April 14, 2022

Returning customers walking into Josiah’s Coffeehouse, Cafe & Bakery might think the downtown restaurant has expanded.

Josiah’s at 104 W. 12th St. reopened this morning after an almost monthlong “rearranging” project that ended up with a few tweaks from the original plan.

“It went pretty darn good, honestly,” co-owner Kibbi McCormick said. “We didn’t run into any real big hiccups or anything like that. We changed the plan the floorplan just a little bit than what we had originally thought we would do.”

Customers can come in the main entrance and walk along the west wall to reach the counter to order, which remains in the same spot.

As they do, “You’ll be able to take a look at some of the mercantile stuff that we have,” McCormick said.

“And then, you’ll come down here, and we have a new cake cooler that will have all the pretty cupcakes and stuff that we keep chilled. … And then you’ll be able to see all the pastries and everything before you get to the counter to order your stuff.”

Only one table is right along the queue, and even that one might be moved eventually, McCormick said.

Once customers have ordered and paid, they turn to face the dining room and have a clear view of all the seating.

Walls that once blocked off the Phillips Gathering Space that could seat up to 80 people have been removed. That means all of the seating now is bathed in natural light, said McCormick, who bought the restaurant in early 2020 with her partner, Tom Pepper.

The fireplace is now two-sided, although work remains to finish it. There’s a small alcove in a far corner that holds additional booths.

Here’s what it looked like before.

Josiah’s added a bartop with plugins along a wall where people can sit with laptops and work or charge their cellphones.

The bathrooms have been expanded from one stall for men, one for women and one unisex to three each for men and women.

Downstairs, a meeting room has been added that can hold 16 to 20 people.

Offices that were downstairs have been moved into a corner on the main floor.

A second phase of the project, which will involve the kitchen, will be completed after Labor Day, McCormick said. She anticipates being closed for only a couple of days then.