Coterie Lounge & Café – NOW OPEN!

Posted on Jun 3

Finding community over a cup of coffee

Recently opened in West Chester, Coterie Lounge & Cafe strives to be a community-gathering space where people can connect and find commonality over delicious, hand-crafted drinks.

Coterie owner, Ghiovanna Dennis, opened Coterie Lounge & Cafe to promote connection in the place she calls home.

"[Butler County] is my community," Ghiovanna says. "It's where I want to see the change. That's a huge part of me being an entrepreneur. I don't want to just be an entrepreneur. I want to help other entrepreneurs. I want to help other women grow and fulfill their dreams."

Family Owned & Operated

The catalyst for opening Coterie occurred when Ghiovanna's eldest daughter graduated high school. Her daughter, who now works as general manager at Coterie, wanted to pursue an alternative path to college, growing her skills in the realm of business. Ghiovanna was no stranger to entrepreneurship, and opening a coffee shop with a focus on community was on her list of businesses she wanted to open. This was an opportunity to foster her passions with her family.

"We can learn together just as much as she would at college on how to run a business," Ghiovanna says. "She's going to have all the tools she needs."

Ghiovanna's other children all work at Coterie, cementing this store as family-operated through and through.

Culture of Community

Walking into Coterie, you are met with colorful murals, comfy lounging areas next to large windows, and a plethora of books to flip through. Whether you're meeting a friend for a coffee or chatting with a stranger you happen to sit next to, Coterie provides a warm, welcoming environment for conversation.

"I think that if everybody actually took the time to sit down and talk to each other, everybody could find common ground," Ghiovanna says. "From there, so many doors can open."

"The coffee is just a bonus," Ghiovanna says. "I'm here because I want to draw people from different walks of life into the same building. I want to create a safe space that new bridges can be crossed and people can help each other in business. They can help each other in life situations. I want moms to meet up with other moms. I want one generation to teach another generation while they're waiting for a cup of coffee. I'm trying to create a culture of community."

Events

The sky is the limit for the kinds of events Coterie could host in the future. Since opening, Coterie has hosted a Silent Book Club as well as Mamas Need Coffee, an event occurring every third Thursday of the month, where moms can bring their kids and meet other moms. Coterie has plans to host open mic nights, trivia nights, and speed dating events in the future.

Keep an eye out on Coterie's social media pages for future events.