In most communities it’s possible to find a coffee shop where patrons can sit around a table, enjoy a cup of java and chat. For approximately the past two years, citizens of Hedley have had only limited access to such a place locally. The brew drought began a few years ago when the highly respected Hitching Post restaurant burned to the ground in the middle of the night. Not long after that the Nickel Plate restaurant closed its doors.

Except when covid restrictions forbade almost every source of pleasure, we have been able to buy coffee and meet neighbours at the Hedley Hall, but only between 6:30 am and 8 am. This summer the Hedley Museum offered coffee and pie (lemon or apple) Friday to Monday. They have just closed for the season. The Country Market does sell coffee, but only for takeout. Other than the pandemic and the smoke from wildfires this summer, the main gripe in town has been lack of a place to meet friends and exchange ideas and gossip. I have at times been embarrassed when asked by tourists where they could find a place to relax with a cup of coffee and a muffin.

Last Friday Hedley citizens celebrated the cessation of these meagre offerings when Terry Leonard and Valerie Beckman opened the doors of their Grand Union Cafe. Located at the corner of Scott and Haynes, the name comes from a hotel once situated on that site. The hotel burned down in 1918.

Knowing both Terry and Valerie have an impressive streak of creativity, I walked into their premises a few minutes after their 8 am opening. My neighbor Sharon, and also Ralph and Lynne were already seated at a table, evidently with high expectations. Others soon arrived and there was an animated buzz of conversation and laughter.

When the initial influx of patrons had been served, Valerie led me to the rear of the premises and talked about the enterprise and how it had come about. She spoke with just a hint of an English accent and explained she had come from London at about age 17 or 18. “In 2008 I was manager in a doctors office on Salt Spring Island,” she began. “Terry was doing renovations upstairs in the same building. Our paths crossed frequently and we realized we had a lot in common.”

The cafe offers an impressive array of beverages, including cappuccinos, lattes, Americano and drip coffee. Customers were snapping up muffins, scones, cookies, cheese cake, cinnamon toast, pie and other tempting items. Some chose to sit in the sunshine outside where there are strategically situated chairs and benches, and a view of the surrounding mountains.

“We also offer local artisans an opportunity to place items on consignment,” Valerie said. Pointing to a display of embroidered jackets and mats mounted on a wall, she continued, “those are the work of Kate Todd.” Kate is well known in Hedley as a gifted artisan. I noticed an assortment of clothes on a rack and Valerie told me they sell quality used apparel and shoes. Plum ketchup and cherry barbeque sauce will also soon be available. They have lots of plans for the future, including an electric car charging station.

Glancing around it was evident to me that patrons were experiencing a sense of enchantment. I wasn’t surprised when Valerie said, “We think of ourselves as a family of imagineers. We like to add a little magic. The space next to the cafe is Terry’s studio, where he plays music and creates artwork.”

Although I’m not a committed coffee drinker I purchased a cappuccino and walked out just behind Pat, a longtime Hedley resident. “I enjoyed the coffee,” she said, “and I’m glad we finally have a cafe. We’ve needed it a long time.”