Aubrun, NY - Don’t let the name fool you - a pagan persuasion is not necessary to enjoy the food and coffee of Witches Brew in downtown Auburn.

“We’re not a Wiccan cafe; we’re here for anyone,” said co-owner Sally Toth.

The name Witches Brew comes from the coffee of that name, a French roast with a richer taste than most brews. Toth and co-owner Nancy Heath have been serving it alongside several other styles and flavors of coffee since they opened the cafe on Oct. 13, 2005.While building a loyal customer base since starting their business, Toth and Heath have found it challenging to overcome the misconceptions carried by strangers to Witches Brew. A small share of customers have not been entirely receptive to the cafe’s blend of artistry and alternative belief systems.

“We’ve had a couple run,” Heath joked. “Thousands of years of bad PR.”

Once people conquer any anxiety they may have about the cafe, they will be pleasantly surprised to find that Witches Brew offers a variety of tasty treats, plus several products and services that cannot be found in other cafes.

Every day Toth purchases locally grown ingredients for such desserts as the white chocolate hazelnut pie, which she makes with Splenda for a sugar-free delight. Several other items are made with sweeteners - some artificial and others natural, such as apples.

“The only things we don’t make here are the bagels and bread, which come from local bakeries,” Toth said.

Toth and Heath have also worked to turn Witches Brew into a gallery of sorts for local jewelers and visual artists. Inside a glass display case under the cafe counter, customers can see a range of crafts - necklaces, rings and pendants - and other items, such as herbs and candles.

“It’s a cafe, but with bonuses,” said Linda Townsend, who reads tarot at the cafe several days a week.

Townsend and two other tarot readers are regularly available to divine the fortunes of Witches Brew customers. The cafe also features regular guests who practice astrology and reiki, a form of energy healing.

Live entertainment at Witches Brew has been provided in the form of open mic nights on the first Saturday of every month. A variety of poets, musicians and even amateur comedians have taken the cafe’s small wooden stage to express themselves in an environment that expects nothing less.

“There are a lot of gifted people out there,” Heath said.Establishing a food-serving forum for area artisans and crafters proved to be an ambitious project for the pair. Having known each other since fifth grade, they initially decided to partner up to provide the area with a source for books about Pagan-based subjects. Serving coffee and exhibiting arts and crafts at the same location was a natural outgrowth of the project.

In 2005, Toth and Heath’s financial and family situations were optimal for starting a business. Heath’s son, Earl, helped furnish the building.

“We had to gut this whole place and start from scratch,” Heath said.

Once construction was complete and Toth and Heath opened the doors, they set out to build a customer base. In November 2006, they received a boost in business from a controversial column about Wicca written by Judy Ducayne and published in The Citizen.

“It hit worldwide,” Heath said. “Some people from the area who were thinking of coming decided to come in after reading about it in the paper.”

Toth and Heath also corresponded with German, English and Australian members of the Pagan community whose interest in the cafe was piqued by the newspaper column.

The scathing dialogue generated by the column greatly contrasts the mood at the cafe. Customers at Witches Brew often find themselves caught up in its open and friendly atmosphere - even after their first cup of coffee.

“After the first time I ate here, I was carrying my plate to the back and then I stopped and asked myself, ‘Why am I doing this?,’” said Tara Updike, a mainstay of the cafe.

Witches Brew regularly hosts relaxed interaction between customers who often stay and sip coffee for hours on end. But people don’t always drop their prejudices once they pass through the doorway.

“We don’t turn anyone away, regardless of sex or beliefs - unless you bring in an attitude,” Heath said. “I’ve only had to escort a few people out.”

Rather than disturbing the atmosphere, Toth and Heath invite their customers to savor it at Witches Brew.

“Just come in and sit for a spell,” Heath said.

Source

• Wilcox, David. Cafe battles image. (2007, February 21). Auburn Citizen, NY. Retrieved February 21, 2007.

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