Nick Forlano, chef and owner of Forlano's Market in The Plains, has been hounded for three years about adding a coffee shop. So when the former owner of the Grey Horse Inn, John Hearty, approached him about a partnership to put in a coffee shop, Nick said "You asked for it, you got it." The coffee shop is now open in Forlano's market and welcomes customers Monday through Saturday from 7-to-11 a.m. A full array of coffee, cappuccinos, lattes and espressos go perfectly with fresh bagels and croissants, locally made donuts and free WiFi.

The coffee shop is a great place to meet up with friends and neighbors.

"The town needs a meeting place where neighbors can sit down, have a cup of coffee and read the newspaper or surf the Internet," says Nick Forlano. "The Café will deliver the same farm-to-table attitude that our Forlanos Market customers expect and appreciate." Nick believes that buying locally spares the environment, supports family farms, strengthens the local economy, and protects open space and farmland.

With locally made apple cider donuts from Ashbank Farm and freshly roasted coffee from Orange County Roasters, the coffee shop is all about being local. And it does not stop there. Forlano's Café is giving back too.

"One of the things we are excited about, is donating five cents a cup to a local charity. We call this The Giving Cup and each month our customers can vote for who shall be the recipient for the next month," says Hearty. In the month of November, the partners decided to start with Wakefield School in honor and memory of McKelvy Costin, the former Athletic Director of Wakefield.

Each year during the The Plains Day, Wakefield holds a series of Kelvy events. "This just underscores our desire to donate to things that touch and intersect with our community," explained Hearty. "For the month of December, we will be supporting W.G. Coleman Elementary." Please plan to come on by, have a cup of Joe, meet your neighbors and support local businesses!