On a surprisingly clear, sunny day in early March, I found myself, along with two friends on my way
to "see something unusual" in Augusta, a small town about an hour West of St. Louis nestled deep in
the hills of Daniel Boone County close to the Missouri River.
My friends are members of the St Louis Woodworkers Guild who have achieved some recognition
for their artistic, hand rendering of decorative and utilitarian products.
We drove to our destination on Route 94, which begins as a straight forward highway and then turns
into a two-lane country road. We came past State Parks, parts of the Katy Trail, old munition shell
relics of World War II, lakes and ponds that may have been the result of old flooding or the work of
people who built their own "pond".
The scenery became a hilly expanse of grape arbors, small and large homes with canoes, kayaks and
row boats in driveways as if awaiting the signal that summer was close at hand.
As we came close to Augusta, I was struck by how much it made me think of Venesque, a small
town in France's wine country. Here, Augusta's distinction became the first Missouri-Appalachian
wine district settled by German immigrants right after Prohibition. The town also
bore the resemblance, for me at least, to the small narrow, hilly streets of Venesque. Augusta is a very small town, population 250 which increases substantially when the warm weather arrives. The day we were there its Funeral Parlor was overflowing to the point that I wondered if it
was for some local dignitary.
About one hour after our trip began We spotted the driveway to Kate's Coffee Shop, pulled in and
went inside.
As we entered, the smell of baking bread and cookies was reward enough for the trip.
One quickly recognized that this Coffee Shop is built with ingenuity, understanding of
design, a love of history and respect for the local environment. It was, truly charming.
Its owners a husband and wife team come from disparate backgrounds.
He was born in Alabama, raised on a farm and developed a design and carpentry business
along with a sales and training company. She was a Geo physicist working for the
United States Department of Environmental Protection in Washington D.C, when she was
sent to Missouri through the Superfund office. He came to Missouri to explore investment possibilities.
They met serendipitously in Augusta eight years ago and built the complex now known as Kate's Coffee Shop.
In the coffee house itself,the artistic use of old woods for flooring, in the transits, in trim
and some old stained glass windows provide a cozy, warm atmosphere. The owner has built a grape arbor
and fountain and a replica of England's Stone Hinge made of local stones and rocks on the grounds.
In the garage
stands a late model car the owner has also built by hand.
Along with delicious, nutritional food there is much to see and do here that is, as my friends
said, "unusual" and worth the trip.
As we left Augusta we passed about a dozen young men lulling on the broad porch of the local bar.
Some were straddling their motorcycles, others just "hanging out". When I saw them, I wondered if they
and we understand how close we all are in our common humanity and in sharing the abundance and
failings of the state in which we all live.
I HOPE I SEE THEM AT THE POLLS!
The web site for Kate's Coffee Shop is: oakscrossing.augusta.com
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