"The Loft," an Air B&B in Boyertown, Offers Amenities in a Peaceful Historic Space

by Jane Stahl

“The Loft,” an Air B&B in Boyertown above Firefly Café, the town's popular vegan café, offers a peaceful space for overnight visitors to Boyertown.

“It’s a beautiful space— a dream building,” says Loriann Wade, who, along with her husband Michael, also owns the Firefly Cafe and The Outpost. The latter is a grocery store that stocks vegan food.

“The architectural details---hardwood floors, the molding, stained glass, high ceilings, and minimal décor, for example, embrace visitors with an energy that encourages a nostalgic return to the slower pace of yesteryear,” she muses.

“You can see the sunrise from the bedroom. We offer good food and beverage packages through the café –wine and cheese for snacking after a full day of enjoying the shops, galleries, and museums all around Boyertown and breakfast baskets to start the day—all in the privacy of your own space. There’s even a private entrance to the space,” Lori adds.

“The Loft” opened in 2017— the same year as The Outpost and just a year after the opening of the café. The space can accommodate up to four people and, Wade adds, “well-behaved pets.” 

Reminiscing about how everything came together, Wade shares, “I wouldn’t recommend our schedule of openings. It  was tough to expand twice in the same year, but things came together, and we couldn’t pass up the opportunities.”

“Opening ‘The Loft’ allowed us to stage nighttime events without disturbing anyone above us,” she explained. “We wouldn’t have been able to handle everything without the amazing help of our landlords Linda and Bill Flederbach. They handled all the renovation for it.”

“We all love this community; Michael and I live and breathe the place. It’s 1000% a labor of love; we’re always trying to improve with new ideas. We want to be a place that people love just as much as we do,” summarizes Wade.

The Return: Opening Firefly Café 

Being back in Boyertown…and loving it…is a huge surprise to Lori. “I couldn’t wait to leave this town after I graduated in 1994,” she admits. “I became a New Yorker—in fact, I consider myself a New Yorker—and for 20 years I ran a successful full-service pet sitting business.”

“I’d come back to Boyertown reluctantly at first to visit family and couldn’t wait to get back to "the city." But after a few years, especially after our son was born, things reversed and I was no longer happy to leave after a visit. Michael and I had parties all the time in New York and spoke often about opening a café. We had nothing specific in mind.

“But during a visit, when I saw the ‘For Rent’ sign, while we weren’t really ready for the move and the change for another year, we are inherently risktakers with a lot of heart, so we took the risk and opened the café and were met with so much enthusiasm that we haven’t looked back.”

Reflecting on the changes since the COVID pandemic “renovated” everyone’s life and business, Lori offers, “We opened an on-line store in a week. Our customers supported us—wanted us to ‘make it.’ Of course, we lost people when they couldn’t eat-in. But we have those who will drive an hour for take-out. And we’ve added other revenue streams: pre-orders, meal preps, the store, and take-out.”

“I can’t see us going back to an eat-in space. There were so many challenges and expenses involved in that business model. We have really embraced the simplicity we’ve created and are available for our son since he is a home schooled cyber student through Boyertown School District. But we have some ideas in the works that may offer an option that folks will like. Stay tuned!” she concludes.

"The Loft” is booked most weekends. Call or contact Lori for details and reservations. Visit their Facebook page and website.

https://fireflycafeboyertown.com/index.php/firefly-loft

12 N Reading Ave, Boyertown, PA 19512, 484-415-5066

And coming soon is “Juju,” a bear sponsored by Firefly Cafe/ The Loft. Painted by Susan Biebuyck, fine artist and Studio B’s gallery director,  "Juju" will be Bear Fever’s newest addition. 

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