JACH NEWS SERVICE

LAFAYETTE – Jennifer Isbell admits she was at the right place at the right time when Karen Benner and her husband Patrick decided to sell the Skylight Coffee House, a popular downtown landmark which serves lunches to many downtown customers and a nightly handout for college students and artists.

Isbell, 29, said she plans to make the most of her opportunity to make the coffeehouse even more of a place to be in the near future. Her outgoing personality and youthful energy seems a perfect fit for the business, across the street from the Tippecanoe County Courthouse at 116 N. Third St.

Just nine months ago, Isbell began as a part-time worker during the busy lunch hours at the coffee house. Experienced in graphic arts, customer service and accounting, she said the job gave her a hand-on look at what it would take to run a successful small business.

“I was considering starting a coffee shop downtown for awhile,” Isbell said during an interview last week with OurTown.com at the coffee house. “I know all of the customers and I’m comfortable with menu. It just worked out perfectly. Karen and Patrick did a great job with the concept and they gave me a lot of confidence.”

Despite the 90 hours she put in during her first full week as owner last month, Isbell said owning her own business, especially a coffee house, was like a dream come true. She said she is enthusiastic about the possibilities for the coffeehouse.

“I want to make sure I give Karen and Patrick their due,” Isbell said. “Being right downtown, I get to see everybody I know. It’s hard work but rewarding to own a business downtown. I enjoyed getting to know everyone down here.”

The coffee house is a mainstay among lunch goers in downtown Lafayette, selling hot and deli sandwiches, soups, drinks, convenience store item and – of course – coffee.

In the evening time, the coffee house host several groups while offering its space to entertainers for Open Mic nights and its storefront to artists. Isbell said she plans to move her Open Mic night on Wednesday nights instead of Thursday night because of already crowded events on Thursday.

Isbell said she would like the coffee house to become more a place for artists and young people to call home. With free Wi-Fi connections, she said her coffee house has more of a relaxed, easy going feeling where people can feel they can stay awhile and not feel rushed.

“Local artists Justine Eagen has handcraft pieces here she has really made a name for herself,” Isbell said. “That seems to go over really well. The art has been on display for awhile here. I want this to be a meeting place as well. I want everyone to know about Skylight. We have a very laid back atmosphere.”

Isbell is a Lafayette native, but grew up around the country because of a military family. She returned to the area in 1996 and graduated from West Lafayette High School. A former Continental Airlines flight attendant, she study graphic design at Purdue University and worked in the accounting office at School Datebooks, Inc. in Lafayette.

She said she hopes that mixture of experiences will allow here to give the coffee house continued stability and creativity.

“I think the reason I came here aligned with my goals,” she said. “I felt it was time to do what I wanted to do. I hate to use the word luck but it was luck to be in the right place at the right time. I want to help restore downtown. All of businesses downtown are doing a great job and I want to be part of that. I want to focus on arts and music here.”

Isbell said she has been able to make her new ownership work with a lot of support from her family, close circle of friends and her two co-workers. She said she wants everyone to share in her new experience as the coffee house new owner.

“Everyone here is treated with individual service,” said Isbell, who has a seven-year-old son. “He comes here and does his homework and I give him small task to do. My biggest thing is to make sure everyone feels welcomed and that everyone is served with a smile and on a first-name basis. The coffee is hot and served with a smile."