Skylight Coffeehouse

March Small Business of the Month
Sponsored by Lafayette Savings Bank

 When it comes to coffeehouse ambience, unique fare, live music and personal service from the proprietor, Skylight Coffeehouse at 116 N. Third St. in downtown Lafayette (www.skylightcoffeehouse.com, 429-8600) fills the bill.

 For its efforts to add to downtown’s vitality, enhance the local music scene and contribute to the community, Skylight Coffeehouse, owned by Karan and Patrick Benner, has been named the Chamber’s Small Business of the Month for March.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 Weekdays begin at 6:30 a.m. (Saturdays at 8 a.m.) with breakfast—biscuits ‘n’ gravy; Belgian waffles; bagels; and biscuit sandwiches with a choice of sausage, bacon, ham and eggs. Lunch and dinner feature a full menu and daily specials. And the drink lineup includes cappuccinos, lattes, hot chocolates, juices, sodas and more.

 Besides the coffees and teas, among customers’ favorite menu items are pesto chicken wrap, hot ham and cheese sandwiches, fruit smoothies and fru-gurtnola, a fruit, granola and yogurt treat created by Karan.

 “Patrick and Karan serve great lunches with warm and wonderful service,” says frequent diner and fellow downtown business owner Jeff Kessler of Stall & Kessler. “They’re incredibly personable, and they really care about the customer. They do.”

 Games, WiFi, Art, Music, Hookah

If you’ve got time to stay a while, there’s an array of books, magazines, board games and free WiFi. And every month Skylight features the work of a different local visual artist.

While food takes the spotlight in the daytime, the coffeehouse stage draws the crowds in the evenings. Thursdays are open mic night, alternating between music and poetry slam, and Fridays and Saturdays feature a variety of live music performers for audiences of all ages.

From 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, Skylight becomes a Hookah Lounge. “The idea is to keep it mellow and conversational,” Karan says.

Skylight is open every day but Sunday.

The Benners bought the business four years ago. “The murals attracted us and I love the tin ceiling,” says Karan, who came here from Highland , Ind. to attend Purdue. She met Patrick, a Lafayette native, when they both worked at the Lafayette Theater in the 1980s.

They both graduated from Purdue. Patrick went on to teach high school a few years and now works full-time at the Crisis Center as well as part-time at Skylight. Karan’s degree is in horticulture, and she, too, worked elsewhere before signing on full-time with Skylight. They’re assisted by a few part-time employees.

Running Skylight is all about the customers for Karan. “I like the people I get to meet and the groups that meet here. I get to hear about the latest goings on, and I like being involved. We both really love this, love being in the hub of everything and want to stay.”

 Something New Always on Tap

Creating new menu items is part of the fun for Patrick.

In February, Skylight added pizza-and-salad lunches on Thursdays. “We want to do more innovative food and more innovative music,” Karan says. She’s already booked musicians through May.

Skylight supports downtown’s festivals and has been involved in events for Muscular Dystrophy Association, Artists for Autism and the Lay Flat Fest. It also contributes to the Crisis Center, numerous local schools and donated window space for an at-risk youth art show.

 “Our customers and our community’s concerns are our concerns,” the owners say. “If you forgot your ATM card or have a special way you want your sandwich or need a venue for your very small group, you can come to us and we can help.”

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Nominate a Small Business!!

The Small Business of the Month Award is open to Chamber members who own or co-own a business that has 25 or fewer employees, been in business for a minimum of three years, and the business or it’s owner has a history of community involvement.  Nominations may be submitted to the Chamber of Commerce for consideration by the Small Business Selection Committee.  Nomination forms are available on the Chamber of Commerce website or call the Chamber, 742-4041 .  All monthly winners will be eligible for the Small Business of the Year Award presented in January.  

The Small Business of the Month is sponsored by 
Lafayette Savings Bank.