Virgil's Coffee House & Creamery, in historic Louisville home, set for April 23 grand opening

Bev Shaffer, Canton Repository
·3 min read
During its soft opening, Virgil's Coffee House & Creamery is training staff and welcoming customers.
During its soft opening, Virgil's Coffee House & Creamery is training staff and welcoming customers.
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LOUISVILLE − Virgil’s Coffee House & Creamery is steeped in history.

The new spot occupies a 152-year-old home that Charles Julliard built in 1872. Juilliard's brother Augustus was the benefactor of the Juilliard School of Music in New York City.

The stately home at 523 E. Main St. served as Juilliard Senior Center from 1980 to 2008, then Louisville City Council sold it at auction in Fall 2008. At that time, a local businessman who hoped to save the home and its history was the buyer.

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Tearing out layers of ceiling was just the beginning of the renovation project undertaken by Virgil's Coffee House & Creamery in Louisville.
Tearing out layers of ceiling was just the beginning of the renovation project undertaken by Virgil's Coffee House & Creamery in Louisville.

Jeff Rich, co-owner of Virgil’s with his wife, Chery, grew up in Louisville and would ride his bike past the house. When it went up for auction in September 2022, he knew he had to preserve it.

Currently, the shop is open in a soft opening status. A grand opening will be April 23.

While Jeff was busy with the extensive renovation, Chery Rich and operations manager Jordan Parisi went to ice cream boot camp in Daytona Beach, Florida. Parisi, who has retail experience with Abercrombie & Fitch, is engaged to the Riches' son, Nathan.

Issues of The Repository from the 1920s were used as flooring and wall insulation at the original Juilliard Home, now Virgil's Coffee House & Creamery.
Issues of The Repository from the 1920s were used as flooring and wall insulation at the original Juilliard Home, now Virgil's Coffee House & Creamery.

Rich and the construction team tore down three layers of ceilings, walls, and flooring. During the process, they noted that issues of The Canton Repository dating back to the 1920s had been used for insulation.

Railings were repurposed, and, as much as possible, woodwork was brought back to its original highlights. The front of the coffee bar is an old church door that was cut and laid end to end.

Two shots of espresso are always better than one at Virgil's Coffee House & Creamery in Louisville.
Two shots of espresso are always better than one at Virgil's Coffee House & Creamery in Louisville.

The coffee shop's name − Virgil − is a tribute to Jeff Rich's late father, who was a metal fabricator. He always envisioned owning an ice cream parlor where “people leave happy," Chery said.

Another noteworthy feature is stained-glass windows. One has a symbolic fleur-de-lis, an homage to Louisville’s French influence. Another of the windows features hummingbirds, a tribute to the love Chery Rich’s mother, Ann, had for the swift fliers.

Interior designer Judy Sicker of Design4U said the project has been challenging yet enjoyable.

Jordan Parisi, left, operations manager at Virgil's, and Chery Rich, co-owner, stand in front of one of the stained-glass windows inside the historic Louisville home that now houses a coffee and ice cream shop.
Jordan Parisi, left, operations manager at Virgil's, and Chery Rich, co-owner, stand in front of one of the stained-glass windows inside the historic Louisville home that now houses a coffee and ice cream shop.

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A cozy little nook inside Virgil's Coffee House & Creamery in Louisville.
A cozy little nook inside Virgil's Coffee House & Creamery in Louisville.

“We did a lot of scrubbing on those brick walls,” Chery Rich told about the upstairs at Virgil's. “But we knew we wanted to preserve them.”

Jan Watson, a pharmaceutical saleswoman from Jackson Township, was in Louisville on business and popped in for some ice cream. “I know it’s early in the day for ice cream, but I just wanted to see the inside. Isn’t it just stunning?” she said.

Watson walked around, and then settled into a seat in a cozy nook by a window to enjoy her cup of the signature ice cream flavor − cookie butter. When she finished, she waved and yelled, “I’ll be back whenever I’m in town.”

Reach Bev at bshaffer@gannett.com or 330-580-8318.

Ice cream is made on site, and flavors change often, at Virgil's Coffee House & Creamery.
Ice cream is made on site, and flavors change often, at Virgil's Coffee House & Creamery.

If you go

WHAT – Virgil’s Coffee House & Creamery

WHERE – 523 E. Main St., Louisville

PHONE – 234-252-9035

CURRENT HOURS – 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday; closed Sunday.

SUMMER HOURS (June, July and August) – 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Virgil's Coffee House & Creamery to celebrate Louisville grand opening