New lounge brings 38 flavors of banana bread, poetry and more to Richland’s parkside
Fans of Aubrieann Johnson’s 38 flavors of banana bread will find her tasty treats and a whole lot more in Richland starting Friday, April 5.
Johnson and Janiece Spence, her partner of almost three years, debut Aub’s Lounge, Gourmet Banana Bread and Poetry in the former Novel Coffee shop, 710 George Washington Way, in the Park View Plaza.
Bloomin’ Coffee is on hand to provide coffee during the soft opening.
Johnson, Spence, their families and fans spent months transforming Novel into a lounge that provides the comforts of banana bread and the cozy atmosphere of an alcohol-free space where adults can talk, share and be creative.
Aub’s signed the lease in December and originally planned to open at Valentine’s Day. The opening was delayed when the small kitchen had to be updated to meet Benton Franklin Health District requirements. It passed its inspection and was fully licensed by March.
Sobriety commitment
Aub’s leans heavily into the lounge vibe with a dark decor and an eclectic collection of chairs, sofas and tables assembled from thrift stores, Goodwill, gifts and even salvaged from around town.
“Look what we’ve created,” Johnson said proudly as she and Spence scrambled to welcome the public this week.
Aub’s will occasionally offer lunch and dinner specials, with a heavy emphasis on soup and comfort foods.
The lounge fuses the couple’s joint dream of making the world a better place by nourishing souls. For Johnson, that means cooking. For Spence, a poet originally from upstate New York who is also known as Miss Jurudawise, that means providing places for her fellow poets and spoken word events.
The opening coincides with the 11-month anniversary of the couple’s commitment to sobriety, made on Cinco de Mayo in 2023.
Johnson lost a beloved uncle to alcoholism a few months earlier and together with her partner, concluded that they needed to change. They sought to offer a place where people can enjoy the camaraderie they once found in bars, but without the booze.
Aub’s Lounge will have lunch and evening hours, a bakery case to a rotating selection of Johnson’s different takes on banana bread. It will host poetry readings, conversations, art exhibits, game nights and crafty gatherings — all meant to promote personal expression in a safe, respectful environment.
Pine cone, giraffes, stories
The lounge is packed with meaningful mementos, each a story waiting to be told. Visitors might ask about an giant pine cone on a shelf near the front door, or the many giraffe figurines in the space. displayed on a case, or the watercolors hanging on the walls, many painted by Spence’s sister.
Aub’s Lounge began in 2021 as Aub’s Bananza Bread, an improbable Tri-Cities success story built on Johnson’s serendipitous foray into banana bread.
She freely confesses she doesn’t much like bananas and would not choose to eat one.
She did, however, once care for a woman who loved bananas and banana bread. When the coffee shop they regularly visited ran out, Johnson baked a loaf. Her version was a hit and sparked requests from a growing circle of fans.
She began experimenting with recipes, creating a gourmet line of banana bread with chocolate, nuts, caramel, spices, fruits and countless other flavors and textures, eventually creating 38 increasingly exotic versions (double chocolate, lemon, nutty and more).
She bakes at Pasco Specialty Kitchen and event leased the commercial kitchen’s retail space on Fourth Avenue, as well as a booth at the Public Market at Columbia River Warehouses in Kennewick.
She still uses the specialty kitchen, but has given up her retail outlets to concentrate the business in Richland.
Shared vision
The lounge idea took shape about a year ago.
Johnson and Spence challenged each other to sketch out their dream business.
They drew nearly identical sketches of a space that included both a bakery case and a lounge for gatherings. Inspired, they began looking for a place to open the business. In a stroke of luck, Novel Coffee & Tea announced it was moving to a new spot a few blocks away, leaving its old double-sided suite available.
They were immediately hooked. Howard Amon Park and the Columbia River are on one side. Tens of thousands of vehicles go by on George Washington Way on another. The Dugout, Amethyst Creamery and Frost Me Sweet are all close neighbors.
They signed the lease in December, not long after Novel moved out.
“We manifested this so hard,” Johnson joked.
Unexpected costs
They’d hoped to open by Valentine’s Day, but were delayed when the health district required them to update the kitchen area.
They turned to GoFundMe to support the unexpected cost, which raised $1,290. More importantly, its public plea for help brought in volunteers who shared their vision of a sober, sociable lounge and supportive messages from other Richland businesses.
With cash running low, Johnson and Spence sold Aub’s banana bread at Summer’s Hub, the food truck plaza in Kennewick. Now that the lounge is open, all sales will be routed through the Richland shop. Johnson intends to begin shipping her products as well.
Business hours are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-8 p.m., Wednesday to Monday.
Go to aubsbananzabread.com. Follow Aub’s Lounge on Facebook or on Instagram.
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