July has been quite a month for Josie Kozlowski and Jason Milburn.
The couple got married a few weeks ago, and now they’re diving right into a major expansion of their business, the Canaseraga Soup and Coffee Company.
The entrepreneurial couple debuted “The Pot Spot” inside the Wellsville Creative Arts Center during Balloon Rally weekend. The new location is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. this week, from Tuesday through Saturday. Hours will expand to 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. next week as the Creative Arts Soup and Coffee Co. settles into its new home on Wellsville’s Main Street.
“Everyone has been so welcoming. We’re excited,” Jason said. “Our plan with the menu is to unroll different features weekly.”
Josie said The Pot Spot might eventually stay open until 4 p.m. if it finds there’s a strong demand from late coffee drinkers. A formal grand opening will be held in the coming weeks. In the meantime, here’s everything you need to know about the business.
What’s on the food menu at The Pot Spot’s Wellsville location
Customers can expect to find many of the staples that have made The Pot Spot in Canaseraga a hit, including its signature soups, sandwiches and pastries, but the Wellsville location has added items like bagels and toast to the menu.
The Wellsville shop will also lean more heavily into gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. Josie and Jason both have worked in Alfred University’s dining department, catering to a broad range of palettes.
“We’re used to those dietary requests coming from the university setting with the many different needs,” Jason said. “We wanted to bring a little bit of that here to Wellsville since it’s hard for people with dietary restrictions to eat out.”
The chief chef in Wellsville is Alyssa Grillo, who Jason said is already “one of the most talented chefs” he has worked with.
“We have a core menu, and each location will then have its own unique specials,” Jason said. “Chef Alyssa will create specials and dishes specific to this location. You’ll have some variety, but the brand, The Pot Spot, is going to be our soup, our sandwiches.”
Some of the favorites at The Pot Spot in Canaseraga are the tomato bisque and the Marilyn Monroe, which features chicken breast, lettuce, tomatoes and Cajun honey mustard.
“Everyone loves it,” Jason said. “It’s light, it’s healthy, it’s unique. Our dishes are designed so after you’re done eating you don’t feel weighed down, you don’t feel tired.”
At the same time, Josie said, the menu does include some “naughty” options for the less calorie-conscious.
“You can customize your lunch,” Josie said. “You can get a cup of soup, a cup of salad and half a sandwich. Ladies love it because they get to have a bite of everything. You can customize and go any way you want with our menu to build what you’re comfortable eating.”
One thing is consistent: The Pot Spot relies on fresh ingredients and makes everything from scratch, whenever possible.
“We go shopping once or twice a week and hand select everything that comes in for both locations,” Jason said. “I don’t see that changing anytime soon. There’s nothing like having the freedom to say yay or nay and getting the proper, fresh ingredient that you need. If the product isn’t that good, I can’t serve it.”
Bringing live music, catering back to Creative Arts Center?
The Pot Spot is looking to leverage its presence in the Creative Arts Center beyond just coffee and a morning or afternoon meal.
The Pot Spot will be open during the weekly Open Mic Nights, but that might be just the beginning. Regular live music was once a staple at the venue, an attraction that could return in the future. Specialty dinners in the evenings are also in the works.
“(Owner) Andy (Glanzman) has offered to build the live music back up again with us and show us how he was running those things before. That’s a possibility,” Josie said. “For now, we’ll be starting with open mic night and adding in some of those dinners, like farm to table kind of dinners or wine tastings.”
A catering program is also under development, allowing the Arts Center to be rented out for events like bridal showers and baby showers.
“Our styles were already compatible. Over the next months you’ll start to see our personality emerging more and more, not only with the menu but with the ambiance as well,” Jason said. “It’s going to be a journey. We want to make sure that we’re meshing well with the community.”
Canaseraga location closed this week
The Pot Spot’s original location at 64 Main St. in Canaseraga opened in 2023. The Canaseraga shop is closed this week to assist in the debut of the Wellsville location.
Everyone who typically attends the Canaseraga open mic night will be invited to check out the new digs in Wellsville.
“I’m super proud of the work our staff and our children have done,” Jason said. “We’re excited about Wellsville welcoming us into the community. We look forward to expanding and learning from each other. It’s all about learning.”
This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Canaseraga Soup & Coffee Co. expands into Wellsville. See hours, menu changes, what’s next
Reporting by Chris Potter, Hornell Evening Tribune / The Evening Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
