New Bittersweet to Open July 20

If you thought Todd Byhre needed a break after completing the $1.1 million renovation project, think again.

As general manager of the historic Division Street hotel, Byhre is leading efforts to update the , which closed June 30, to be more accessible to hotel guests, as well as to provide another coffee and dining option to Northfield residents.

“We’re doing a lot of painting, adding new retail shelving, trying to really lighten it up,” he said.

The Bittersweet space is among the storefronts on the boardwalk in front of the Archer House complex. It has been home to eateries for a number of years.

The unmistakable smell of freshly painted walls was prevalent when Bittersweet opened its doors to visitors of the Archer House open house July 8. Written in chalk on the menu board behind the counter was this message: “Opening July 20.”

During the open house, Byhre greeted guests from his seat beside the large picture windows at the front of the shop.

When the shop does reopen, those newly painted walls will be covered with artwork from the and local artists, said Byhre.

The previous version of Bittersweet, owned by Jane Volkert, . Volkert cited “the economy” as the largest factor behind the shuttering.

As he prepares to reopen Bittersweet later this month, Byhre said he has talked to a number of vendors to supply the shop with organic and fair-trade coffees, deli items, gourmet ice cream and make-from-scratch bakery items.

“We’re looking at having a homemade pie a day,” he said. “We want all of our bakery items to be fresh and all-scratch.”

Byhre is no stranger to the Northfield coffee shop business. He helped operate the Ole Store restaurant and coffee shop on St. Olaf Avenue several years ago.

He said people will see some similarities between the two shops.

“Certainly, there will be some flavor of that because some of my style carries over everywhere I go,” he said. “It’s my style.”