The idea of opening a coffee shop was always in the back of Warren and Pam Shotto’s minds. When a beloved piece of Dunmore history became available, they saw an opportunity to make that idea a reality.
The Dunmore couple purchased the condemned Electra Superette building on the corner of Electric Street and Jefferson Avenue two years ago and transformed it into an English pub-inspired café called Wired & Inspired, which opened in August.
The Electra Superette was the corner grocery store for the neighborhood. Pam Shotto said it was always bustling with people, especially children who came to buy penny candy. She said the shop is nostalgic for people in the area, and they were sad to see it in such poor condition.
“It was so run down and so dilapidated that people were very disheartened by it. It … felt like the whole area … needed some upgrade, so we thought that this was a perfect opportunity for us to do that,” she said.
This upgrade was no easy feat. The Shottos had to demolish and rebuild the front section of the building, and they sourced the materials for the interior themselves, including the moldings and the tile.
“It’s been two years of a lot of work and a lot of change and a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but we’re pretty proud of the way it looks,” Pam Shotto said.
Wired & Inspired Café finally opened for business in mid-August, with its official grand opening on Aug. 27. The café serves fresh coffee every day, as well as breakfast and lunch items made in-house, including sandwiches, soups and baked goods.
Pam Shotto said the response from the community has been great, and they already have people who come every day to get their morning coffee.
“It’s really fun when we look at our responses on social media, and people are tagging their friends and just writing ‘Tuesday?’ ” she said.
Wired & Inspired Café serves fresh coffee every day, as well as breakfast and lunch items made in-house, including sandwiches, soups and baked goods. (Sheila Miller/For The Valley Advantage)
Warren and Pam Shotto wanted the café to be a comfortable place where people could spend a few hours working or gathering with friends. Pam Shotto said the name of the café was inspired by its location, but it also describes the experience customers can have there.
“Electric is obviously wired. Jefferson was obviously inspired. And it’s also what you can be when you’re here. You can get wired on coffee if you want. You can be inspired by the flavors and the art and everything else that’s in here,” she said.
One way the Shottos keep their customers “inspired” is by displaying work by local artists on their walls. They showcase a new artist every two weeks, so customers can enjoy the art and read about the artists’ stories. This has given the artists exposure and helped them sell a few paintings.
The Shottos said they hope their shop is contributing to a renaissance in Dunmore, bringing more people into the borough and showing them what it has to offer.
“We’re really proud and really glad to be a part of the history of Dunmore and rejuvenating a part of the history,” Pam Shotto said.
This is especially meaningful for the couple as they have lived in Dunmore their whole lives. They met in high school but lost touch when Pam went to college in Virginia and Warren went to the University of Scranton. Over a year later, they literally bumped into each other in the University of Scranton Bookstore and reentered each other’s lives.
“It was cheesy but … the books fell onto the floor, we both went down to pick them up, and I looked up and realized it was her, she realized it was me, and then we just rekindled our friendship,” Warren Shotto said.
Thirty-five years later, they are married with seven children and a grandchild together, and now they share a business, too.
“I can’t imagine a day that we haven’t known each other, collaborated together, been together … This is the kind of things that happen when we collaborate on something,” Warren Shotto said.
Wired and Inspired Café is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit the coffee shop’s Facebook page.
Check it out
Wired & Inspired Café is located at Electric Street and Jefferson Avenue, Dunmore. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit the coffee shop’s Facebook page.