To this day, Jim Gantner remains sure-handed. He still has the mobility from left to right and is as meticulous as ever about doing things the right way. But something has changed.
It has been nearly 10 years since the affable "Gumby" shared the field with Brewer legends Robin Yount and Cecil Cooper. No longer playing a pivotal role up the middle for the Brewers, Gantner has shifted gears from double play to double espresso as owner of the River Coffee House in Hartland.
Located on Cottonwood Avenue, just a couple of blocks shy of the downtown area, the River Coffee House overlooks Hartland's scenic Bark River with a cozy homelike environment reminiscent of a chilly afternoon spent nursing a warm beverage in the comfort of your own home. Open since April 2001, Gantner and his wife Sue toyed with this idea for some time before setting up shop.
"My faith, coupled with my love of coffee, food and entertaining, pushed us in this direction," Sue Gantner explained. "We wanted to own a coffee house that felt like home. We feel like we have done that and have developed some regular customers in the process."
Offering a wide array of baked goods, soups and an extensive lunch and dinner menu made from scratch has definitely helped in creating this client base, but things weren't always this easy. The growing pains that come with entering uncharted waters have been eased with an expanding client base and a reliable group of employees headed by head barista Kathy Tikkuri. But things weren't always so easy for this fun loving group.
"We cried the first day," Sue Gantner said, smiling now. "We had Jim post a sign that said, 'Thank you for your patience while we are learning.' "
They've come a long way from their opening day.
"We were basically a bunch of stay-at-home moms trying to open a new business," said Tikkuri, so bubbling with energy that she could only work in a coffee house.
"We didn't know what we were doing," Sue Gantner added, wearing a royal blue apron and chatting between trips back into the kitchen. "We opened without a real business plan, so we're really learning a lot now."
In just eight months, it appears they have learned more than enough to get this operation up and running. Whether you're looking for an affordably priced $1.50 small coffee, a chai tea, a mocha or even a little grub for a growling stomach, the River Coffee House offers a broad array of choices able to cater to your needs with prompt service and a warm atmosphere.
The River Coffee House opened with the intention of offering "a place of healing within which then turns to service and love given to each one who enters." Relying initially on the novelty of the place and the name recognition Gantner developed during his days with the Brewers, the River Coffee House has fulfilled its mission of offering a home away from home for all visitors.
"When you go to a Starbucks, you normally grab your coffee and leave," said the former Brewers second baseman. "We have become a place where people can get together and have meetings, or just hang out."
Too modest to admit that many of the River Coffee House clientele stop by to see the man they used to see patrolling the middle infield, Gantner warmly greets customers as they enter his establishment. While the rest of the staff is slow in gaining confidence in his coffee-making abilities, Gantner is usually around from 7:15 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Monday-Saturday, mixing with what appears to be a friendly group of customers.
This became apparent when a gentleman walked in, ordered a coffee to go, left to get a funnel for a faulty drain, came back and fixed the drain, then went on with his day.
"That's just the character of people we have stopping by here," Gantner said. "They just want to help out."
After visiting his new place for a couple of hours, we immediately understood. Following the advice given by the owners, we spent our morning sipping coffee and chatting while the seconds turned into minutes and the minutes into hours.
Relying on word of mouth coupled with mentions on local sports programs and from the Voice of the Brewers, Bob Uecker, it appears the news on this little coffee shop off the beaten path is getting around. Just 20 minutes west of Milwaukee, it's definitely worth the trip.
If you're lucky, they might let you fix a drain.
River Coffee House, 352A Cottonwood Ave., Hartland. Open weekdays 6:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information and specials, call (262) 367-7696 or visit www.rivercoffeehouse.com.
From Milwaukee: Drive west on Interstate 94 toward Madison. Exit Hwy. 16 West (near Pewaukee) and travel to the Merton Ave. exit. Continue straight on frontage road to North Ave. Turn left onto North Ave., which becomes Cottonwood Ave. River Coffee House is on the left.
Editor's note: This story originally appeared on milwaukeebrewers.com.
