Buchanan celebrates small businesses on White Saturday

Published 4:32 pm Sunday, November 27, 2016

By Joe Kuharic

A city does not have to be huge like Chicago to draw visitors.

On a brisk November day, plenty of folks from in- and out-of-town came to downtown Buchanan to peruse local shops for Small Business Saturday.

Next to a small table covered in circlets of twisted willow branches and pine needles, Darcy Ebersol of Middlebury, Indiana, took a break from shopping to watch some passersby.

“It’s been a good day, and I’m really enjoying myself!” she said.

Ebersol had already visited several shops around downtown and planned to stay all day and watch the parade in the evening to see the joy on the faces of the children as Santa passed by.

Nearby, inside the Union Coffee House and Café, patrons sipped on lattes, chatted and played chess.

Next to a window partially fogged up by a pistachio honey nut lemon tea latte, Tiffany Imhoff stared intently at a document on her MacBook. She is an aviation student from Purdue visiting family for Thanksgiving who needed a place to study.

“I was recommended this place by my family, so I thought I’d give it a shot,” she said. “I like the environment a lot more [at local coffee shops]. Usually there is some quirkiness about it; it’s a little more special.”

Across the café at a high-top table, three friends took a rest from perusing Skye Is The Limit Gallery to grab a bite and enjoy some coffee.

Leigh Ellen made a trip down from Wisconsin to Michigan for Thanksgiving, and took the opportunity to reconnect with her friend, Beth Rems of South Bend, Indiana, by visiting the gallery. Judy Hurley of Lakeville, Indiana, who was visiting Buchanan for the first time, joined the two.

“I’ve never been here before [the café] but I’m enjoying the coffee, and I enjoyed the art,” Hurley said. “It seems like a nice little town.”

Rems is friends with Skye Funnell, the owner of Skye Is The Limit, and wanted to share the gallery with more of her friends.

“We’re down here trying to support him, and trying to support Buchanan,” Rems said. “It is a nice little community.”

It is hard to ignore someone wearing a chef’s hat outside of a kitchen, and that is what Alexis Ventsias was banking on. Ventsias is a culinary arts student at Buchanan High School, and down the street from the café, at Alan Robandt Antique, Vintage and Modern, she was helping to raise funds for a class trip.

Students from the two classes baked homemade cookies and treats and were hoping to get some attention, and they saw some success.

“So far [sales have been] great,” Alexis said. “It’s been a little slow in here, but we’re bringing people in!”

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