Coffee Shop To Open Near Fairfield Metro Station

FAIRFIELD, CT — The owners of a Fairfield coffee shop expected to open later this year want to bring caffeine and convenience to commuters at the Fairfield Metro Station.

Wake-Cup-Coffee plans to serve coffee, pastries and light lunch from a location that will allow customers to step out of the business and onto the westbound platform.

"The most important thing for us is going to be our commuters," said co-owner Stoyan Gueorguiev, who is opening the business with his wife, Nadia Gueorguiev.

The coffee shop will be more than a quick place to grab a bite for the train. The space at 71 Timko St. will seat about 45 people and be furnished with comfortable chairs and granite countertops, according to Gueorguiev. The business will focus on organic and fair trade coffee, and ownership hopes to eventually roast the coffee on site. Other offerings will include croissants imported from France and baked at the shop, a hot Nutella drink and Bavarian pretzels inspired by a shop Gueorguiev visited while traveling in Zurich.

"We want to have something signature that's unique," he said.

During the morning rush, Wake-Cup-Coffee will have three counters, two of which will exclusively serve commuters, selling drip coffee and pre-made sandwiches and salads. But the business won't only cater to the 9-to-5 commuter crowd, Gueorguiev said. The shop plans to open with the first train at 4:30 a.m. and close at midnight, providing a safe place for students to study. Wake-Cup-Coffee will also host open mic nights and may display local art, he said.

The Timko Street space was once a warehouse and wholesale meat distribution facility, according to Fairfield Planning Director Jim Wendt. Much of the building is used by the neighboring auto shop for storage, but Wake-Cup-Coffee will occupy about 2,000 square feet of the structure, Wendt said. A building for passengers to wait indoors was considered when the train station was constructed, according to Wendt, but never came to fruition.

Wake-Cup-Coffee has received approvals from the Town Plan and Zoning Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals, according to Wendt and attorney James Miller, who represented the proposal before town officials. Building permits for the business are outstanding. Gueorguiev hopes to open the shop in late October or early November.