Creativity meets coffee in Downtown Altoona destination cafe

Beautifully packaged coffee roasted in historic downtown Altoona.

Beautiful things are brewing in Downtown Altoona thanks to artist and business owner Sarah Vogel. Inspired by the town’s revitalization efforts, Vogel found a way to bring art and culture into the mix. In lieu of teaching, working in a museum or giving art lessons, Vogel chose a different route, putting her passion for art into a business concept that pairs paint-your-own pottery with a coffee shop. In 2017, with support from Startup Alleghenies, she opened The Clay Cup in one of downtown’s historic buildings. Earlier this year, she added specialty coffee roaster Westfall Coffee Co., in the same location.

The Clay Cup is one-of-a-kind in Altoona. Vogel said, “I knew a paint-your-own pottery studio could be successful on its own. But I took the risk and combined it with a specialty coffee shop.” She knew right away that historic downtown Altoona was the perfect location. “The rich history, cool buildings and the revitalization movement drew me in,” she said.

“The people here in Altoona make my business a success. They are willing to rally around a cause or a project and support small businesses.”

“The café allows a space for the locals to meet and enjoy themselves. Even more than that, it is about creating connections,” she said. “My shop thrives on creating connections between people. Whether it is over a cup of coffee or a creative project, I love that my shop establishes that connection. Coffee naturally creates connections between people and it even connects us to the countries that the coffee comes from.”

Vogel explained that specialty coffee focuses on every step of the process from seed to cup. “It’s about taking care of the farmers who choose to continue to farm coffee by specifically sourcing the beans from farmers directly,” she said.

Her connection with Startup Alleghenies helped Vogel to solidify her businesses. “A Startup Alleghenies partner, ABCD Corp. helped me with financing my building and I received a grant that was used for marketing,” she said.

Vogel described working with her Startup Alleghenies coach, Matt Fox: “Matt is always available. He is very approachable, and he will do his best and work his hardest to find what I need. This relationship is invaluable to me as a business owner.”

“The Clay Cup and Westfall Coffee Co. are the perfect matchup for growing Sarah’s business. Her love of the rich history, passion for art and affinity for seed-to-cup specialty coffee makes her business a one-of-a-kind for the Altoona area,” Fox said.

The “seed-to-cup” experience is evident in the launch of Westfall Coffee Co. Vogel noted, “Everything came together very organically. One of our baristas, Steven, was roasting coffee as a hobby. We took the next logical step and began roasting under the Westfall brand. Steven is now my head roaster.”

The Westfall Building is the company’s namesake.  “The building was built in 1890 and the original business was a men’s clothing company called Westfall. You will see that history woven into every aspect of our roasting brand. We took newspaper ads, fonts and blueprints to create our brand. You’ll see blueprints from the 1930 renovation as a design element on our coffee bags,” she said.

New coffee roasting equipment used to provide a full seed-to-cup experience.

“We are going to renovate the second and third floors of the building. We will create a space that will allow for meetings during the week and events on the weekend. We will also be adding an Airbnb location for guests to stay in the heart of Altoona in a high-end apartment,” Vogel added.

“The café allows a space for the locals to meet and enjoy themselves. Even more than that, it is about creating connections.”

The community itself is what keeps Vogel excited about her growing businesses. “The people here in Altoona make my business a success. They are willing to rally around a cause or a project and support small businesses. They come in and support me every day. Westfall is a scalable business, and we can reach beyond Altoona by selling online and to other shops and restaurants. But our roots are here — we are the only commercial roasters in downtown Altoona. This allows us to better serve our community with a wider variety of coffees that are as fresh as possible,” she said.

Vogel has advice for others who are just starting out with their business idea: “Let the professionals do their jobs so you can do yours. Let your attorneys and accountants do what they do, so you can really focus on what you’re good at. These relationships and your passion will be the key to success,” she said.

Startup Alleghenies helps startup and emerging small businesses succeed by providing free coaching to entrepreneurs in Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset counties. To access personal, one-on-one support from a coach in your county, including guidance, resources, tools and networking opportunities, sign up at startupalleghenies.com.