SOMBA K’E/YELLOWKNIFE
Yellowknife coffee-hounds were out of luck over four weekends this summer when Javaroma was shut down for weekend renovations, but with renos now complete - and no more weekend closures planned - the downtown cafe is ready to go again.

Javaroma co-owners Rami Kassem, left, and Fadil Memedi in the newly renovated downtown Yellowknife coffeehouse. Renovations took place over four closed weekends this summer. The result is more seating, more daily variety and even quicker service. - Walter Strong/NNSL photo

Much more than a simple facelift with a fresh coat of paint, the cafe has gone through its first major redesign since co-owners Fadil Mamedi and Rami Kassim bought the business in September of 2009.

“This is one way of giving back to the community,” Mamedi said of the renovations. “The community has been very supportive.”

If the cafe feels larger when you first walk in. That’s because a lot of underused space has been freed up by removing the large sofas and six-person booths.

“The couches were a little too bulky and were getting old,” Kassem said. “We (also) made the booths smaller so you wouldn’t have one person taking up a space for six people.”

In all, the space now seats about 15 more customers than previously without having to knock out walls.

The list of visible renovations is long: new tables and chairs, new leather sofa seats, new interior lighting including lighting along the front window counter seating overlooking Franklin Ave., new tile work in the front entrance, new service counters and display cases, a renovated washroom, fresh paint, and new art featuring the work of NWT photographer Robert Wilson.

“Everywhere you look, there’s something fresh,” Kassim said. “Basically, everything has been redone.”

Two new espresso machines and a soon to arrive convection oven will mean, Mamedi said, quicker more consistent coffee service and expanded daily lunch specials.

The new equipment doesn’t come cheap. You could buy a new car for less the cost of the two Franke Evolution espresso machines.

“Whatever it takes to serve the public faster,” Mamedi said. “For example, the oven is a powerful convention oven. A pizza that would take 10 minutes to cook in a regular oven, will take two minutes to cook in this oven.”

Although Javaroma’s menu won’t be changing immediately, Kassim said they’ll be offering lunch specials they couldn’t offer before. One speciality item the owners are keen on introducing is a gelato panini.

“It’s hot on the outside, and cold on the inside,” Kassem said.

The work was completed within nine working days, something the owners credit to the local crews and artisans who worked weekends around the clock to bring Yellowknife’s PSAV Architects Ltd.’s plans to reality without too much downtime.

There will be a grand opening to be announced later. The first Saturday music jam in the new space is scheduled for Aug. 16, with the lineup to be announced.