Portsmouth, Va. – Cure Coffeehouse’s newest location at 725 High St. in Olde Towne Portsmouth will kick off its Grand Opening with a Ribbon Cutting at 10:30 a.m. on April 22, 2022. Grand Opening celebrations will continue through the weekend until Sunday, April 24th. Giveaways will include Cure apparel, coffee beans, and gift cards. Acoustic jazz music will be performed by Don Comer on Saturday, April 23rd from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Event details can also be found on the Retail Alliance website.
Cure opened its first location in Norfolk’s Historic Freemason district in 2011 and its second in Historic Downtown Smithfield in 2017. The Portsmouth expansion was first announced in May 2021. “Supply chain issues and industry-wide labor shortages caused us significant delays during Portsmouth’s build-out, but we’re here now and couldn’t be more thrilled to be part of the Olde Towne and greater Portsmouth community,” said Chris Shelton, who co-founded Cure with his business partner, Mike Aston.
The newly renovated historic facility is 4,300 square feet and will serve not only as a café but also as Cure’s central prep kitchen and bakery. The entire building was once a Leggett’s department store in the mid-1900’s and M.M. Crockin’s Furniture Warehouse in the late-1900’s. A restaurant named Comfort opened in the new Cure location in 2007, followed by Montgomery Grill, which served its last customer in 2011. The Breeden Company bought the property thereafter. The building today serves as a mixed-use space In Olde Towne Portsmouth, complete with upscale apartments and several commercial spaces. “We couldn’t be more excited for Cure to write the next chapter for a facility with such a storied history,” Shelton says.
Mark Pendleton, President of Breeden Realty, has overseen the revitalization of the commercial spaces. “I am excited to see more vibrancy added to High Street. The goal Is for residents and guests have a beautiful space to eat, work and live,” says Pendleton.
For those who might wonder where Cure’s name came from, they smoke their pastrami in-house, which is a process also known as ‘curing’ or ‘to cure’ meat. Their handcrafted pastrami Reuben sandwich has been a menu staple for over 11 years. Also on the menu are expertly crafted coffee and espresso beverages, tea, pastries, sandwiches, and salads. Catering and mobile coffee bar services are also available. Plans are in the works at the Portsmouth location for adding beer, wine, and cocktails as well as outdoor seating in the near future.
Also slated to open next to Cure on High Street is Post Secondary Brewing as well as a major expansion of Bloom Coworking. “I think we’re really going to breathe new life into this end of High Street in Olde Towne,” said Topher Slater who plans to open the brewery this summer. Michelle Wren, Executive Director of Bloom Coworking added, “Cure is going to be a huge asset to our coworking community! We’ve all been eagerly awaiting the day they open…I can’t believe it’s finally here!”
Cure plans to open a fourth location in City Center Newport News, across from Ferguson Enterprises’ new headquarters. That location will likely open late spring or early summer, but no date is set in lieu of persistent supply chain issues.
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About Cure
Cure was founded in 2011 and continues to be owned and operated by Aston Shelton Enterprises, LLC, a partnership between Chris Shelton and Mike Aston. Cure’s customer service is legendary and is presented by the most awe-inspiring staff that a small business could ask for. We offer a variety of handcrafted beverages, gourmet fare, bakery goods made in-house, branded merchandise, local art, and occasional acoustic music and open-mic events. Catering and mobile coffee bar services for weddings, corporate events, etc. are available. Inquiries can be made through our website.
