HipSTIR Cafe to Close Permanently March 31, 2023

We start our journey with no way to see the road that lies ahead, we have a vision of what we think will come and as we all know, God can have an entirely different outlook on where we need to go. It is with “clear eyes and a full heart” (I love Eric Taylor) that I have made this decision and I am going to trust this path. I am embarking on a new chapter with the same faithful intention I had when I turned the sign on December 6th 2016. We are closing HipSTIR Cafe.

I cannot begin to express the gratitude and love I have for a community that has become my home. The guests that are truly my friends. The loss I have for this is no less than that of a family member. I have shed more blood, sweat and tears in these walls than the 29 hours of labor my son put me through. I love this place, I love what it became, what it helped me to endure and the survival and level of resilience it has taught me. I have had staff that I’ve gotten to know, to share advice, weddings, graduations, babies, drivers licenses, loss, tears and more laughter than the sky can hold. Years I have gotten to enjoy and have, that they have blessed me to be part of them as much as they’ve been part of me and my dream. Running red lights with a wedding cake I made in 20 minutes, threatening their life at the way they spread cream cheese, reminding everyone of their value and what we are here to do; to love, to support and share.

I have always served my food filled with that and feel I created an environment that allowed that to be felt safely. Where would we be without the OPD, Madison County Sheriffs, NYS Troopers making this the safest place in Oneida or maybe the world everyday. I make light of it but these men and women made my 22 hour workdays safe and full of laughter. I truly appreciate and commend your choice to protect all of us and I thank you for the risk you take each day. Coffee clubs were the least we could do.

My family has supported my dream to the umpteenth degree, giving me as much love as they could for this to be true. I love all of you.

I have a sense of letting you all down by closing the doors but I am hopeful you will understand. I know HipSTIR has contributed towards a rebirth of this wonderful city and set an example for the caliber of business that Oneida would love and support. I feel we encouraged more to come here, to share their talents and open more shops for this city to patronize and add to our sense of community and pride in our hometown. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the life changing experience this has given me.

I am expecting our last day to be March 31st. I am encouraging any gift certificate holders to get in here and use them up! If any of you have requests for foods you’d like to enjoy one more time don’t hesitate to request them.

Once again, thank you for the last 6 1/2 years of supporting HipSTIR Cafe, we wish you all the best!