Simply Sweet On Main Celebrating One Year Anniversary This Weekend

in Old Town is celebrating the completion of its first year in business this weekend.

Sunday, May 15, is the one year anniversary for the local coffee shop owned and operated by Manassas City resident, Matt Brower.

Brower said he picked the location on Main Street over a year ago because he thought the storefront was “cute” and the large amount of foot traffic Main Street sees.

The previous tenant also had a coffee shop, which made it somewhat easy for Brower to move in. The cabinets were already in place and it just needed a good paint job, Brower recalled.

 But shortly after that, Brower said he was hit with the reality of being a small business owner: long hours. “I knew I would have to put in a lot of hours [but] there is always something to do,” Brower said.

In fact, Brower says he works a total of 70 hours a week on average. Something he sees changing in the near future as he begins to hire more staff. Currently, the shop has a total of four employees and one of those employees operates the shop’s off-site stand at the VRE station every weekday morning from 5 a.m. until 8 a.m.

Brower started the and said it has been “going well.”

“I am really happy; it’s bringing a lot of customers into the shop, too," he said.

 The success of the VRE site has Brower thinking about the future of his business.

“I would like to start more off-site events,” he said. One such event would be to become a vendor at the Farmer’s Market held every Saturday right around the corner form the shop in the parking lot of the VRE station.

Brower applied to be a vendor this year, so he could offer market goers tasty treats and smoothies, but the event was full.

Brower also has his sights set on expanding to more train stops, like the nearby Manassas Park VRE station, and has even considered offering the service in the afternoon hours for people getting off the train, heading home.

Brower was born in Alaska and lived there for 10 years. He has also lived in northern Florida and nearby Alexandria, and when asked why he decided on Manassas as home to both his business and place of residence, he said he likes the "small town feel" of the city and how supportive the customers are.

 “Customers tell me how they appreciate me,” Brower said. In deed, the shop and its owner have some very loyal and supportive customers; one such customer has even offered to sew curtains for the shop’s two large front windows.

And maybe that’s because Brower greets most customers like a neighbor and friend when they walk through the door, even knowing and asking if they want the usual "brownie" or "smoothie."

Brower also supports the local community by displaying the work of local artists and even hosts an Open Mic Night every Thursday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., highlighting local poets, solo musicians and even some bands.

“People asked for it,” Brower said. It was something the previous tenant offered and Brower plans on continuing.

Brower also said the city is “real easy to work with” and “responsive to merchants.”

The city offers one of the bests fireworks shows around, he said, which is why July 4th was his busiest day to date.

Today, Brower is happy to be approaching his busiest time of the year—summertime; and of course, the big anniversary, which the shop will be celebrating by handing out cards for free ice cream on Sunday.

There will be a limited amount of cards available, so make sure you keep an eye out for the Simply Sweet mascot walking up and down Main Street Sunday to claim yours.

Also be sure to stop by for some of Brower's famous home-made treats, including a variety of cupcakes, banana walnut coconut muffins, chicken salad sandwiches and banana bread pudding, to name just a few.