Java the Hut sold, will reopen as restaurant serving Southern food

Two Woodland Park residents with Southern roots bought Java the Hut on Monday and in January plan to turn what’s been a gourmet coffee shop and outdoor gear store into what they say the town needs — a family restaurant with homemade comfort food.

But the doors won’t stay closed that long. Out of commission for the past few weeks, the business will reopen Saturday as The Big Rock Coffee Shop. Homemade desserts, free Wi-Fi connection and coffee and tea drinks similar to Java the Hut’s will be offered.

In a few months, after a commercial kitchen is installed and a few minor renovations are made, the coffee shop will be transformed into a full-service restaurant, Sweet Tea Country Café and Coffee Bar, said Nancy Emily, one of the new owners.

Emily and Cindy Outlaw purchased the mountain lodge-style building on U.S. Highway 24, the main thoroughfare, for an undisclosed amount from Brian and Vi Mauldin. The Mauldins bought the building in 2002, did extensive remodeling and opened Java the Hut in 2003. It quickly became known to locals and tourists as a spot to relax by the 1930s-era fireplace or savor a view of Pikes Peak while sipping a specialty beverage.

“It was a place to kick back, take a book and enjoy your favorite coffee or tea. It was a warm, cozy atmosphere,” said Debbie Miller, president of the Greater Woodland Park Chamber of Commerce.

Despite a loyal following, the Mauldins had trouble paying the bills and listed the property for sale in March 2006 for $850,000. The asking price dropped this year to $744,550. Along with the property, Emily and Outlaw also purchased the equipment and furniture.

Emily said she and her partner were the third would-be buyers for the property; the other deals fell through. “We bit and held on like a bulldog,” she said.

The new owners are counting on word-of-mouth referrals to develop a steady clientele for the coffee shop, and then the restaurant.

“We’re opening what Woodland Park is looking for — a very family-oriented restaurant with good service and quality food. In the South, it’s all about hospitality, and that’s what we’ll offer,” said Outlaw, who has operated a catering business in Woodland Park, Sweet Tea, for 15 years.

With Outlaw hailing from Arkansas and Emily from North Carolina, the partners will combine Outlaw’s culinary expertise with Emily’s business background in running the operation.

“I think Woodland Park is about to explode, and we’re filling a niche that’s needed,” Emily said.

The restaurant will serve fried catfish, Southern barbecue, fried chicken, fresh vegetables, biscuits and pecan pie, or, as it’s known in some Southern locales, Karo nut pie. A gift shop with sell maps and locally made art and sundries, Emily said, with an old-fashioned soda fountain planned for later next year.

“We’re glad to see the building will continue as a business operation and provide revenue to the community,” the Chamber’s Miller said.

And the Mauldins, known for swapping trailhead locations, hiking logistics and other outdoor-related tidbits with customers, plan to spend more time hiking, according to Brian Mauldin.