Lee — Just in time to offer holiday shoppers an indulging respite, Bliss Crumbs and Coffee is set to roll out in late November on Lee’s Main Street, in the space formerly occupied by T-shirt shop Twisted Orchard Company before its closure in April.
Lee native Rebecca Bliss Lilley announced her plans for the eatery that will offer various coffees, teas, and baked goods—including her esteemed chocolate-chip cookies—at 77 Main Street. Although she has spent half of her life in professional management positions at high-end bed and breakfast establishments such as 33 Main in Lenox and Stockbridge’s Red Lion Inn, Lilley said opening a bakery and coffee shop has always been her “dream,” incorporating her passion for baking. “I just decided one day [that] I was doing it,” she said. “I always tried to do something along those lines, but I always backed out or didn’t fully go all in. This time, I’m going all in and decided it’s now or never.”
With a young family in tow, Lilley described her new venture as “nerve wracking” but buoyed by her family pledging their support, “looking forward to this chapter as well.” “I’m excited about it, I’m excited about the challenge,” she said.
The shop will provide Wi-Fi and is slated to be open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. The menu hasn’t been set in stone yet, but Lilley said it will feature croissants, cookies, and a muffin- and scone-of-the-day, as well as lattes, cappuccinos, matchas, and Americanos, while possibly adding in a mushroom brew or Nutella coffee option. She also anticipates that the site will serve as a gathering place for the community. “I’m hoping people will come in and work during the day and hang out and have a place to stay,” Lilley said. She is considering hosting book clubs in the space and a monthly knitting circle, with an eye toward welcoming a possible comic-book club for kids.
Lilley was drawn to the storefront initially by its windows and the large amount of sunlight coming into the site. Currently, she is going through the permitting process with town officials, reconstructing the space from its former silk-screen and embroidery store format. “There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done,” Lilley said of adding a kitchen to the site.
As for her chocolate-chip cookies? “Everyone loves them,” Lilley said. “They’re delicious, they’re my favorite, my kids’ favorite, their friends’ favorite. I get asked to make them for every function.”
