In a business where large chains dominate, the Coffee Lodge has found it's niche and grown to become a Sarnia phenomenon.

When the first Coffee Lodge opened in May of 2000, owner Leo Stathakis' vision was a specialty coffee house with a uniquely Canadian feel. That's where the concept of the Lodge came in.

"I really love a lodge," Stathakis says, "It's a place where you feel warm, comfortable, and always welcome."

Customers must have felt welcome because the Coffee Lodge took off. Nearly nine years later, the Lodge has four locations around Sarnia, and a fifth in Petrolia. Although the original plan was to be a coffee house, the menu of wraps and sandwiches was extremely popular, and before Stathakis knew it, they were a restaurant and coffee house with a full catering service.

But that doesn't mean the coffee has suffered. The Coffee Lodge has continued its dedication with a rigorous selection process for its roasts. Before opening the Lodge, Stathakis visited Seattle, the home of the specialty coffee movement in North America. He learned everything he could about coffee in order to ensure the Coffee Lodge roasts were of the best quality. "Today, our biggest growth area is Fair Trade coffees and we carry Trans Fair Canada certified coffees by the pound."

"If I'm travelling, I'm usually exploring coffee," he says.

Thanks to Stathakis' passion, nothing but the finest blends from around the world are served. Including a menu full of specialty hot drinks. From the exotic Chai Latte made with honey, vanilla bean, tea and ginger, to Hot Cocoa, served with whipped cream and choco- late shavings, the Coffee Lodge is the perfect place to warm yourself up during the cold winter months.

But when the weather turns warm, you can cool off with iced mochas, teas and iced cappucinos, or with The Original Lodge Real Fruit Smoothies, a Sarnia Lambton favourite.

The key to the Coffee Lodge's success has been its willingness to try new things. It was the first location in Sarnia to serve Chai tea and continues to flirt with exotic recipes. Few people know that the Coffee Lodge's first manager was a chef fresh out of culinary school, and all recipes on the menu are chef-inspired.

"Coffee lodge stands for something that's original, that's different, and is of the highest quality," Stathakis says, "If it meets those three criteria, we'll try it."

This mantra extends to the entertainment at the Coffee Lodge. The Lodge is famous for featuring a wide range of musical acts, including some big names. Blue Rodeo's Bob Egan loved the Lodge so much that he drove from his home in the Kitchener/Waterloo area to perform live, and has since come to play at the Lodge three separate times.

The Lodge has even experimented with a Mariachi band and several Jazz Nights. "We've tried so many crazy things over the years," Stathakis said. "The Coffee Lodge is meant to be an escape. Even though you're in Sarnia, you'll feel like you're somewhere else." The Lodge has tons of exciting new things on the horizon. Their whole bean coffee business has flourished, and they will begin selling it online within the year. And beyond that, they will always be open to new ideas at the Lodge.

"Keeping checking in," Stathakis says, "you never know what's we are going to do next"

By Daniel Punch