WARSAW — The River Coffeehouse just keeps flowing into uncharted areas.

On Tuesday, the Parkview Warsaw YMCA held its much-anticipated groundbreaking ceremony for its future innovative Play Cafe — a workspace and childcare center — and then announced that The River Coffeehouse will operate a coffee shop to serve its clientele.

[caption id="attachment_112922" align="alignright" width="300"] Amanda Meerzo is pictured outside of her original Warsaw coffee shop in 2024. News Now Warsaw file photo.[/caption]

The new coffee shop is not exactly huge news until you realize it marks the local company’s second opening this year as the business expanded into the former Light Rail cafe in Winona Lake, which came one year it entered the Warsaw market in a cozy storefront southeast corner of the Kosciuso county courthouse (before moving across the street to a more spacious location).

For those keeping count, this week's announcement marks three new locales in two years after the family-owned business built a reputation for several years with its home base in North Webster.

Owner Amanda Meerzo admits the growth spurt has likely peaked, at least for now.

"This is it for a while," Meerzo said with a laugh while reflecting on the rapid growth.

She said she never envisioned such quick growth but listed the reasons that have paved that path.

"Quality drinks, good service, good locations and opportunities," she said.

She said she was excited about the new opportunity the YMCA presents.

Meerzo said the future store will offer protein drinks, smoothies, and snack items that fit well with the Y.

The coffee shop will be near the Play Cafe, but Ben Keffer, director of marketing and fund development, said they think it will serve more than just parents who take advantage of the future workspace and child care service.

He expects the store will appeal to those who arrive for an early morning workout, Grace College students, and others.

Keffer said they looked at various options before settling on The River.

"They're growing like crazy and just doing such a great job, and we're excited that it got to be someone local," Keffer said.

Construction on the Play Cafe and coffee shop recently began and should be complete this fall, Keffer said.

The Play Cafe has funding support from several entities and is considered a unique arrangement that will help offset what is widely considered to be a crisis in childcare affordability.

Here is a link to a previous story that looked at the details of the plan.

[caption id="attachment_112923" align="aligncenter" width="696"] A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday for the future Play Cafe. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union,[/caption]

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WINONA LAKE — The River Coffeehouse is expanding again.

The business expanded from a store in North Webster to one in Warsaw last year (and then jumped to a new location in Warsaw on Center Street late last year) and now plan to open a coffee shop in Winona Lake.

That announcement initially came from the owners of Light Rail Cafe who announced on Facebook on Friday that they are "passing the torch" to The River CoffeeHouse.

The following is the statement from Light Rail:

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WARSAW — Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce enjoyed another memorable year with record-setting membership and put the spotlight on local businesses and leaders with another soldout annual dinner Thursday at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center in Winona Lake.

The chamber honored Leon Horn as the Man of the Year and Becky Walls as the Woman of the Year.

Among the many other awards, Winona Lake Town Manager Craig Allebach was honored with the government excellence award and Parkview Health received the Business of the Year Award.

See the full list of award winners below.

Chamber president Rob Parker highlighted top community issues in a short address and urged people to remain engaged in the US 30 project

"Because when we fix US 30 — we take out the stoplights and it becomes a freeway — we can get from here to Fort Wayne in under 30 minutes which means Fort Wayne would be a suburb of Warsaw," Parker said, drawing laughs.

Parker also announced Scott Wiley, the chamber’s member relations manager, who has been a big part of hundreds of Chamber social media videos, is stepping down from his position.

Parker thanked Wiley for his role and impact and Wiley was then greeted with a sustained round of applause in appreciation of his work.

Below is a full list of awards based on a news release from the Chamber.

Parker recognized Lake City Bank as the recipient of the Chamber’s second annual Legacy Impact award. The award honors a business that has been a part of the Kosciusko  County business community for at least 75 years.  

The LaunchPad Impact award, which recognizes a business that provides innovative and creative  solutions to childcare needs in the community was presented to the Kosciusko Community YMCA. Stillwater Hospice was this year’s award sponsor, and it was presented by Leslie Freidel. 

The Main Street Impact Award, sponsored by PNC Bank and presented by Catherine Hill, was awarded to Atelier. Honorable Mention for the Main Street Impact Award was given to Glam Boutique and  Generous Coffee.  

The Making a Difference Award was sponsored by K21 Health Foundation and presented by Rich  Haddad. The award was given to Cardinal Services. Honorable Mention for the Making a Difference  award was given to Big Brothers Big Sisters and Moving Pictures Tattoo Cinema.  

The Rising Star Award is given to Kosciusko County’s highest-performing new company. This year, the award, sponsored by Horizon Bank and presented by Sonja Hesser, was awarded to The River Coffeehouse. Honorable Mention for the Rising Star Award was given to CS Portables and Envision  Design.  

The Community Development Award, honoring a business that has shown an outstanding contribution to community development in Kosciusko County, was sponsored by Old National Bank and presented by Sandra Parra. This year’s recipient was The Barn 1880. Honorable Mention for the Community  Development Award was given to D.R. Horton and Milestone Construction.  

This year’s Business of the Year Award was sponsored by Lake City Bank. Chris Wiggins presented the award to Parkview Health. Honorable Mention for the Business of the Year Award was given to Grace  Village and Warsaw Chemical.  

Lauren Twombly, the Chamber’s Director of Marketing and Communications presented the Chamber Ambassador of the Year Award to Stacey Leek from Stillwater Hospice. 

The Kosciusko Young Adult Professional of the Year Award was sponsored by Crossroads Bank and presented by John Warren. YAP is a group of business professionals under the age of 40 who are active in the community. This year’s recipient was Leo Patino with Warsaw Community Schools.  

Tabitha McDonalds presented the Government Excellence Award, sponsored by Zimmer Biomet, to Winona Lake Town Manager, Craig Allebach.  

The final awards presented for the evening were the highly anticipated Man and Woman of the Year  Awards. These awards were co-sponsored by 1st Source Bank and Times-Union.  

Doug Hanes of 1st Source Bank then presented the Man of the Year Award. Hanes stated that, “our man  of the year has quietly shaped the fabric of Kosciusko County, using his wisdom, integrity, and  generosity to make our community a better place. For anyone who has spent time walking around  Kosciusko County with him, it’s immediately apparent how deeply he’s embedded in the community.  The number of people he knows and the conversations he shares with them are a testament to his far-reaching influence. Yet, despite all his accomplishments, he remains remarkably humble, never seeking  recognition or accolades for his efforts.” The 2024 Man of the Year is Leon Horn.  

David Slone of Times Union presented the Woman of the Year Award saying that, “our Woman of the  Year is a truly exceptional individual whose dedication, compassion, and leadership have transformed countless lives in Kosciusko County. If one had even half the passion and dedication that she has for the  Special Olympics, they would still be an extraordinary force for change. Her unwavering commitment is  truly unmatched, and she sets a standard for leadership, compassion, and perseverance that inspires  everyone around her.” The 2024 Woman of the Year is Becky Walls. 

Dinner was prepared by The LakeSide in Syracuse. 

The major sponsors for the event included Lake City Bank, 1st Source Bank, 1Eighty Digital, Blue River Digital, Bowen Health, Core Mechanical Services,  DreamOn Studios, Grace College & Seminary, Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital, Maple Leaf Farms, Robinson  Construction, Silveus Insurance Group, Warsaw GMC, Winona IT, and Wildman.  

The evening’s keynote speaker was Vanessa Green Sinders, President & CEO of the Indiana Chamber of  Commerce. Green Sinders was interviewed by Lake City Bank President & Chief Executive Officer, David  Findlay. 

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WARSAW — The River CoffeeHouse, which opened in February and quickly became known for its outdoor seating catty-cornered from the Kosciusko County courthouse, is relocating.

That sounds like a shocking development, given how popular the business has become, but Amanda Meerzo, who owns and operates the business with her husband, Jamel, confirmed the store plans to quickly move across the street to another corner spot across from the courthouse at 101 E. Center St.

[caption id="attachment_101304" align="alignright" width="350"] Renovations are underway at the 101 E. Center Street which is directly across from The River CoffeeHouse. The relocation process could be complete by Nov. 20. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

The move is necessary because the existing location only has five tables inside the business and the owners realized they would not be able to accommodate their current customer base through the winter months.

"It just kind of made us start thinking what were we going to do when it gets cold? Could we make it with just 12 seats?" Amanda Meezo said.

The new location offers much more interior seating space — including a low level — and a bigger kitchen.

She said the new location will include an expanded menu.

Outdoor seating at the new store will return in the spring, she said.

The arrival of the store nine months ago ended a vacant on the key corner lot that had existed for a handful of years despite the ideal location.

One fellow retailer — Michelle Smith-LeDrew — said recently she thinks The River has been singly responsible for an uptick in foot traffic and many see it as an ideal location for a retailer.

Meerzo is confident about the change.

"We do feel we do have the best location but the best part is that this is really the same location, just the opposite side of the street," Amanda said. "It was a very, very hard decision for us, but for the community and what we want to achieve, this is doable."

The future store, which has been home to Oku Roji, a Japanese restaurant, is currently being renovated and Meerzo said they plan to transition soon and reopen as soon as Nov. 20.

Word of the new location surfaced Wednesday on the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce's Facebook page with a playful video.

Chamber President Rob Parker, who appeared in the video, applauded the move and said it was another sign of how energized the downtown has become.

The River's original coffee shop is in North Webster and Meerzo said this year's expansion has exceeded expectations.

"It has been amazing. It has left us speechless many times," she said. "We love being part of downtown."

Property of the current and future stores is owned by David Gustafson, but it's unclear what plans are in store for the lot on the southeast corner once it is vacant.

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WARSAW —  There’s another coffee shop that’s opened in downtown Warsaw and this one has a familiar ring to it.

Amanda Meerzo, with help from her family, has opened The River Coffeehouse at the corner of Buffalo and Center streets directly across from city hall and catty cornered from the Kosciusko County Courthouse.

The business opened up last week and is the latest one in the downtown to offer coffee under a new theme or location.

Meerzo bought The River Coffeehouse in North Webster four years ago and has seen business thrive.

She said she knew downtown Warsaw had a competitive coffee shop environment and had been was urged over the years to consider opening a store in the county seat.

Last year, plans had been announced for an Italian sandwich shop in that spot (complete with a delivery window installed on the west side facing Buffalo Street), but the plan fell apart, which eventually opened the door for Meerzo.

Everything came together rather quickly, she said.

"We had an opportunity a couple of times, it just wasn't the right time, and this opportunity presented itself," she said. "We wanted to be in Warsaw. Being downtown is better and being on the corner is even better."

"We do very well in North Webster. We've had a lot of people ask us to come to Warsaw, so we thought it was the right time," she said.

The store will begin using the delivery window later this year when they also begin adding outside seating, she said.

In addition to coffee drinks, the store has a selection of food items and specializes in breakfast sandwiches.

Meerzo is a graduate of Warsaw Community High School and graduated from Grace College with a degree in business management.

She and her husband, Jamel, also own Mohawk Pier & Lift in Syracuse, Skoops Ice Cream in North Webster and a mobile coffee shop known as The River on Wheels.

Their four children are already amply involved, she said.

The first four years of running the North Webster coffee shop was a chance to work through the imperfections of operating a business, which has given her confidence in operating another store.

She believes passion is the key ingredient for a successful business.

"That's what I was taught. If you have a passion for something you can do it, and I have a passion for coffee," she said.

Business hours are 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. M-F and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

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