In the late 1890s, decades before women could vote or were part of the “all men are created equal” equation, a widowed woman named Elizabeth Cooper operated a coffee and teashop on the corner of Main and Read Streets in Yorktown, Virginia. The historic town on the banks of the York River was the locale where Lord Cornwallis and the British army surrendered, which ended the American Revolution.
Over a century later, in 2014, Celeste Gucanac often walked by the Colonial Revival style red brick building, once occupied by Elizabeth Cooper, and daydreamed. The historic house which was taken over by the National Park Service and was part of Colonial National Historic Park, had been empty for a decade. Gucanac, who lives nearby, had a vision for the building.
Mobjack Coffee Rosters and Petite Café
“I saw this house and thought, It is so darling. Why is it empty?” recalls Gucanac who owns the wholesale coffee roastery Mobjack Coffee Roasters with her husband. Since 2007 they have been devoted to selling unique blends of fair-trade organic coffee. Before that she had been a ballet dancer trained with the New York City Ballet and danced with several companies including The Suzanne Farrell Ballet at The Kennedy Center.
While some people might marvel at the building and just continue walking along the street lined with colonial homes that feel transported from a novel, Gucanac saw possibilities. “We wanted to use our business to do something that we found passion in, that was above and beyond coffee,” shares Gucanac. “And we've always loved the history of the area and I wanted a new location for the business.” She also noticed the sign on the building. “It said that the building was formerly a coffee and tea house in the 1800s operated by a woman.”
The loop on Jamestown Island Drive rides along the James River, marshlands and lush forest.
Then the hard part really began. Gucanac called the National Park Service asking if she could lease the abandoned building. “No.” was the reply. “Can I buy the building?” she inquired. Another “no.” But Gucanac remained undeterred. “I called every week for almost two years,” she shares. “And here we are.”
As Gucanac explains, each National Park has their own rules for what they are allowed to do based on historical compliance or the mission of the park. “This one didn't have a commercial leasing program in effect for this location yet, so it took some time for them to figure out do they want that here?” says Gucanac. They also had to make the building ready for public proposals. After putting out a request for proposals, Gucanac competed nationally against other businesses and ultimately won the opportunity to lease the building.
Opened in 2018, not only is the coffee roasted, packaged and shipped throughout the united states on site, Mobjack Coffee Rosters and Petite Café has a menu that includes paninis, salads and assorted sweet treats also made there from scratch, like the decadent oatmeal cream pie.
With plenty of outdoor seating many groups use Mobjack Coffee Roasters and Petite Cafe as a meeting spot and place to idyl before biking off or strolling down to the water to walk along the fetching riverwalk or rent a bike or kayak at Patriot Tours and Provision or sail on the Tall Ship Alliance schooner with Yorktown Sailing Charters. As the majestic vessel glides past Victory Monument osprey and dolphins one feels transported back to another time.
This historic region, part of Greater Williamsburg, which consists of Yorktown, Jamestown Settlement and Williamsburg is filled with hidden treasures. While the locale, known as Virginia’s historic triangle, is famous for all its history, like Colonial Williamsburg, with its restored and preserved buildings, surrounding battlefields and revolutionary war sites, the area is also thriving with stellar restaurants, locally owned shops and no shortage of spots to get on the water in a kayak and experience the vast vistas. Plus, there’s the allure of the nearby coast and mountains.
One of those gems in The Williamsburg Inn beside the Colonial Williamsburg historic area. With its neoclassical design, arches and whitewashed bricks, the hotel has a regal feel but is also cozy and comforting. The only hotel in the united states where Queen Elizabeth II stayed twice, the luxurious rooms are bathed in warm golden tones with plush furnishings you can sink into. Plus, there’s a spa, indoor and outdoor pools and a terrace with an expansive view of the region and golf course. Plus, a stay at the inn directly supports the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
The Williamsburg Inn
A great way to explore the area is on bicycle. Spoke + Art Provisions Co is the ultimate go-to spot for cyclists. Set along the fetching Capital Trail, Spoke + Art offers regular, E bikes and hybrid bikes to rent and they have a great café with live music. The trail goes right through Colonial Parkway, the National scenic byway connecting the three towns. The trail offers some of the best cycling along the loop of Jamestown Island with a spectacular lookout of the James River at Black Point along the vast expanse, marshlands and wildlife galore. At sunset experience the James River on the water on the pontoon, Jamestown Discovery. Master Captain Corey J. Fenton of Jamestown Discovery loves sharing his passion for the region as the boat gently meanders through the James River past lush marshes and historic vessels.
Since the early 1970s, The Cheese Shop has been a Williamsburg staple. Now three generations in, Mary Ann and Thomas Power created their business because of their great passion for cheese and wine that they hoped to share with others. Since then, the Power family has expanded their bustling Duke of Gloucester Street business to not only include their top-notch cheese shop, but added a stocked wine cellar that can all be paired with the cheese and fine dining restaurant, Fat Canary.
The Cheese Shop
“We have over 200 cheeses from all over the world, from Switzerland to Spain including artisan farmstead cheeses from local dairies where the cheese is made,” says Mary Ellen Power Rogers of one three children of Mary Ann and Thomas. “Our inventory changes every two to three days and it’s gone in 48 hours.” In fact, each sandwich is made with the ever-popular Original House Dressing, created by Mary Ann Power in 1971 that continues to draw legions of fans.
Fat Canary is on Open Table’s list of one of the top 100 Restaurants in America, Chef Tomas Power, Jr. offers a changing menu with the finest seasonal ingredients with dishes like their signature lobster fettuccini or house-made Mozzarella with Virginia Ham, walnut pesto and heirloom tomatoes. Other beloved restaurants include Amber Ox Kitchen & Brewery, Craft 31 and Culture Café.
Sometimes Celeste Gucanac stops to reflect on the region and what it means for her to be there. “We are working in historic buildings original to 1726. And George Washington would have walked these streets,” she says. “I also appreciate the fact that now there are people here with a new chapter.”
