by Evelyn Pyburn-orignally published in the Yellowstone County News weekly newspaper on 10-9-15 issue.
LOCKWOOD — A place to sit down and have a good cup of coffee with friends will surely be a welcome addition to Lockwood. A new business, Yellowstone Coffee and Canvas, will provide just that, in addition to a drive –thru to pick up a coffee or latte on the way to work. But, the new business of Valerie Gilbertson will offer even more.
To be located next to Oscar’s Casino at 2860 Old Hardin Road, Yellowstone Coffee and Canvas will also offer an opportunity for patrons to paint as they sip their favorite brew. An artist herself, Gilbertson will provide patrons with the painting materials, including canvas and brushes. She will also offer scheduled painting classes. It’s a twist on the increasingly popular “sip and paint” studios, but instead of wine the beverage of choice will be coffee.
And, Yellowstone Coffee and Canvas will feature its own signature blend of coffee, which will be freshly roasted by Big Sky Coffee Roasters. There will also be free wifi.
Valerie and her husband, Paul, plan to hold their grand opening on Nov. 1. They are currently in the process of converting the retail space, which was once a bread store.
With plans to be open seven days a week, Valerie said she wanted to provide a place to “have fun” for people in Lockwood. There just aren’t many places that do that which do not include alcohol, she said.
The business is Valerie’s idea of how to retire. She and Paul already have one business, which has had a long-standing success – Yellowstone Lawn Service Inc. Paul will continue with that business, but Valerie will focus her attention on the new one, which they hope will prove a successful model to duplicate elsewhere in the future.
A website – www.yellowstonecoffeeandcanvas.com – will post the schedule of art classes, where patrons may register and pay for the classes, on line.
Tentative plans are to hire three people to operate the coffee shop, which will also offer a variety of fresh pastries and muffins. Hours for the new business will be from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.