Patch Exclusive: Jill Killo Says Goodbye to Perk on Main

When Jill Killo decided to pursue a venture in coffee, she had hopes of bringing a community together.

“I didn’t want to create a successful business where I made tons of money,” Killo said. “I wanted to create a successful environment.”

For about four years she held that ideal together at Perk on Main, but on March 21 she announced that she will close the café at the end of the month, just one year after moving to a new location.

Killo emphasized that she wanted a place that served the community, and that was part of the decision to move the business.

Perk on Main was established in 2002 at its original location, 228 Main Street.

“We kept driving by this little, tiny coffee shop that was always closed and thought it was a diamond in the rough being underutilized,” she said.

Killo took over the operation in 2007, and she said the business thrived in its small space.

It was exactly what she wanted, to be involved with the community.

"My kids know the mayor by name and the borough manager and the councilmen," she said. "How often do our kids grow up in a community where they have that opportunity?”

People loved to gather at Perk, she said, and the small space always made it seem busy. Killo found that people sometimes wouldn’t come because space was limited.

So, when Mas Café decided to close their doors at 332 Main Street, Killo saw the opportunity to take a leap of faith and expand her business.

“[228 Main] was cozy, lovely and very intimate. I think it allowed us to create the relationships we had with our customers because we weren’t in a back room somewhere. We were front and center and very involved with everyone coming and going. We didn’t want to lose that when we moved, so we were really careful to make sure we still created that cozy, quaint, comfortable, family-friendly, laptop-friendly kind of multi-functioning space,” Killo said.

The Perk relocated on Feb. 1, 2010.

The move did provide an influx of new customers, or as Killo likes to refer to them, “guests.”

 The additional dining space and the proximity to Emmaus’ downtown Triangle were huge benefits. The increase in overhead was not, she said.

“We suffer some of the same obstacles that other small, local, independently-owned businesses do, where the perception of busyness has always been a problem,” Kill said. “Our business means there are certain times of day that are busier than others. That’s only a small portion of the day. The bottom line is that we have to sell a lot of coffee to meet our overhead.”

Perk can only charge customers so much for a cup of coffee, Killo Said.

“We’ve tried to be very creative about other offerings and other ways to generate revenue. The commodities are really forcing business owners to re-evaluate how they structure their business, and we were just not willing to compromise quality to make up for the increased cost of doing business.”

The reason for the sudden announcement of Perk’s closing was partly due to normal business restrictions, she said. Killo had to make an executive decision to leave in enough time that the space could be open for someone else to capture the benefits of the summer and the Emmaus Farmers’ Market.

“Our hope is that by making the announcement when we did, we would leave a really valuable space in Emmaus open for someone else to come in and get established in time to benefit from one of the best things we’ve got going in town. That market is a blessing to the business district. Hopefully, whoever comes in here will be able to have the benefit of it.”

If they hadn’t closed now, Killo said, they would have entered into the market season, which would have prolonged the financial burden for her. Other logistics come into play as well, she said.

Killo’s oldest daughter is pregnant and expecting her first child in June. Her younger 18-year-old daughter is leaving for college this year. Without them, it causes a complication in the staffing. Killo would need to hire and train more people, which she can’t afford at this time. It just didn’t make financial sense.

“It’s a basket full of reasons,” Killo said.

The possibility of someone else coming in and taking over the space is very good. Killo said the main person that they’re most excited about taking the space is someone who is not a stranger to businesses in Emmaus. She feels they have the ability to structure the business in a way that will be successful, not just for them, but for the community as well.

Killo added that she was not able to sell the cafe for logistical reasons more than anything else. Timing was a major issue, she said. 

However, there’s a strong possibility that the space will be taken soon, Killo said.

Moving forward, Killo plans on focusing on her family. She said she is so thankful for their continuous support throughout the past several years, but realizes it’s time to move into a new phase of life.

She also will continue her work with the Emmaus Main Street Program.

“I’m excited to see what’s next. I’m excited to see how I can contribute. This community has been such a big part of my life for the past four years and has given us so much more other than just their business. I feel like I have to continue to give back.”

Everyone is invited for an all-day celebration on Friday, April 1 – the Perk’s last day. Live music, food, drinks and of course lots of hugs and tears are sure to be on the menu.

“This is like family to me,” said employee Shannon McDonough with tears in her eyes. “I’d be at Perk for the rest of my life if I could keep doing this. It makes me happy to see these people, and it makes me happy to work with everybody.”

Christi Dunning, the longest-standing employee at Perk, said, “I’ve met so many people and reconnected with so many people. It is like family. I’m going to miss talking to everybody. It’s such a community place.”

Killo isn’t happy to be closing Perk’s doors, it’s simply something that has to happen, she said.

“It’s bittersweet. It’s a sense of great loss. It makes you proud of what you’ve accomplished, but so sorry for what you have to take away. People who have come in to support our business have come in as our guests and have left as our friends. It’s hard to decipher the difference.”