the deck will be utilized for a number of activities once the weather breaks
Giacinta’s Gelato & Caffè is a welcome addition to the downtown St. Clairsville business community and has been since first opening its doors back in mid-November.
The 800 or so customers on Day 1 can attest to that, as can the steady stream of regulars and newcomers since.
Owner Audrey Brahler and her staff are appreciative of the consistent turnout and loyalty from her clientele. They repeat business and spread the good news via word of mouth to drum up new business.
“It’s stayed pretty busy since (we opened) and have been doing well with the support of the community,” said Brahler, who took a brief respite from behind the counter this week to talk with LedeNews. “We definitely appreciate it, for sure.”
While gelato and caffeine-infused liquid deliciousness comprise two-thirds of the nameplate outside the 166 East Main Street location in downtown St. Clairsville, that’s not all that’s offered.
The lunch offerings have expanded since launch and the paninis are a big hit, both the regular options and the weekly specials.
“We’ve been doing special features every once in a while, a special panini, and it stays around for about a week,” Brahler said. “That’s brought additional people in. We also change the flavors for our coffee with different seasonal flavors.”
Gelato, a delicious Italian-style dairy desert similar to ice cream but with a richer consistency, is a major star on the menu. The gelato flavors also rotate in and out.
“We have some staples, but some get changed out too,” Brahler admitted. “Gelato has been a big hit. I’ve had people tell me they’ve never even had it and it’s so much more delectable than ice cream.”
Giacinta’s also offers an assortment of soups, along with an expanding bakery menu. Offering more baked goods is something Brahler is looking into.
This Saturday, Giacinta’s will carry scones from the Steubenville Sconery, another recently opened shop in the Ohio Valley.
But she cautioned those interested to arrive early, as this first run will only consist of about two dozen scones. She did admit, however, that if it goes well, it could be a more consistent option kept on the shelves.
Later Hours and Expanding Options
Giacinta’s two busiest times of the day are the lunch rush, along with an after-school crowd coming up from the St. Clairsville High and Middle Schools just down Sugar Street.
But the eatery is also open until 7 p.m.
Admittedly, the final two hours of the day are not quite as busy as the majority of the morning and afternoon hours. Brahler noted that other downtown businesses experience a similar slowdown after the 5 o’clock hour. But she’s hopeful that will change.
“Because most places are closed, you have to stick with it and allow people the time to realize that we are open and let them get into that routine,” Brahler said. “They think, because it’s after five, just head out toward the mall. But we’re open for dinner, and we have dessert.”
Once the winter months advance into spring and summer, Brahler is expecting an uptick in business later in the evening. After all, gelato is a great way to kick off a date. It’s also a tasty dessert, meaning there is now another option for a post-victory, celebratory stop in town for St. Clairsville’s baseball and softball teams.
Giacinta’s also has a sizeable outdoor deck, which Brahler plans to make full use of once the weather breaks.
“We’re focusing on getting delivery and curbside pickup going during the winter, but once the spring and summer hit, we have this large outdoor deck,” Brahler said. “We’ve had some live music when we first opened, but it got cold. Once it starts warming up, we’ll have live music back and we have a couple of different activities planned.”
Speaking of delivery, that option should soon be available to Giacinta’s customers. Brahler is working with Delivery.com as her preferred third-party service to make sure the items offered at Giacinta’s can be delivered.
In a perfect word, Giacinta’s would also offer a drive-thru, and Brahler worked hard with her architect to find a way to get a drive-thru built as part of the extensive remodel of the former Prime Video.
That’s part of the drawback to the early morning crowd seeking coffee, espresso, tea, and other caffeine-infused beverages on the way to work. If they want to patronize Giacinta’s, they have to exit the vehicle. Otherwise, it’s endure the lengthy line down the road at Starbucks which, often times, will stretch out into the street.
“I think it would help as that’s been out biggest setback, no drive-thru,” Brahler admitted. “Unfortunately, with the property, we were not able to make it work. But we’re working on a system of doing curbside. There’s not really a curb, but maybe we could have them pull into the lot and bring it out.”
One bonus in the Giacinta’s corner, drive-thru or no, is that Brahler offers four different flavors of sugar-free, whereas Starbucks only offers one—vanilla. She noted you can’t find those options anywhere else.
This quaint café has much to offer, and with its Italian and European theme to its offerings, it provides a variety not found elsewhere in the area.
For more information, visit Giacinta’s online at its Facebook page.
