NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The coffee is always brewing at the R Cafe in downtown New Rochelle, but at this quaint establishment nestled off Huguenot Street, things are done just a little bit differently. Visitors to the local favorite coffee shop and tearoom don't need full pocketbooks to fill their cups with the roast of the day.
In fact, coupons almost always taped to the front door of the shop are available for anyone to exchange for a free cup of joe or breakfast sandwich. Monday morning, when the cafe opened, the signs reading "If you cannot afford a coffee, take a coupon below and hand it in for a free cup" and "If you cannot afford a meal, take a coupon below and hand it in for a free morning sandwich" were already posted.
Cafe owner, John "JJ" Reverol says the shop has been offering the free meals for those in need since the earliest days of the pandemic. He describes the effort as a partnership between the cafe and its regular customers. When the coupons run out, one of the cafe's frequent guests will almost immediately ask to prepay for sandwiches and coffee and the staff will then print new coupons. Reverol notes that the R Cafe matches the customer's contribution, doubling the number of free meals made available to anyone in need.
"The idea came from one of our clients named Deepak who bought the first sandwiches and coffee," Reverol told Patch this week. "As more customers started to talk about the coupons, more people offered to pay for the sandwiches. Now the coupons almost never run out - someone is always offering to to refill them long before the coupons are all used. The response has been incredible."
Reverol says that the coupons are redeemed by a surprisingly diverse collection of visitors. He credits the coupons with opening his eyes to just how many different kinds of people are struggling right now.
"We get some kids who come in," Reverole said. "We have a few elderly people - you would be surprised who comes in the door holding a coupon."
Reverol says he hasn't run into trouble with anyone taking unfair advantage of the offers. Mostly, he says, the gesture is appreciated by those in the neighborhood who might sometimes need a helping hand.
"We occasionally get someone who doesn't look like they can't afford a cup of coffee," Reverol admitted. "But what do I know?"
Reverol understands the need for any sort of lifeline in tough times. After being a well-loved staple in New Rochelle for nearly a decade, the R Cafe was hit hard by a pandemic-related closure and strict new operating restrictions. He credits federal Paycheck Protection Assistance (PPA) loans with allowing the business to keep the lights on.
The loans were recently forgiven according to Reverol. This is good news for a local business, those of us addicted to the best macarons in the city and perhaps for a neighbor with an empty stomach and nowhere to turn.
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March 16, 2021 at 08:07PM
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Those In Need Are Made Welcome at New Rochelles R Cafe - Patch.com
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