BY SASHENKA PAATZ
Watertown’s Copper Kettle Café is a growing community that showcases a unique vibe.
The privately owned café prides itself on being different from other coffee shops in the area.
“I think we are a little more rock n’ roll than most cafés, in that we like the café to be loud and social, and not so quiet like a library,” says owner Scott Drummond.
Instead of being a place for independent work and study, the Copper Kettle encourages community among its customers.
“The atmosphere seemed very open and friendly. I love cafés like that, that just seem welcoming and inclusive,” said Sarah Peters after her first visit to the coffee shop.
The café’s location in the small town of Waterdown, northwest of Toronto, is experiencing “rapid growth” according to Global News. This growth has increased the business district in the downtown area. The fritter-famous Copper Kettle Café is among the most successful small businesses in this location.
Over 5,000 guests walk through the doors on a weekly basis and about 80 per cent are repeat customers according to Drummond.
The café is paving an innovative road to attract people from all over the GTA.
Artists and photographers are encouraged to put their work on exhibit by hanging it on the walls of the Copper Kettle.
“Truthfully, when we started out it was a way to put pictures on our wall without having to actually purchase the photos and allow our local artists to have a chance to display their works. However, this has snowballed and we have booked our spaces all the way up until 2020,” says Drummond.
The café also hosts monthly open mic nights, giving local musicians a chance to perform.
“Open mic nights have the same thought process as the artist wall and corner. We wanted to give our local aspiring artists a forum to display their talents, and over the course of four years we have built ourselves quite a following with our regular singers showing up weekly and new faces constantly signing up to sing,” says Drummond.
The café wasn’t always so creative. The Copper Kettle was initially a franchise called Brown Dog Coffee Shoppe before it went bankrupt. Drummond decided to use the location to start up a distinctly different café.
Drummond’s wife is a trained chef and created a new menu for the café. The food is intended to represent who the couple is as unique yet simple people, says Drummond.
Customers rave about the food and drink, especially their famous apple fritters. There is something for everyone.
“There was a good selection and what I had was actually made there,” said Peters.
The husband and wife team have developed a café with contagious energy as well as exceptional food, according to many of their clients.
“We have been in business as the Copper Kettle since 2015 and have seen nothing but progress in all areas of the café,” says Drummond.
