Wytheville’s Open Door Cafe is planning a re-launch July, promising more food menu choices, more side and drink options and more ways to give.
The award-winning nonprofit eatery serves chef-prepared lunches five days a week regardless of diners’ ability to pay.
During and after COVID-19, the cafe suspended suspended volunteer and donation expectations and distributed meals more like how a soup kitchen operates. After the re-launch, the cafe will begin operating in a way that adheres to its original vision.
Since 2018, when the cafe opened, Open Door has served more than 100,000 meals.
The re-launch will also streamline ordering and checkout.
Come July, lunchtime diners can pay for their meal by giving the full value of the meal, giving a half hour of volunteer time or by giving $3.
Open Door’s last day of normal operations on June 30. The cafe will close July 2-14 for remodeling and will resume a normal operating schedule on July 17.
Mike Pugh, Food Operations Lead and founding management team member said, “We are excited to again provide meal choices to our guests. Providing a selection encourages all to revisit Open Door Café as a first choice lunch venue. We are equally excited to work with guests that choose to volunteer their time to join our community café experience. Returning to the café’s original vision, a place where all can gather as a community and nourish not only their appetite but their souls as well, is exciting and rewarding. We are happy that these necessary changes do exactly that for our entire community, building a future of partnership, purpose, dignity, and choice.”
