A SweetSpot for the Arts
Dec 3rd, 2011 by altermas
Whether it’s brewing coffee or supporting the arts, this alum has a Sweetspot for UW-Whitewater and the community. The successful alum, Lacey Reichwald, is co-owner of the SweetSpot Coffee Shoppe located on W. Whitewater St in downtown Whitewater. Reichwald graduated in December of 2007 from the College of Arts and Communication with a degree in Interpersonal Communication and a minor in Psychology. Originally, Reichwald planned on working in family communication; however, that plan changed when she started working at the coffee shop.
When asked about how her Communication major has influenced her new career path, Reichwald explains, “I use my communication degree every single day. The one thing I did not realize was how much I would use the skills I learned in my communication classes. Effective communication can make or break an organization and I strive to utilize the direct communication skills I learned in school in my daily life.”
The SweetSpot Coffee Shoppe opened in 2006 and Reichwald worked there roughly 30 hours a week while she was still a student at UW-Whitewater. Although accepted to Marquette for graduate school, Reichwald took a leap of faith and became 1/3 owner of the coffee shop and full-time manager. Business was increasing steadily for the Sweetspot, which led to adding a full, quick-serve lunch menu. With the new kitchen in place, the Sweetspot expanded their space, offering a new dining and gallery area.
Reichwald has always had a passion for the arts and wanted to incorporate that into her business so she teamed up with the Whitewater Arts Alliance to display a monthly gallery of local artist’s work. November’s featured artist was Eric Appleton, a playwright and professor at UW-Whitewater. The gallery showcased his collection of collage artwork. Other featured artists have included Mark McPhail, Dean of the College of Arts and Communication, and local artists and alumni Tom Jewell and Marilyn Kilpin Fuerstenberg.
This gallery is a unique way to appreciate all the local talent in Whitewater. When asked about why she wants to keep the art gallery local to Whitewater, Reichwald said, “I love working with faculty, staff, and students on community events, arts events, and promotions”. Which in turn directly effects the mission of the SweetSpot, to provide the best customer service experience in Whitewater while serving high quality pastries, coffee, and food to a range of customers.
By the end of 2008, the original owners sold their share in the business and Reichwald found new investors to add equipment and make improvements to accommodate further growth. Now, Reichwald, her mother, Karen, and a silent partner are all owners of the business and have expanded even further to a pastry kitchen. They celebrated with an open house on December 2nd.
To learn more about Ms. Reichwald and The SweetSpot Coffee Shoppe visit their website, check them out on Facebook or just stop in for a coffee and a tasty sweet treat!
post by Kylee Flister, UW-Whitewater BFA Theatre Management/Promotion major.