SaltWire Network
STEPHENVILLE, N.L. - The cinnamon buns are always a hit, as is pea soup Thursday, and right now they can’t keep the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies on the shelf, but those aren’t the only things that make the Killick Cafe in Stephenville stand out.
Co-owner Colleen Gallant said it’s the fact that she and her husband, James Gallant, are a team.
“We do it together and everybody is used to seeing us, one of us every day. We’re friendly, and we’re part of the community and we want to be out talking to people. We want people to have a good experience.”
The coffee shop is located on Main Street and opened three years ago this past May.
James is from Stephenville, his parents own the Golden Gifts Plus and Golden G Dairy Bar next to the café, and Colleen is from St. John’s.
Both are well versed in the food industry. James, who likes to cook and bake, used to help his parents when they operated Castaways in the same location and worked in the industry while at university in Ottawa.
Colleen moved to Stephenville to attend school and completed a double diploma in travel and hospitality tourism at the College of the North Atlantic. She also used to help out at Castaways.
Before moving back to Stephenville the couple had been living in Halifax where Colleen managed a Cora restaurant.
Colleen said she loved her job but after their first daughter Anna, who is now eight, was born the couple felt something was missing.
“We really wanted to move home to be near our families.”
Opening the cafe just seemed like a logical choice for them given their background and the space was empty at the time.
Being business owners keeps the couple busy.
“It’s demanding and challenging,” she said. “But we get to do our own thing. So, we can change the menu per the seasons or if something comes up or somebody says we’d like to try that. We like that aspect of it.
“And it’s small enough that we can do the café and do special events now and then, but it also gives us a lot of time to be with our girls.”
Since moving home, the family has expanded with two more daughters, Grace, five, and Jane, three. All three girls love being at the cafe and Colleen said keeping them away from behind the counter and the cookies can be hard.
“It’s nice that we’re in a family neighbourhood and there’s family all around and my girls get to grow up with that and get to watch us run our own business.”
The cafe is a popular spot and Colleen said coming up with a menu to please customers can be challenging.
“Being in a small community you want to try to have a variety of things that you hope appeal to a wide variety of people. Sometimes everybody wants something different, so you want to try to have something for everyone.”
She said their baker/cook, Maureen Barry, is amazing at what she does.
The biggest challenge they face now is dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions it places on them in terms of having less tables.
“That’s a challenge for us for sure, because the cafes are smaller so you deal with a small space, small sitting area anyways,” she said. “Right now, we’re just trying to survive like everybody else.”
