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Thursday, Jan 06, 2005
Downtown business owners hope a new restaurant will bring area new life
By KATHERINE CUMMINS
The Fulton Sun
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When Beks Coffee Wine and Desert Bar opens its doors at the end of January, it will be the
realization of a long-time dream for owners Garry and Rebekah Vaught.
"We've brainstormed for the past two
years about what kinds of things we like to do and what Fulton needs, and we realized that a coffee, wine and desert bar would
be perfect," Rebekah Vaught said.
"When Betty (owner, Betty's Hallmark on Court Street) told us she was wanting to
retire, we knew that this was our big chance."
The establishment is part of Garry Vaught's vision for the future of
Fulton's downtown.
"We want to make this a destination kind of downtown," said Garry, who also is a co-owner of Cornerstone
Antiques. "Any retail or food establishment that will fit the boutique atmosphere."
Other downtown business owners
also are hoping Beks will draw in more shoppers.
"Fulton is a fairly big tourist attraction," said Kathy Courtwright,
owner of Court Street Coffee. "I'm hoping it will help draw
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in the people that stay at the bed and breakfasts. It should help to bring
in people who will appreciate the diversity we have in the downtown businesses."
Garry, who was active in getting Fulton
declared as a historic downtown, said he wants his new restaurant to inspire other businesses to come in and help revitalize
the area.
"We just wanted to set an example - to show that I, as a downtown business owner, could use the tax money
we got when we were granted historical status to good use in restoring downtown," Garry said. "Thus far it's been an extremely
positive reaction. A lot of people can't wait for it to open."
Rebekah added that they have already gotten more than
20 job applicants, though the Vaughts have not done any advertising for employees.
Courtwright did not seemed concerned
with having new competition - her focus was on pleasing potential customers so they would return to downtown.
"I just
hope that we can complement each other," Courtwright said. "So that whatever a customer is looking for, they can find in one
place or the other."
Beks is currently in the middle of remodeling.
When it is finished, the restaurant will
occupy all three floors of the building, with a second-floor lounge area that includes a balcony, and an upper level with
windows that offer a view of Court Street.
The kitchen is already done, and Rebekah said she and Tim Craig, the chef,
will be firing the stoves and ovens up today to do a test run.
The menu will feature Starbuck's coffee and breakfast
items in the morning. Rebekah will bake muffins, sconces and other traditional breakfast pastries - something she's always
enjoyed doing.
"I love to bake," she said. "I like to cook in general, but baking - that's my true love."
Even
early hours to get the morning baking done on time do not put a dent in her enthusiasm. When asked if she was looking forward
to being up before the sun, her reply was an unhesitant, "Oh absolutely."
She added that cheesecake is one of her favorite
deserts to make and that seasonal cheesecakes will be a featured part of the menu, starting off with pumpkin cheesecake in
January.
In the afternoons, Craig will make soup and sandwiches. Craig also will prepare dinner Thursday-Saturday evenings,
with a menu that will change every other week based on what is in season.
"Everything we're doing is going to be homemade,"
Rebekah said.
The wine bar will feature mostly California vintages of red, white and blush wines.
A unique feature
at Beks will be the free wireless Internet Vaught plans to make available to customers.
Garry believes the Internet availability will help him achieve one of his
main goals for the new restaurant - to help draw in more young people.
"We're trying to get the college students downtown,"
Garry said. "The more young people involved, the more money that is going to be brought in."
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Beks
511 Court Street
Fulton, Missouri 65251
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