Love of coffee and art yields creative exhibit in Freeport
Two friends from Freeport use their complementary knowledge and talents to open a coffee shop. Two friends from Sarver push each other to develop their individual artistic talents.
One of the artists and one of the shop owners also are friends, and therein lies a tale.
Freeport residents Virginia Lindsay and Karen Heilman opened 1833 Coffee and Tea Co. at 300 Fifth St. in August.
Heilman knew about coffee, having worked as a manager for Pittsburgh-based Crazy Mocha Coffee Co. Her managerial experience helped when it was time to staff the shop.
Lindsay took charge of the shop’s decor and promoting it on social media.
“We’re still getting our feet under us, and it’s been a little crazy so far,” Heilman said, but crazy in a good way.
“My strengths are her weaknesses and vice versa,” Heilman said. “We bicker like an old married couple, but I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else.”
Artist Zarah Blair had an interest in seeing the shop succeed, being a longtime friend of Lindsay’s family. She thought an art exhibit might be a way to bring in more customers, especially if the works depicted Freeport scenes.
Starting last summer, Blair and her friend, Susie Schwarz, had been visiting the town once a week to find subjects for their work. They would stop at 1833 for a beverage and then drive around to find a likely spot.
Now retired, both Blair and Schwarz have been making art since childhood. They’re mostly self-taught, although they have taken lessons with noted Pittsburgh artist Elizabeth Myers Castonguay.
About five years ago, they had a joint show at Penn State New Kensington.
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For about 20 years, the pair have met in each other’s home studios to work and to critique the output. Blair’s major mediums are printmaking and drawing, while Schwarz works mostly in watercolor and pastels.
“It’s always good to have an art buddy to keep each other going,” Schwarz said. “We encourage each other. Sometimes we say we don’t know what we’re doing, but we have to keep trying.”
The critiques can be a little rough, though.
“We have no mercy,” Blair said.
“Our other friends ask how we can be such good friends when we’re so competitive,” Schwarz added.
Scenic setting
Freeport offered an appealing setting, lying between Buffalo Creek and the Allegheny River, with hills rising all around. It’s also a town that is working to come back from hard times, Blair said.
“New businesses are growing here, mostly started by women,” Blair said. “We would like to make some contribution toward that growth. We don’t want to lose Freeport.”
She asked Lindsay if she and Schwarz could display some artwork in the shop — and received an immediate yes.
“I knew Zarah would make something beautiful and elegant, and we’re honored to have their art here,” Lindsay said.
Two corkboards near the rear of the shop hold the artists’ studies of Freeport houses, commercial buildings and street scenes. They’ll be up at least through February and, while not priced, they are for sale if anyone is interested.
“Everybody stops in here once in a while, so the people who saw us on the street, will see (the artwork) and say, ‘Oh, that’s what these gals were doing,’ ” Schwarz said.
When spring comes, the artists might do an even more concentrated study of Freeport doorways or windows. If they do, Blair said, her brother suggested they also develop a scavenger hunt project for people to go out and locate them.
Though it’s a small art display, it might be the start of something bigger. Lindsay and Heilman said they are open to having other artists show their work, too.
A little coffee shop in a little town could get those artists some big exposure, Heilman said.
“We’re a destination,” she said. “We don’t know a lot of the people who come in. They come from all over.”
The shop sources its coffee from 19 Coffee Co., a Pittsburgh-based roastery, and teas from Cleveland-based Storehouse Tea. Hot chocolate and baked goods also are available.
Hours are 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays. For details, call 295-8133 or visit 1833 Coffee and Tea Co. on Facebook.
Shirley McMarlin is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Shirley by email at smcmarlin@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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