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Date: 10/30/2023
SPRINGFIELD — CaféDior, Springfield’s newest barista style coffee shop, serves up much more than the daily dose of caffeine, as it brings comfort and relaxation to the busy downtown streets.
Coffee lover and entrepreneur Gissel Santiago found herself limited in the places she could invite clients to talk, as Starbucks did not have that “friendly feel” and Dunkin’ is a fast-paced environment, lacking the opportunity to meet and greet, she shared.
With the need to provide that space for entrepreneurs and create a homey, family-friendly environment, Santiago created CaféDior.
As Springfield is a “growing city,” Santiago saw the opportunity to open her business downtown.
On Sept. 28, she did just that — opening the café at 1593 Main St.
Since then, Santiago said business has been “great” and is seeing new faces and improvements daily.
Ample seating is spaced throughout the café — in the lounge, by the fireplace or tucked away near two floor-to-ceiling bookshelves stacked with a variety of reads.
For people looking to host an event or gathering, CaféDior accepts reservations to guarantee seating.
Its days and hours of operation are Monday through Saturday, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“The hours [are] what makes us different,” Santiago said, referring to other coffee shops and nearby businesses that close early, and are often not open on Sundays.
“I wanted to break the ice and stay open,” she shared. Down the road, Santiago is hopeful other businesses will follow suit.
CaféDior is fully staffed with four full-time members that work a 40-hour week.
Santiago emphasized the importance of small business hiring as running a business cannot be done — nor should be done — by one person.
“We’re not a small village, we’re a big city,” she said.
Her plan is for the café to be an “icon location” that people want to visit every time they come to Springfield.
CaféDior offers coffee, lattes, cappuccinos and macchiatos, to name a few beverages.
Some of its food items include a classic bacon egg and cheese sandwich and its best seller, a chicken chipotle and avocado.
Other fare includes salads, soups and chili that will be sold in the winter.
Santiago shared that fresh bread and pastries are made in-house daily. Her favorite pastry is the “kouign-amann,” flaky like a croissant, but sweet, salty and “so delicious,” she added.
CaféDior can be found on Instagram @cafédiorspringfield.
Currently, Santiago is in the process of opening a restaurant on Main Street. While it is still in the negotiation stages, she would like for it to be a grill house with Latino cuisine, steak and more, with hopes of opening within the next year or two.