That's because this local coffee house is housed in a former bank. Renamed as The Bank Coffee House is housed in the former First National Bank which was granted a charter (no. 4940) in 1894.
It's not the first re-use of this depository. For several years, it was the site of a local pharmacy.
This stately brick and marble building has been in operation for 107 years. It still retains the original woodwork and vaults, one of which is used as an art gallery.
The Bank Coffee House is located is a designated historical district. This district includes dwellings, commercial buildings, churches and schools that are part of Onancock's 300-year history.
Onancock was an important port for the Virginia Eastern Shore and served as the commercial center for Accomack County throughout much of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. The town's buildings represent various styles such as Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, Victorian Gothic, Craftsman/Bungalow and Colonial Revival.
Onancock, a short drive from our home in Onley, is a popular tourist destination during summer months because of its picturesque small-town charm.
Grenville enjoyed a favorite brunch item — everything bagel with cream cheese and lox.
Do you have a local eatery that once had a totally different usage?
18 comments:
I am glad they re-purposed this old bank, beautiful building and i like the view from up stairs looking down. beautiful room and no wonder tourist flock there.
Such a grand building and interior. So happy it is being used and enjoyed.
I can't think of a building that was turned into a restaurant here in Hawaii. That lox and bagel looks good, though.
Very charming building! The lunch really looks good to me.
What a neat coffee shop! I love old buildings being used for something else. We ate in an old hardware store turned restaurant in VA a long time ago...never forgot it. Was such a neat place.
Enjoy your Tuesday!
I go to one where it was a clothing store. I like their roasts, I got caramel toddie last week.
What a lovely coffee shop, so much character. Hmmmm......just thought of a place we could meet up for lunch next time :)
I love re-purposed old buildings.
It would be great to visit the recreated coffee house. The food looked great.
I love the coffee house. My favorite Brevard restaurant is The Square Root, located in the old newspaper office and printing building. The pine floors are very thick, obviously necessary to support printing presses.
Looks like a fun place for coffee! I always like seeing historic buildings repurposed. Our history here is of course much shorter than Virginia, only a little over 100 years beginning with the gold rush. Our favorite restaurant just up the road from us is the Pump House. It was built in 1930 to house the equipment used to pump water from the Chena River up over Chena Ridge to Cripple Creek to use to strip the overburden in the gold mines there. The building was nothing as substantial as the brick in your bank, but was corrugated sheet metal. It operated until 1958, and sat empty until 1978 when it was turned into the restaurant. They've done a great job of preserving the character and have furnished it with furniture and memorabilia of the gold rush era.
That sounds a quaint little area. Fun to visit and stroll and of course stop for a coffee and snack. Healthy lunch there, I see. Yum yum. On our last road trip we stopped in a small historical town and had coffee in a Post Office.
It is beautiful inside!
There's a microbrewery and pub up here that took up residence in what was once a watermill.
I'm glad that the building still stands and is uysed still! How fun it would be to have that vault :-)
I've never had a bagle in my entire life! I've heard they sell them in the big cities now days so I better buy one next time I go to one of them :-)
Have a great day!
Christer.
It is a stately and beautiful building. I love bagels but never developed a taste for coffee. Perhaps they also serve tea?
Sweet!! What a unique place!...:)JP
What a pretty spot! This is a great way to give an old building a new use.
We have a couple of restaurants housed in old mills.
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