Fresh on the heels of the good news that Chemours has decided to keep its business in Wilmington at the DuPont building, Mayor Mike Purzycki performed his first ceremonial ribbon cutting as mayor for a much smaller downtown enterprise – Coffee Mode at 919 N Market Street.
In his congratulatory remarks to coffee shop owner Ben Cordova, Purzycki remarked that he is amazed at America’s booming coffee culture but confessed that he, too, is a Joe junkie.
“Today we’re here to celebrate something that many people might say, ‘What’s the big deal? A little coffee shop.’ In my view, we need Chemours of the world — we need our big employers. But if our City’s going to survive and if Market Street’s going to survive, we need the little guys, the entrepreneurs who wake up in the morning and say, ‘This is going to be mine, and I’m going to make this succeed.”
Coffe Mode, located inside the Citizens Bank lobby, is the second Wilmington coffee shop location for Cordova, who opened LOMA Coffee in 2010. At today’s grand opening Cordova said he feels coffee shops are the anchor for growth in downtown areas.
“Six years ago I walked around the lower blocks of Market Street and saw Chase, Delaware Tech, residential housing units and a bunch of empty storefronts. The one property on the corner of 2nd and Market (where he opened LOMA) seemed perfect for a coffee bar where people students, teachers and working professionals could meet,” said Cordova.
Downtown Visions Executive Director Marty Hageman, Wilmington City Council President Hanifa G.N. Shabazz, Councilman Michelle Harlee and Wilmington Director of Economic Development Jeff Flynn also welcomed and congratulated Coffee Mode on their grand opening.
