PATTEN, Maine — Something tasty is brewing for coffee lovers at Mak’s Coffee House.
Patten’s newest eatery, the coffee house opened for business on July 2 and is the brainchild of Tabatha and Bobby Loukeris of Mount Chase.
The couple moved to the Patten area from New Jersey about two years ago, but Bobby had difficulty finding work. After a year or so of searching, he finally decided to go back to doing what he loves — making coffee.
“My husband, when he lived in Greece, was always involved in restaurants,” Tabatha said.“His family owned restaurants, so he branched off into a coffee shop and he was happy doing that.”
Tabatha’s grandmother was a frequent visitor to the Katahdin area and often brought Tabatha and her sisters to the area for summer vacations.
“When she retired, she moved to Mount Chase,” Tabatha explained. “When she passed away a couple of years ago, she left us the house. Bobby took one look at it and said, ‘Why are we living in New Jersey when we could be here?’ So that was it.”
The couple searched for just the right place to open their new venture and decided on a quaint building located at 59 Main St. The location, which also features a gift shop, is tastefully decorated featuring a homey atmosphere that matches the warmth of its coffee products. Most of the interior was constructed by Bobby, including the wood tables, bar and wall paneling.
“The spot was a redemption center, so there was nothing in here,” Tabatha said. “We wanted to keep the Maine theme (in decorating) with lots of wood. Bobby did all the work himself.”
The Loukeris’ young children, Madelynn, 8, Kayla, 5, and Mak, 16 months, are likely to be found at the shop during the summer months helping out their parents. The business was named after the couple’s youngest because he is the first male child on Tabatha’s side of the family. His full name is Gerasimos, which is a family name on Bobby’s side of the family, honoring his father and great-grandfather, Tabatha said.
“I am really happy with the response we have seen so far,” she said of townspeople. “I know something new or different can be hard for some people. The town has been so accepting and supportive of us. We really wanted this to be some place for people to come, spend time, and socialize.”
Tabatha added they also want students to come in and spend time after school and provide free wireless internet for customers wishing to surf the net.
Among the food items available are quiche and muffins in the mornings, and a sandwich of the day for lunch. Greek food items such as spanakopita and the house speciality “New Jersey Italian Hoagie” will be served. Cupcakes and other dessert items also are offered.
“I will not bring in food items that other businesses have,” Tabatha said. “We want businesses to grow and not take business from others.”
The store is open Mondays through Saturdays, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit Mak’s Coffee House Facebook page or call 528-1005.
