Coffee shop, event space coming soon to Dryden

A business space at the corner of West Main Street and South Street will soon become a location to host events or enjoy a cup of coffee.

Kayla Lane, co-owner of Dryden Realty and Apartment Company on South Street, is in the process of opening The Corner Brew.

According to Lane, the anticipated opening of the new business is slated for March of next year. The business, she added, will begin with an “extensive coffee menu.” The menu could include bagels, breakfast sandwiches and more in the near future, Lane noted.

“So far, [March] seems to be an obtainable date,” she added, noting that the space is being remodeled for the “flow and aesthetic.”

The space will be limited to 90 individuals, Lane said. In terms of seating, she added, plans include lounge seating, high-top seating and bar seating against a wall.

“We want to give the idea of being ‘more than just coffee,’” Lane said, noting the space could be used for birthday parties, paint-and-sip events and more.

The business space used to be filled by the former Dryden Community Cafe, a staple in the village in the last decade (tinyurl.com/2rxzhljx) that closed over a year ago.

Lane noted that the business space in the village has been managed by Dryden Realty for close to 25 years, with 10 of those years mainly managed by Lane.

Just last month, Lane said, Dryden Realty officially purchased the space.

“We can contribute to it differently now that we own it,” she added. “We got creative and thought we wanted to try this.”

Before Dryden Community Cafe called it home, the building housed the Brooklyn Diner. Prior to that, it was the original home of Clark’s Food Mart, which is now located on North Street in the village.

Eric Clark, Lane’s husband, said assisting in the process of putting in The Corner Brew “brings back memories.” Clark’s grandfather, who sold his business to new owners last year, opened the grocery store in the business space “decades ago.”

“It’s cool to be back in that building where my grandfather started his business. It comes full circle,” Eric Clark said, noting he worked at the grocery store for seven years.

Lane thought of the name “The Corner Brew” due to the location on a corner of the village.

So far, Lane noted, the upcoming business has an Instagram page (@thecornerbrew_dryden), which has seen a “good amount of activity.”

“I have a feeling it’s going to be well perceived once it’s open,” she said. “The community seems to be excited for it to open.”

Lane drew inspiration for The Corner Brew from BRU 64, a coffee shop and event space located in the city of Cortland. She noted that her family makes frequent visits to the popular Cortland coffee spot.

“Their persona and atmosphere is extremely intriguing to us,” Lane said. “They have a similar model with coffee and breakfast. They inspired us as far as the vision of what we wanted to bring to the community, but with our spin.”

Lane and Dryden Realty are partnering with Coffee Mania, another well-known coffee establishment in the Cortland area, to brew the company’s fresh grounds at The Corner Brew.

“The [Coffee Mania] owners have been so incredibly forthcoming with guidance and knowledge. It’s a blessing,” Lane added.

With help from Coffee Mania and guidance from BRU 64, Lane noted she and other future business leaders “feel equipped” to start their own coffee spot. Lane said she and Dryden Realty may be used to helping others buy or sell homes, along with flipping houses, but owning a business is a “new and exciting adventure.”

“Providing this spot for meetings and consuming beverages, we hope it meets a need for the community,” she added. “It’s a little different from what we do now, but the community has been really open and excited about it, so it certainly helps.”

Lane expects the hours of operation for The Corner Brew will be 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

Dryden Dispatch appears every Wednesday in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@VizellaMedia.com.

In brief:

Dryden Senior Citizens to meet Dec. 12

The Dryden Senior Citizens (DSC) are scheduled to meet Dec. 12 at the Veterans of Foreign Wars building on 2272 Dryden Rd. in the town.

The meeting, along with announcements, will start at 11:45 a.m. Lunch will be served at 12:15 p.m.

The Christmas luncheon menu includes roast pork, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green beans, applesauce, a roll and assorted cookies. The cost of the meal is $8 for members and $9 for nonmembers.

William Locke will sing Christmas songs, read Christmas stories and conduct trivia.

The DSC meets on the second and fourth Monday of every month. The cost of a yearly DSC membership is $5. Those 55 years or older are welcome to join.