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Date: 11/30/2022
CHICOPEE – The Chicopee Center community staple Goodworks Coffee House on 46 Center St. was recognized this year as the Puerto Rican Business of the Year from the Latino Economic Development Corporation.
Goodworks Coffee House owners Katie and Victor Narvaez started their business in 2018 after living in the Chicopee area for years. Victor expressed interest in opening a local coffee shop due to a lack of local options in downtown Chicopee.
“As we were doing our research, we realized Chicopee did not have a local coffee shop, so that’s what spurred the idea of possibly opening one in our area,” said Victor.
Victor shared that he and Katie always enjoyed the offerings of locally owned coffee shops.
“We love coffee shops – especially the local coffee shops. We’d have to venture out to places that weren’t in our hometown, so we thought it would be nice to have something for us that we could call our home coffee shop,” said Victor.
The Narvarezes renovated Goodworks Coffee House throughout 2017 before opening the store in 2018. Victor said the store enjoyed immediate success as it developed into a recreational hub in Chicopee Center, fostering a genuine comradery with the coffee shop’s clientele.
“It’s been a lot of fun. Opening a shop in general has been exciting for us, we get to meet so many people. We understand the importance of community. It’s one of our pillars,” said Victor.
Through the years, Victor utilized his background in social work to help develop Goodworks into a “social hub” for the community.
“Not only are we just a coffee shop, we are also a social hub for the community. This space, when people come here, the connections that people make from not even knowing each other is really great to see,” said Victor.
Customers also appreciate Goodworks’ focus on spotlighting local offerings, including coffee provided by Monsoon Roastery.
“So far, people love the coffee … I think people love supporting local. Our coffee is roasted locally, which separates us from other coffee shops. We also try to sell other people’s products as well from local bakeries,” said Victor.
Once COVID-19 reached the United States, Victor said Goodworks endured the same challenges facing most public-facing businesses. Victor explained that the coffee shop remained open, ultimately adjusting to a to-go model that received significant support from the community.
Victor expressed appreciation for the patrons that kept Goodworks afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.
“That’s when I truly saw what community is and how powerful the community is … we had so many people making sure that we were not closing, so they would come daily,” said Victor.
Reflecting on receiving a Business of the Year award, Victor said the recognition came as a surprise. He aspires for Goodworks to continue providing a comforting local source for coffee and conversation.
“It’s nice to be recognized, especially for small business at a time like now. We are really trying to keep our dreams alive,” said Victor.
Readers can learn more about Goodworks Coffee House at https://www.facebook.com/goodworkscoffeehouse.