APPLETON — A Kimberly favorite, known for international flavors and smells, had a soft opening at its third location on July 12, as owners Monica and Kell Bales excitedly expanded their businesses to the neighborhood.
A grand opening for the new il Bar Coffeehouse & Bistro , 324 E. College Ave., is planned for Friday.
“I love downtown Appleton," Monica said. "I love the direction they’re going towards and what they’re trying to build. I’m looking forward to the experiences, the different people, the college students coming in, just having that diversity of people walking through with different stories.”
The Bales first started their coffee shop journey back in 2021 with the opening of the Kimberly location at 100 S. Birch St., Suite A, followed by a second location called il Bar Café in the Heart of the Valley YMCA.
Originally from Puerto Rico, Monica Bales grew up in a town known for its coffee.
“My family had a coffee farm,” she said. “I remember my grandma bringing coffee beans and then she would dry them out on the rooftop of her house. She would roast them herself on the stove over the fire and grind them manually. Those were the best cups of coffee.”
Monica also shared the significance of carrying international flavors with the shifting demographics in Appleton.
“I think that’s very important because no matter how far you are from home, you’re always trying to keep and maintain that connection,” she said. “Coming to the United States from Puerto Rico, it was just a completely different culture, so you’re always looking for that connection.”
Sign up for the Buzz newsletter Click here to get all the business openings and closings news right in your inbox The Bales work not only to provide diverse food and drinks to the community, but also sustainable goods. Currently, they partner with several coffee roasters that maintain sustainability practices amongst other social impacts. These roasters support causes like agricultural improvement, mental health awareness, fair trade practices, and other causes that are important to the Bales.
As someone who grew up in Appleton, Kell Bales shared how nice it is to be back in his hometown running a business.
“The funny thing is that these are the same streets I was cruising the avenue as a teenager back in the late '80s and early '90s,” Bales said. “It’s very surreal that now we’ve built this coffeeshop in the place that I grew up as a kid.”
The new downtown location is expected to stay open later by the end of this fall to cater to students and customers who need a place to work, study, or hang out. They also plan to offer a student discount.
The grand opening will feature a small token of appreciation for customers on opening day, along with entry to win a gift basket. It's current hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday , closed on Sundays. After the grand opening, hours will shift to their summer hours of 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, closed on Sundays. Any news or updates can be found on il Bar's website or Facebook page .
Faith Huey is a business reporter for The Appleton Post-Crescent. You can reach her at fhuey@gannett.com or view her Instagram profile at @Faith.Huey .
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: This café brings international flavors to Appleton with their third location | The Buzz
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