By KAREN SHOFFNER
Recorder Staff
SUNDERLAND - Two Amherst natives have received the selectmen's
blessings for Java Hut, the drive-thru cafe they want to open on Route
116.
The selectmen approved Sean and Darren Pierce's common victualler
application for the cafe which will be located in the old Heritage
Bank Building across from Cliffside Apartment, but not before
Selectman John White aired his concerns about the business.
White's concerns included traffic flow and traffic safety.
Sean Pierce, a local resident, said the building is located in a
shopping center where parking is shared by everyone and that the
center is already established for a drive-thru window. He also
said they would put up signs to establish the flow of traffic for the
window.
White asked the Pierces if they knew what percentage of their
business would be generated from the drive-thru window and form the
indoor cafe.
Sean Pierce said he didn't know, but that the drive-thru was
important as there is no foot traffic in that location. He said
the whole business would be run from the Route 116 location.
The 2,000 square foot space will be used for office space, a
warehouse and a small cafe. The Pierces own Pierce Brothers
Gour4met Distributors in Sunderland and a Java Hut kiosk in the Newman
Center at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. They said
part of their lease agreement says they will not serve hamburgers,
bacon and eggs or any other grilled food served by the nearby Dove's
Nest, so they weill not be in direct competition with that
establishment. They would however, have an oven to bake maffins,
cookies and pastries.
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| The new Java Hut on Route 116 will
serve coffee and baked goods to drive-up customers. One
selectman fears traffic problems. |
White also said there is a bus stop for elementary schoolchildren in
front of Frontier Pizza at the Squire Village apartment complex, and
said he didn't want to see any accidents there.
Pierce suggested that the bus stop be relocated.
White asked if he and his brother could find another location for
their cafe.
Pierce said, "If we had another location, we'd be there. You
said you didn't want it to become like Route 9 with McDonald's and
Burger King. We're not McDonald's. We're a small business.
McDonald's is known all over the world. People see those golden
arches and they stop. We're not McDonald's. Do you just
not want a restaurant? Or is it the drive-thru?"
The drive-thru window had caused consternation among some town
officials at last week's selectmen's meeting when the Pierces'
application first came up. The town has no bylaw or ordinance
banning drive-thru windows, but at that meeting, Planning Board member
Carolyn Perry said the board was working on such a bylaw.
Darren Pierce promised the selectmen they'd do anything they could
to address their concerns.
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