Bailey Robinson, owner of Cafe Monte Bello, talks about her new coffee shop inside the Bank of the James No matter if it’s a lawyer, accountant or banker in the Bank of the James building or a passerby walking on Main Street, you’re welcome in Café Monte Bello. Cafe Monte Bello on Main Street on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024.
Paige Dingler “It’s more of a grab-and-go, takeout place, but we do have seating and its so sweet to have people come in and hang out, which has been really cool,” owner Bailey Robinson said. Located in the Bank of the James building on Main Street, Cafe Monte Bello is bringing a fresh, community-driven approach to downtown Lynchburg’s coffee scene. Cafe Monte Bello on Main Street on Tuesday, Sept.
10, 2024. Paige Dingler Robinson, the 24-year-old owner, is a passionate coffee enthusiast who has turned her dream into reality with this new venture, officially opening the doors on Sept. 2.
Robinson originally moved to Lynchburg in 2018 to attend Liberty University but soon shifted her focus to coffee, her lifelong passion. Alongside her husband, a Lynchburg native who works in construction, they began their journey with a mobile coffee unit before being approached by the building’s owners to take over the space. “This is something I’ve always wanted to do, ever since I was a kid,” she said.
Cafe Monte Bello on Main Street on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. Paige Dingler The space previously housed Blue Dream Bodega, but after her husband completed renovations, Cafe Monte Bello was born.
With years of experience managing local coffee shops and two years as a roaster, Robinson said she has developed both her business acumen and coffee expertise. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts “I just love the community and service that comes with coffee,” she said adding that her relationships with downtown workers and local businesses have fueled her desire to create a welcoming space for everyone. Cafe Monte Bello offers a variety of coffee beverages, including espresso, cold brew and teas, along with pastries from Father’s Bakery at the Lynchburg Community Market.
Robinson said she hopes to continue supporting local businesses, working with City View Venues to offer sandwiches, subs and salads. “Eventually, I’d love to partner with more local farmers to expand our grab-and-go offerings,” she said. Cafe Monte Bello on Main Street on Tuesday, Sept.
10, 2024. Paige Dingler Cafe Monte Bello also plans to promote local artists by offering them an affordable opportunity to showcase their work. “We have these beautiful concrete walls that are like a blank canvas,” Robinson said.
“So we’d love to showcase local artists who don’t necessarily have an opportunity to go into a gallery or they’re just starting out, or it’s just a hobby. I really just want people to make our space beautiful while giving them an opportunity to share their art.” Though Lynchburg has seen several downtown coffee shops close recently, Robinson is confident in her smaller, more manageable space and streamlined operations.
“Our location is great and because it’s just me running things for now, our overhead and labor costs are really low,” she said. “So I’m not super worried or concerned, as long as we maintain the clientele that we’ve already established and then even grow from that.” Cafe Monte Bello on Main Street on Tuesday, Sept.
10, 2024. PAIGE DINGLER, THE NEWS & ADVANCE She’s optimistic that her focus on simplicity and community engagement will set the cafe up for success. The coffee shop is open 7 a.
m. to 2 p.m.
Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.
m. on Saturday. In the future, she hopes to introduce game nights and other evening events, in conjunction with First Fridays.
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