Bread + Roses Bookstore and Cafe An East Side Story
After graduating from law school in 2008, Nathan Herschler felt lucky to be hired by International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), an animal rights organization. Based out of Washington DC, he traveled the world devising policy and strategic planning. He moved on to other animal rights organizations but, while he felt he was having an impact on a large scale, he longed for a more intimate experience. “I took the lesson that the only way we can show real change, more social impact, is to limit our experience and influence to a small geographic area,” Herschler said. Thus was born the idea of Bread + Roses Bookstore and Café, that opened last November at the east end of Main Street in Hyannis.
Herschler has three phases in his Bread + Roses plan. The first is the vegan café/bookstore/coffee roasting/bar/gathering place (whew!). Although even this phase has stages — he had just “busted through the wall” to move the used books next door.
Coffee roasting is the second segment in the first phase. Herschler purchases beans from single source, fair trade collectives in Ethiopia and Costa Rica, all with 90-cup scores (A Specialty Coffee Association scoring system). The staff has taken on-premises roasting classes and they are ready for the “grind” in a corner of the café. They are now serving cocktails and occasionally have local musicians who entertain in the daytime and evening.
Phase two is a public fresh food market slated to open in summer of 2023 two doors down. The market will support local farmers and suppliers, address the East Main Street “food desert” — defined as a combination of neighborhood income levels and proximity of available fresh food products — and encompass a zero-waste component. It will have event space and a commercial kitchen for community use that will serve as an incubator to push small culinary businesses.
Elements of phase three are incorporated in the first two steps, but will expand to help resolve the 90 tons of annual food waste from the hospital, municipal factions, and Hyannis restaurants. A dehydrating composter on the roof is the solution, and Herschel has been working with Mass Development to fulfill this phase.
“The food concept in the café is seasonal, accessible and tasty vegan food based on the Michael Pollan model of ‘eat fresh foods, mostly plants, not too much,’” Herschler said. Chef Joseph Lebron loves the challenge of creating flavorful vegan dishes using seasoning and fresh vegetables. They serve bites like mezze plates, avocado toast (delicious with sundried tomatoes), salads and soups. While he is not a vegan, the chef gets a thrill when people tell him how great his food is. This writer can attest that the veggie burger is terrific, served with perfect tomato slices and delicious roasted sweet potato fries.
Open seven days, nine to five, the café has already made its mark in Hyannis and the surrounding areas. “I want the fresh market to be available in early and later evening hours so that people working in the community have a place to shop on their way home after a long day,” Herschler asserted. Stay tuned for this ever-evolving and exciting “East Side Story”.
Bread + Roses Bookstore and Café
302 Main Street, Hyannis
774-470-5125
brcapecod.com
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