New business concepts coming to Harborcreek at former Goodwill. What’s in store?
A new cafe is coming to Harborcreek. Owners Dave and Anne Lefebre discuss what they have planned for the new 814 Grounds at 4270 East Lake Road which fills a former Goodwill.
- A professional fisherman, Dave Lefebre, and his wife are opening a new cafe in Harborcreek called The 814 Grounds.
- The cafe is the first of a three-stage plan which includes an outdoor shop and an events center.
- The business aims to be a hub for food, coffee, music, events, and fishing tips.
- The menu will feature organic and gluten-free options, homemade soups, and specialty coffees.
A professional fisherman and his wife are opening a new cafe in Harborcreek.
Dave Lefebre, 55, has been fishing professionally for 23 years; in fact, he just won $200,000 with the top performance during the Kubota Heavy Hitters tournament on May 21 in Ocala, Florida.
Looking toward his next chapter in life as his professional fishing career winds down, he and his wife Anne have always dreamed of a hub where they can serve people in multiple ways from ministry to food and drinks to even fishing tips.
That dream is now becoming a reality as they purchased the former Goodwill at 4270 East Lake Road in Harborcreek, right next to the Harborcreek Senior Apartments, for $285,000. The cafe, The 814 Grounds, is expected to open this summer.
“We both liked this type of atmosphere so it crossed my mind early on that this could be something,” said Dave Lefebre, owner of The 814 Grounds. “The fishing journey has run its course. I’ve done it for 23 years full time and we just had the opportunity to do something like this together in the next chapter and all over.”
More than a cafe
The sign on East Lake Road may read “cafe, coffee, music and events,” but the Lefebres want this space to be much more.
“We want to draw people to us through this business,” Dave Lefebre said. “The reason I’m interested in it is because it’s what (Anne) loves. We also have an employee, Alexis (Benoit)… Alexis’ dream is the coffee, Anne’s dream is the café and mine is just things I love to do like art, building and ‘Erie Extreme,’ which is our tv show. I need a hub for the tv show, a place to shoot and edit and more. It will also incorporate the music.”
With the cafe being renovated in late May, the Lefebres say this is only first stage their plans for the property, with two more stages to come.
“For now we want to get established here, but we’re building on this property and in stages,” Dave Lefebre said.
Expansions for 814 Grounds to come
The Lefebres plan on adding another building on the property just west of the current building. Thus far they estimate they will spend $400,000 on renovations for the current building and estimate the second building will cost roughly $200,000.
“When this gets running, we will start stage two, building the outdoor shop and ‘Erie Extreme’ hub,” Lefebre said.
According to the Lefebres, stage three will be an events center — a space for local music as Dave Lefebre is a member of The Band 814.
The Band 814 is a Christian rock band of worship leaders from different Erie-area churches who share the goal of spreading the message of Jesus.
“The idea is to have a venue where we can draw people to us and set up all of our equipment and try to get it on the map for people to play,” Dave Lefebre said. “It gives my band, 814, a home base to play.”
The building where the music is playing will measure 40 feet by 70 feet, similar to the current building measurements but parallel to the road. The two buildings will connect through the outdoor patio connecting through glass doors.
Dave Lefebre estimates the third building will cost roughly around $300,000.
A hub and cafe for fishermen
The third phase of the expansion will be a fisherman’s headquarters.
“It’s going to be highlighting the community,” Dave Lefebre said. “It’s going to be about being a member and teaching. We will have live seminars while offering rental equipment.”
One unique aspect about the Lefebres’ business plan for the cafe is the hours. Dave Lefebre says they will operate daily from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. but be closed on Tuesdays.
“When you go fishing, you are at the gas station at 5 a.m. buying stuff from Sheetz or Country Fair,” Dave Lefebre said. “There’s nothing open at 5 a.m., but the fishermen are going right by here to go to Shades Beach. We want to make sure that we cater to them.”
Dave Lefebre says for fishermen, it will be as easy as pulling up to the shop, purchasing coffee and other items and sending them on their way.
What’s on the menu at 814 Grounds?
For the menu items, the Lefebres said they aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel.
“We will definitely have some staples in what people love,” Anne Lefebre, owner of The 814 Grounds said. “We will have some cold brews, cappuccinos, and we will have espresso machines along with different specialty coffees, teas and more.”
The Lefebres were still working on the food menu items in late May, but they said they plan on serving items that are organic and some that are made from scratch.
“We’re going to have homemade soups from scratch,” Anne Lefebre said.
“I eat organic so we will have organic and gluten-free choices,” Dave Lefebre said. “Our feature will be something different, you would have to go to Australia to find it.”
When will The 814 Grounds open?
When asked about a potential opening date, the Lefebres are hoping for an opening date between June and August.
“We’re telling our contractors that we want to be open on June 1, that’s not happening,” Dave Lefebre said. “We will have our building permits within the next few weeks and then we can open a month after that. I would say Aug. 1 would be a realistic possibility, but we’re hopeful for mid-to-late June.”
For more information, follow The 814 Grounds on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to see their progress.
Contact Nicholas Sorensen at [email protected].
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.goerie.com ’
