NORFOLK – One year after the awning collapsed on its building in the Freemason District, Cure cafe is knocking down its own wall.
Cure Coffeehouse and Brasserie at 503 Botetourt St. is tearing down its north wall to use an additional 900 square feet of space that was previously occupied by Space Design Group. The coffee, craft beer and wine spot, which currently encompasses 1,050 square feet, will go from seating 40 people to 60.
“After our awning collapsed, we saw an incredible amount of growth that happened, it almost felt like, overnight,” General Manager Kari Redman said. “We’ve gotten so busy, sometimes it gets a little too crowded.”
Space Design Group vacated their spot next door in April, and Cure jumped on the opportunity to provide more seating to its customers. Redman said the extra space will help accommodate rushes and bursts of tourists debarking nearby cruise ships.
Cure is seeking two additional baristas, and Redman hopes to finish construction this month. About 600 square feet of the new space will be available to rent for meetings, bridal showers and other events.
The cafe hosts a folk jam open mic night every Thursday and “meet the brewer” nights where customers can taste local beers and speak with the brewers. Artwork from a rotating selection of local artists is also showcased.
The cafe is also working on creating seasonal cocktail and coffee menus.
“All of our regulars are really excited to see what we’re going to have coming up as well,” Redman said. “They’ve been there since the start, seen us through a handful of renovations, redoing, remodeling to keep up with the growth we’ve been seeing. I’m excited to be able to house more people.”
