Helping the community is baked into the business model of a new dessert cafe in Downtown Guelph.
Open on Jan. 10, DeBAR Dessert Cafe on upper Wyndham Street offers customers a variety of baked goods and food at reasonable prices. The cafe is owned by Mike Coulson and Rick Green. Green also owns another business called SeniorTek.ca, and was inspired to open the cafe by his senior clients.
During the pandemic, he said nine clients had passed away while others were facing lots of restrictions, leading him to consider opening a cafe.
"I wanted to open up this for them, so they would have a place to go,” he said.
Also a former baker for 15 years at Tim Hortons, Green said the cafe makes all its pastries, cookies, danishes and pies in house.
"Everything in here is what I like," said Green, who adds the most popular items have been the raspberry Greek yogurt cheesecake and the Aztec peanut butter tort.
For those who don't want sweets, the cafe also has breakfast, lunch and dinner items and is in the process of obtaining a liquor licence. Many of the items on the menu are gluten-free and vegan.
"All of that is from client's suggestions, just listening to what clients have had to say, this is all of their ideas," said Green, who notes many of his clients have dietary restrictions.
While many questioned the decision to open a cafe during the pandemic, Green said it has received positive responses.
"It makes it worthwhile," he said.
With a passion for helping seniors, Green said the cafe was designed to also provide services and goods for everyone to use. He plans to make the cafe a headquarters for his tech support business, so people will be able to get computer repairs and other services done.
“I want to help the community rather than make a profit from it,” he said.
Inside the cafe, there are paintings for sale, with all proceeds going to various charities supporting Alzheimer's, ALS and supranuclear palsy. The paintings are part of an initiative by a charitable organization created by Green called Guelph Living Seniors.
Green said the paintings inside the cafe have been donated by clients, and they will receive a tax receipt after a painting has sold.
“I’m hoping that a lot of people will come in and see the artwork and the other items available for sale,” said Green.
Now that the cafe is open, Green has other big plans for it, including organizing a charity variety show this summer and advocating for another bus stop in downtown Guelph to provide seniors and other residents more access to the area.
"It's a place where people can come and bring things to donate or repair," Green said about what he hopes for the cafe. “For anybody and everybody."
DeBAR Dessert Cafe is located at 105 Wyndham St. N. It is open on Mondays to Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. To see the menu, click here.
