Originally Published: December 8, 2009 4:17 p.m.
JEROME – The Flatiron Café, one of the most recognizable landmarks in town, has changed hands. Tom and Melinda Cook are the very proud new owners. They took over Oct. 16.
Melinda’s career was in real estate, and Tom spent 30 years in the hotel business, always in food and beverage.
“We operate the café and a flat directly above it, which is available for rental on a B&B basis,” Tom said. The Flatiron specializes in coffee and espresso drinks, and it has a well-known menu for breakfast and lunch with soup specialties.
The café is small but cozy, offering table and counter seating inside the Flatiron and patio seating, with table service, across the street.
Tom said they have four employees. Alice Ross and Shea Blair are “baristas extraordinaire.” Rob Isaly is the head cook, and Chad Hembrough fills in when Rob is off.
Because the Flatiron has no exhaust hood in its kitchen, the café has no deep fryers or large equipment. Storage and refrigeration is limited. But those limitations are actually benefits for Flatiron customers.
Tom said he shops daily, and food is prepared in small, fresh quantities each day. Everything is homemade and nothing is frozen.
The Flatiron Café is located at 416 Main St. in Jerome. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. six days a week, and the cafe is closed on Tuesdays. The café is open during Jerome’s First Saturday Art Walks.
“We are looking at the possibility of being open for a ‘Prix Fix’ Dinner on one night per weekend,” Tom said. But that is yet to come.