Why hasn't the Deer Isle cafe opened back up yet?

Why hasn’t the Deer Isle cafe opened back up yet?!

We know this phone system is frustrating. We know it takes patience, multiple phone calls. We know we often have a loud roaster going and have to ask you to repeat yourself. All we can say is thank you for your support and patience.

The re-opening of this cafe building is no longer related to the pandemic. 

Truth be told, the day we moved our coffee roaster out of the Seamark building and into the building at 7 Main Street (Deer Isle) we knew production would be tight, even in this new home.  That was 4 years ago now and we had managed to make it all work as crammed and packed as we were, but then, the pandemic came. Folks who once commuted to group office spaces, schools, you name it, were setting up makeshift desks in nooks of their homes and learning how to conduct insane amounts of video chats. Then, as we understand it, frequently jumping up for another cup of 44 North Coffee. [thank you!]

We have been somewhat hesitant to share our growth in the online sales arena because so many other hospitality and food production businesses have suffered. Our cafe sales fell, but because of the incredible outpouring of support and internet orders we have survived and even thrived.  

We are now looking to a new and exciting project for 44 North.  On April 10, 2020, we purchased a property and building that is now being constructed to house a new coffee roasting facility.  This building is going to allow us the proper workspace where our bodies can move safely, where we can grow slowly, and allow us a production space outside of the public cafe. 

So, to answer the question that started this blog post, when will the Deer Isle cafe open back up to the public?  As soon as our roastery is completed -- we are hoping for late summer.  When ready, we will hoist our beloved Diedrich IR12 roaster for the third time, do a bit of re-design, and then open the Deer Isle cafe doors once again.  We can already tell this will be a beyond joyful day.

With Gratitude, 

Melissa, Megan, and Team 44

 Here are some construction pictures. The new roastery is on its way!