The family behind the newly opened Dresden Coffee Shop and Gallery, at 769 Gardiner Road, hope to offer a welcoming place for people to enjoy good products and good coffee.
The new business is owned and operated by Barbara and Kas Bak and their son, Konrad Bak.
The family moved from the country of Poland to the United States 22 years ago and resided in Pennsylvania until their move to Dresden. The Baks bought the property in Dresden nearly a decade ago after visiting the area.
“We came here nine years ago for vacation, and we fell in love with Maine,” Barbara said.
Over time, the family developed the land, building a home for themselves as well as a structure to house the coffee shop, officially moving to Dresden in April.
The final pieces fell into place as the Dresden Coffee Shop and Gallery held its grand opening on Oct. 10, with many of the Baks’ friends from Pennsylvania in attendance to celebrate the milestone.
The Baks were eager to begin catering to their new neighbors.
“We are very happy to serve the Dresden community,” Barbara said. “My goal when I moved to Dresden … was to serve this community organic, healthy coffee, to offer them the best tastes we can provide.”
The Bak family aims to offer healthy, organic, and locally sourced food in the cafe. Konrad said the cappuccinos, a favorite of patrons, are an example of this desire for quality in action.
“The cream, milk, and coffee — everything is organic,” he said.
The coffee beans are sourced from Carrabasset Coffee Co. in Kingsfield. Most of the pastries are fresh baked in house, but the cafe also offers vegan and gluten-free options from 3 Folds Bakery in Otisfield.
Running the cafe is a family affair for the Baks. Kaz and Konrad handle the machines, technology, and landscaping while Barbara bakes the pastries and cookies daily.
“We all work together,” Barbara said.
On Saturdays, the cafe offers pierogis, which are small sweet or savory Polish dumplings, also handmade from scratch by Barbara.
Barbara said that the way she prepares food for the cafe is deeply rooted in the way she was raised.
“The most important person in the house where I grew up was my grandmother,” Barbara said. She said as a child, her grandmother showed her how to make the recipes she now uses each day in the coffee shop.
In winter, the shop will begin offering two hot soups each day, one of which will always be a European-style tomato soup from another of Barbara’s grandmother’s recipes.
Other winter menu options will include traditional holiday mushroom and cabbage pierogis.
As the name implies, the Dresden Coffee Shop and Gallery has more than food and drink on offer.
For Barbara, who said she has loved art “from birth,” it was natural that the business would also include a gallery.
A selection of Barbara’s art is available for sale in the shop, including a number of carefully crafted paintings, holiday decorations, and ornaments. Barbara said each work is unique, “every single piece is different.”
The gallery also currently features the photography of Kelly Kokas, a young artist from Newtown, Penn.
Barbara described Kokas as “very talented.”
“I want her to succeed,” she said.
Barbara hopes to feature more young artists within the gallery in the future. She said she sees the space as an opportunity to highlight the work of young people who might not have connections in the art world yet.
“The young people are my future … We help others, and one day the young generation will help me,” she said.
When the weather warms up this spring, Barbara is hoping to share her passion for art by offering outdoor art classes on the property.
Barbara repeatedly expressed gratitude to Dresden for the warm welcome the cafe has received.
“The whole community of Dresden has been very welcoming,” she said.
Barbara said her interactions with the community have encouraged her, even in unexpected ways, like when patrons surprised her with an accordion serenade to celebrate her birthday. She is especially grateful to “all the people who made my dream come true.”
The Dresden Coffee Shop and Gallery is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and is currently cash only. For more information, call 656-3030.
