Excitement is brewing in Cadboro Bay.
ItB次元官网网址檚 been more than six months since the closure of the neighbourhood Starbucks location, a popular local haunt for some 16 years. Now, a new coffeehouse is set to open.
Moka House has been a fixture on Cook Street since 1996, serving everyone from shy coffee lovers on first dates to busy folks needing a caffeine boost between meetings. Now, owners Will and Stacey Sparling have begun expanding to Cadboro Bay.
When they heard the Starbucks at 3849 Cadboro Bay Rd. would be permanently closing in October 2020, their interest was piqued. The Sparlings werenB次元官网网址檛 planning to expand because they were happy on Cook Street with their close-knit community and loyal customers, but when the space became available, they couldnB次元官网网址檛 say no.
Will and Stacey bought the Moka House franchise from a friend five years ago upon moving back to the Island from Ontario. In an effort to de-franchise and get back to the local coffee shopB次元官网网址檚 roots, they sold off the other locations in Greater Victoria and Vancouver.
Cook Street is B次元官网网址渢he real Moka HouseB次元官网网址� and thatB次元官网网址檚 what the Sparlings were drawn to in the first place. Will explained the property in Cadboro Bay checked all their boxes in terms of community and vibe. The pair decided to replicate their Cook Street model at the new location, with a local flair.
In early March 2021, the Sparlings and their team began B次元官网网址渄e-Starbucks-ingB次元官网网址� the space to give it new life. The plan was to open in time for the May long weekend, but when the time came, they were still waiting on a business license from Saanich and training new staff. However, there was no shortage of prospective customers over the weekend B次元官网网址� crowds came by hoping to find the coffee shop open.
Will said they expect to debut sometime before June and aim to B次元官网网址済et a sense of what the community needsB次元官网网址� so the coffeehouse can be adapted to suit the neighbourhood.
One alteration theyB次元官网网址檝e already made is to the menu. The Cadboro Bay and Cook Street locations will have similar fare, but the beach-side shop in Saanich will have more sandwiches and grab-and-go snacks for picnics on the sand, he said.
The Sparlings and their team look forward to opening and embracing the Cadboro Bay community with a smile and a flat white or two.
Do you have a story tip? Email: devon.bidal@saanichnews.com.
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