The White Cup Coffeehouse reopened Tuesday afternoon, after a fire destroyed the building next door.

Two of the owners, Janet and Emer Hatch, worked straight through the last two weeks cleaning the extensive smoke and water damage to their building.

“It was a long two weeks,” Janet said.

Firefighters broke a hole in the awning and sprayed water down the east wall of their building to save it, Emer said.

“We’re thankful the equipment survived without problems,” Janet said.

Cleaners got work the day of the fire and later ripped out the carpet so it could be replaced. Everything had to be washed and some walls had to be repainted.

While they were working, the couple also opened up a new room in the back for private group meetings by reservation.

The public wouldn’t have to pay for use of the space, only for refreshments.

The couple recently took over management from their daughter and son-in-law, Elizabeth and Wayne Reichert, who are co-owners.

The Reicherts opened the White Cup about eight months ago and recently moved away. White Cup closed for a month and had been open for only about 10 days before the fire broke out.

“When Beth and Wayne decided to move on we didn’t want the business to die,” Janet said.

The shop hopes to host musicians again, but they will be more laid back than the acts have been in the past, she said.

They will also still offer free wifi, smoothies, teas, flavored coffee and syrups made inhouse.

The shop will be open in the evenings rather than the mornings, in contrast to most coffee shops in town.

“We just want to be a good place for people to meet their friends,” Emer said.

mshinn@cortezjournal.com