By TIM HIRSCH
of the Sun

Wine and cheese. Chocolate and peanut butter. Movies and popcorn. All cases in point that good things come in pairs.

And you can add coffee and art to that list.

Showcasing just how special that pairing can be is Bridge Street Coffee, a relatively new kid on the block in revitalized, historic downtown Cloverdale. The brainchild of Travis Ellis, who operated Haystack Coffee in Pacific City from 2011-2016, the espresso bar and coffee house offers freshly roasted coffee, lattes, artisan nibbles and more. He also sells fresh roasted coffee beans by the bag. Roasts include Surfer Jo, a light American roast; Dawn Patrol, a medium French roast; and Cape Kong, a dark, Italian espresso.

“All three are a blend of high altitude, ethically sourced beans,” Ellis said.

Other items featured at the café are the locally made bread of Moon Creek Bread Company, goat milk soap by The Davis Family Homestead, jewelry by Isabel Gilda, fused glass by Sue Miller, photography by Tim W. Moore, art by Carol Kalhagen-Tamanah, and the historical books of Sally Rissel.

“I’m trying to make Cloverdale smell better one roast at a time,” Ellis added. “Everything’s going to be local in here and handmade.”

A key part of the up-and-coming café is Ellis’s focus on freshness. And that means, whenever he sells a bag of his coffee beans, he roasts another, which keeps all his inventory fresh. He said he also enjoys roasting coffee for that special moment.

“I’d like to roast people’s Sunday coffee,” Ellis explained. “There’s something about a Sunday coffee, (an occasion) people will buy a special bag for.”

Though Ellis first opened the doors on a limited basis last December, he says it was just this past Clover’s Day when he really kicked things off. And, now, with the addition of Thomas Goodwin’s paintings, he’s ready to serve all with freshly roasted coffee, a focus on local artisans, and art.

Thomas Goodwin, who first made his presence felt in this very space back in 2011, later sold the building to Marilyn Burkardt and moved his gallery across the street before retiring in 2023. But now he’s back. And happy to be here.

“My vision is that people will come over here with their coffee, maybe sit down, look at the paintings or just walk around and look at them,” Goodwin said. “I’m excited to be here. Something that I’ve been experiencing lately, I’ve been really focusing on trying to make things as abstract as I can. Everywhere I look, nothing makes sense. I’m intrigued. I feel joy. That’s really what my most recent paintings are about.”

While Goodwin won’t be in the gallery full-time, he will be available by appointment by calling 503-329-8345  —  or by luck.

“Your art talks to people without me having to say anything,” Ellis said.

“I price the paintings to go to good homes,” Goodwin added. “What I’m asking for these is less than half what I was asking when I had my own gallery.”

Upcoming plans for the café include adding matcha, wine tastings, crepes, oysters, and clam chowder. Ellis and Goodwin also hope to host musical events in the future.

Open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m., Bridge Street Coffee is located at 34395 Highway 101 South, Cloverdale, For more information, call 503-812-1703. To learn more about the paintings of Thomas Goodwin, visit thomasgoodwin.com.

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