The Shadow
Popular coffee shop and eatery, the Kanawha Café, is an often-busy establishment in Covington that has been fast-growing since its humble beginnings in 2020. Honorata Hogendobler, one of the owner/operators of the business, says their future now includes a bakery and made-from-scratch homemade bread.
Hogendobler, who is of Polish and German descent, moved to Covington with her husband, Jimmy, a few years ago. Then in May of 2020, the couple began selling Honorata’s breads at the Covington Farmer’s Market. As her delicious food grew in popularity, the Hogendoblers’ opted to serve coffee as well. So, in 2021, the couple purchased a coffee cart that they would pack up and push down to the market. Again, they were met with an overwhelming response from patrons. As such, it was decided they needed to expand again. That is how the Kanawha Café was born.
In September of 2022, the Hogendobler’s opened for business on Main Street in Olde Town Covington. As was the case several times before, they were an immediate hit! It took only months for the café to grow again— this time adding a seating area sometime in late May, early June of this year. But they have not finished expanding yet! Honorata Hogendobler says it’s time to add a bakery. The bakery, she says, will feature more breads, baguettes, sourdoughs, pretzel breads, etc. “We are going to have some cakes, coconut pies, apple pie… what you don’t see here in Covington.” Hogendobler says that Mary Fridley will be helping her with the upcoming bakery, but they are still adding staff to the growing establishment.
Shortly after speaking to Hogendobler about the upcoming expansion, The Virginian Review was able to speak with regular customer, Alan Smith Sr. about the establishment he says he visits “just about every day since they opened.” Smith says he typically orders coffee cake muffins and/or coffee when he frequents the Kanawha Café. “Warm ‘em up a little bit, they’re perfect!” Smith said.
The Kanawha Café has several items on its growing menu including hot and cold coffees, lattes, white chocolate cheesecake mochas, white chocolate raspberry mochas, teas, hot chocolate, sodas, sandwiches, toastees, bagels, fresh fruit crepes, and, of course, muffins. A quick visit to their Facebook page, alongside one-on-one conversations with customers, revealed several testimonies about the store’s cleanliness, friendliness of the staff, and, perhaps most importantly, only positives about Honorata’s food “made with love.”
For those looking to give this small business a try, Kanawha Café store hours are 5 a.m.-1 p.m. on Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. -noon on Saturday, and closed on Sunday. The establishment is located at 214 W. Main Street in Covington and can be reached at 540-524-2686.
