Eden Prairie’s Smith-Douglas-More House rose from the ground in 1877. In addition to accommodating Sheldon Smith and his kin, the fire-red Greek Revival served as a beacon of hospitality to train passengers traversing a frontier still brightened by gaslight.
The house remains a beacon to this day. As Smith Coffee & Cafe, it offers a rare glimpse of authenticity during an era when corporations bolt impersonal franchises into the landscape with relentless abandon.
“We have been in business at this location since 2006,” said Ann Schuster, who owns and operates Smith Coffee & Cafe alongside her family. “I felt the Eden Prairie community needed a gathering space, as too many of my friends confessed to leaving town whenever they wanted to meet over a nice cup of coffee. None of us had experience managing a cafe, but I supposed if the coffee was good enough, people would come.”
The Schusters’ coffee exceeds “good enough.” Their enormous roaster growls to life every morning to turn Ethiopian and Colombian beans to sublimity, and their signature 1877 Blend produces lattes and cappuccinos which invariably curl their drinkers’ toes. Take it from an inveterate caffeine hophead: Smith Coffee has got the goods.
“The rest of our menu matters just as much to us,” continued Ann. “We have always made everything from scratch as often as we can. We bake our muffins and cinnamon rolls fresh every morning, and we make all of our jam and syrups right here in our kitchen. Our guests love our sandwiches – especially our bacon avocado for breakfast, and our Smith turkey for lunch. I’m grateful that our town has embraced our pizzas as well, which we serve fresh from our oven every Wednesday evening.”
Cinnamon rolls such as Smith Coffee’s demand adulation. They are fluffy hand-rolled manna, glacéed until they become the physical embodiment of perfection and best eaten just after the Schusters open their doors every morning. Cinnamon rolls aren’t the meaning of life, but they do punctuate it with exclamation marks.
“It has been wonderful to work and serve people in this historic property, and we’re looking forward to reopening its patios for the spring,” said Ann. “We recently remodeled our dining room, but we haven’t sacrificed the traditional ambiance that has delighted so many people for well over a century. We’re lucky to have such a beautiful location, and are proud to continue the Smith-Douglas-More House’s legacy of hospitality.”
Smith Coffee & Cafe is open daily 8am through 3pm, and on Wednesday for pizza from 5pm until 8pm. Stop by 8107 Eden Prairie Road for the authentic experience, or visit smith1877.com to learn more.
