St. Thomas’ newest cafe, located in Tillett Gardens, Mystic Brew Coffee House and Apothecary, invites the community to its grand opening, which is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 14.
Lexi O’Toole and Erika Moore, the two female visionaries behind the Mystic Brew Coffee House and Apothecary, dreamt of a space that offered the perfect melding of quaint and comfortable. With sights on a business that would promote sustainability and community collaboration, they worked to create relationships with farmers, bakers, and other small businesses to ensure that they provided homemade confections and coffee flavors that offer a local flare.
“We really wanted to create a collaborative space where community could work, connect, and simply be. I am a creative myself and curating a space where creative expression could be explored mattered. Everything about this space is intentional and reflects the level of care we think our community deserves. Our selection of coffee flavors are regularly updated and all of our confections are made fresh, sourcing ingredients locally when possible,” O’Toole said.
In addition to coffee and baked goods, Mystic Brew Coffee House and Apothecary is working on getting their apothecary fully stocked in time for the grand opening in December. With intentions to focus on supporting local farmers, much of the herbs offered in the apothecary will be wildcrafted, ensuring that their herbal offerings are of the highest quality.
“The hope for the apothecary is that our growers can sell some of their surplus’ to the apothecary and we can incorporate it into the coffee and confections side of the business. We are also working on creating a line of self-care products that are all natural using the herbs from the apothecary,” O’Toole said.
“We are working on expanding our offerings to include workshops that can support our community with education and skills building opportunities. For instance we are in the middle of planning for some upcoming nutrition classes and herbal classes that offer specified focus on using the herbs we offer in our apothecary to enrich recipes, curating homemade self care products, and an overall better handle on personal wellness. Some other ideas we are working on bringing to fruition are book clubs, hosting spoken word events, and pop-up art shows,” she said.
Mystic Brew Coffee House and Apothecary’s hours of operation are 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Sunday. To discuss possible collaborations or events, contact O’Toole at mysticbrewusvi@gmail.com.
