeting Place on Market. I hope that’s enough. I believe that’s enough. That happiness is the light that keeps us going, that keeps us dreaming up new ideas, changing and adapting and innovating. It’s not measurable, and it doesn’t show up on balance sheets. But for now, it is enough.

• Jennifer

New Hours and Services at The Meeting Place on Market

September 5, 2011

Lima, OH – The Meeting Place on Market in downtown Lima announces their new hours of operation beginning Tuesday, September 6^th. “We are here because we want to improve the economic environment in downtown Lima .” says owner Greg Stover. “For the fall and winter months we determined that our walk-in traffic falls off a great deal after the lunch crowd.”

New hours of business for the Meeting Place are as follows:

Monday – Friday: Open at 7:30 am. Full kitchen services will remain open until 2:00 pm. Front counter service will be open until 5:30 pm.

Saturday: Open at 9:00 am. Full kitchen and front counter services will remain open until 3:00 pm.

Sunday: Closed

The Meeting Place front counter offers 101 signature hot and cold espresso and chai drinks, gourmet coffee and hot chocolate, smoothies, mega-cookies, baked items, cheesecakes and desserts and front cooler items, plus our homemade soups. “Our goal is to maximize our productivity during our prime hours,” said co-owner Jennifer Brogee. “We will be open evenings for special scheduled events, concerts, and private meetings. During concerts and public events our front counter will remain open,” continued Brogee. To schedule a concert, fundraising event, or to rent The Meeting Place on Market, visit: www.meetingplaceonmarket.com.

“We want to also remind customers that our meeting room is available for rent both during and after hours. We have several ongoing events in our store and will continue to support those”, according to Greg Stover.

The Meeting Place on Market opened its doors in 2003. In addition to serving fresh, homemade drinks, sandwiches, salads, soups, and desserts, a Bakery (baker Mary Weis) was added to enlarge the baked items offered for sale including gluten and sugar-free options. The locally owned restaurant promotes and supports local talent, artwork, and downtown Lima organizations, including the Heart of Lima Neighborhood Association.

Contact:

Jennifer Brogee
Co-Owner, The Meeting Place on Market
jennifer@kaffeescape.com
419-236-5711
www.meetingplaceonmarket.com

The Coffee House Diaries 8.21.2011

With a wedding, a festival in the town square, an angel investor and some gifts, these last couple of weeks have the makings of a fairy tale!

Ben & Molly, both members of our Meeting Place family, were married! Molly came to work for us when we opened in 2003, and worked for us until she found a full-time teaching job after graduation. She met Ben, who started working for us when he came to Lima to attend UNOH, and the rest is history!

The first weekend in August was Square Fair, and we had fun making smoothies for all of Lima!

We received a very special gift in the mail just a couple weeks ago. Artist Greg Pitts, originally from Lima, but now living in Miami, Florida, sent us an original painting named “Autumn Warmth.” We are so thankful to get this original and beautiful piece of artwork! We now have it on permanent display.

Autumn Warmth by Greg Pitts

We also had an angel help us this past month! An angel investor provided us with the cash needed to buy an new espresso grinder. We’ve gone through three grinders in the eight years since we’ve been open, because of the high volume of espresso we make. We were tight on cash when our last one broke, but he invested the money to allow us to buy one! Being an angel investor is one way to help spur the local economy. The stock market may fall, but individual people can still invest in local businesses so that our economy can be strong. It’s easy to think that everything is based on big economic indicators that are out of our control, but really what it comes down to is simple trade.

Speaking of the economy, we made the decision to start brewing Fair Trade/ Organic espresso for all our espresso drinks. The espresso we found is high quality, and is directly sourced from farmers around the world, cutting out the coffee commodities market, so we can keep our prices consistent. Fair Trade ensures that farmers are paid a livable wage for their coffee. Organic practices protect the environment and keep harmful pesticides out of the product, so consumers and the earth can be healthier.

So, life isn’t really a fairy tale, but we can still see the touch of magic if we look hard enough. I hope you can see it in your life!