Coffee Corner Evolves into 'Cracked Basket'

Almost three years ago, Lori Rowan was facing the next step in life. Her 20-plus years at Cabela's was coming to an end and it was time for an new adventure. She and a friend were let go at about the same time. Seeing an ad for a coffee shop for sale, they decided to pursue the adventure.

"I wanted it back to what Barb (Meier) had it," Rowan said.

That adventure has gone its course as did the partnership. Rowan recently sold the business to Kathy Woody and Patty Swayze. The new business will include the former book store to the corner south.

The new business will include the charm of a coffee shop, but also the warmth and welcome of a cafe specializing in a homemade menu. The Cracked Basket comes from a moment of discussion when Woody and Swayze were considering opening a restaurant; how, when, where and why. In the discussion one of them said "we're just a bunch of cracked nuts," and the theme stuck.

The Cracked Basket will have a different motif with a wider opening between the two rooms, and the walls lowered to allow more light to the back of the cafe. The new owners will also be stopping the consignment sales. They will also be adding a list of homemade foods.

"We plan on doing a lot of homemade pies, cakes," Wood said.

They also plan to add a Sunday brunch that would include ham, roast and fried chicken on occasion.

There will also be a sandwich menu and daily specials.

"It's going to be more than soup and salad," Swayze said.

They stressed alcohol will not be served at The Cracked Basket.

Swayze and Woody enter restaurant ownership each with more than 20 years experience in restaurant service. They sought a restaurant as a new adventure.

"It is a good opportunity. We wanted to expand our horizons," Swayze said.

Their plan now is to serve breakfast and lunch, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.

"Lunch stops at 2," Wood said.

They considered other locations when the two decided to open their own restaurant. The Coffee Corner became ideal because it is already a cafe. Other locations they considered needed retrofitted for food service.

The Coffee Corner will close Saturday, and The Cracked Basket expects to open April 22.

Rowan says she will miss the friends and support by the community.

"Everybody was happy here," she said. "I hope it continues."

Her time as owner of the Coffee Corner is a life lesson for her and her daughters, she says. She said after years applying her secretarial skills, The Coffee Corner taught her she is capable of much more. It is a lesson she hopes her daughters learned as well.

"It showed them 'Mom can do this. You can do anything,'" Rowan said.

During her time owning and operating The Coffee Corner, Rowan and The Coffee Corner were involved in community events including Girls Day Out, the 150th Sidney celebration and Hickory Square events. The Coffee Corner has also been the location of many parties and celebrations.

"I'm going to miss it," she said.

Her partnership with Barb Meier, previous owner, has been one of the blessings in owning The Coffee Corner.

"I'm going to miss Barb so much," she said. "Working with her has been so awesome."

Selling the business is seeking new adventures, and timing.

"Really, it is just been a personal decision," she said. "I wish these guys the best. I hope it goes well, continues to be a fun place."

Meier recalls purchasing the book store in 1997, then the Coffee Corner location, then Brandon Draper's photography studio, in 2000.

"It took about nine months to remodel," she said.

Her husband Doug did most of the remodeling, and will be helping in the new look of The Cracked Basket.

She recalls Sanna's, the first coffee shop in downtown Sidney, and saw the need after it closed. Many of the recipes that made The Coffee Corner a go-to place in Sidney.

"It's just something I like," she said.

The selling of The Coffee Corner means more family time for her and her eight grandchildren. She leaves with the memories of the customers, employees and the support of the community.