Fresh Brewed

Jason LittleBear realized early on that Copley Coffee & Games wasn’t just his business. His son and his friends helped the Copley farmer behind Jacobs Heritage Farm open the Copley Circle coffee shop, and they were vocal about what they’d like to see in it. Soon, the space became theirs.

“It’s what they need. I just learned to let go and trust, and that is going to make this place successful,” says LittleBear, owner of the coffeehouse that opened over the holidays in the vacant Buon Appetito Pizzeria building.

So he listened to his volunteers and staff about providing for everyone’s needs. For example, two chic, cozy couches for breastfeeding mothers are tucked away behind a private partition near the children’s playroom. There’s also a kids’ bathroom designed by kids with lower amenities like paper towels, soap and a handwashing sink, with standout bright green, pink and blue paint dripping down the walls.

LittleBear envisions the spot as a much-needed community hangout to bring more life into the sleepy Copley Circle.

“Copley was kind of run-down, and it was stuck in a rut,” he says. “There were a lot of people that wanted to have different things to do here. I’m trying to cover as many bases as I can until other businesses start springing up around me.”

“Games” is in its name to communicate this is more than a coffee shop; it’s a place to get together with friends and stay awhile playing board games or reading books from the coffeehouse’s shelves. Plus, there are fun events like Introverted Book Nights where an employee playfully shushes talkers and asks people to set their phones down.

The shop serves java from Luna coffee. Patrons looking for something sweeter can opt for a real hot cocoa, an old-fashioned soda or a coffee ice cream float.

Copley Coffee makes baked goods, including blueberry cream empanadas, and chocolate, lemon and vanilla conchas, a Mexican sweet bread.

“Sophia, our baker, is half Mexican, and she’s got her grandmother’s [concha] recipe. They are amazing,” says LittleBear. “It’s really the best balance of sweet and grain.”

Residents have been embracing Copley Coffee, listening in on open mic nights, participating in civic roundtables and pitching in to help LittleBear build it out. Whether Copley Circle neighbors are donating books, games, espresso machines or planning future events, it’s clear this spot belongs to the community.

“They want this so bad,” LittleBear says. “Teachers are coming out of the woodwork. I’ve got firefighters volunteering to teach everybody CPR. The amount of generosity is unbelievable.”