We decided that if we would put it on the market, we could list it for sale or offer to lease it to a business. Before we took that route, we decided to explore one option: Could we open a cafe in the space?
One of the problems that this approach would solve was Brian’s career path. He has been working as an independent contractor, helping people with home repair and renovations. When the question of opening a cafe was addressed, he was approaching is 50th birthday and recognized that while his body felt good, it was inevitable that his work would take a toll on his body and wanted to exit the business before pain was a constant companion.
When we approached the town about putting a coffee shop in the space, they reiterated the stance that a change of zoning was not necessary and so the process of opening the business would require the build-out and related inspections and ensuring that the space was in compliance with the health code.
We contacted the architect that had helped them with the initial drawings and he graciously agreed to assist with the change.