Coffee shop coming to Superior

There is more business growth on the horizon in Superior. A business with locations in Blue Hill and Red Cloud is expanding their footprint to include Superior.

Cassandra Himmelberg and Nicole Mackin are co-owners of the Corner Nook, Blue Hill, and Corner Nook 2, Red Cloud, shops. They will be opening their third location in the building which most recently was home to Big's Diner and The Bad Rooster at the northeast corner of Third and Commercial streets. A tentative opening date of early June has been set. The pair are in the process of repair work and planning the store layout among other steps to be taken before opening.

Himmelberg resides on a farm near Lawrence along with her husband and two children and a plethora of livestock. She is employed full-time as an occupational therapist in area schools.

Mackin resides in Blue Hill She attended Hastings High School and the University of Nebraska-Kearney where she earned a degree in social work. She is married and the mother of two daughters, ages 14 and 17, in addition to a dog and cat.

The original Corner Nook opened in Blue Hill in 2015. The Red Cloud location began operation in 2020.

The Corner Nook was created when Nicole's business, the Craft Corner, housed in a building she owned, merged with Cassandra's business Heavenly Grounds. Thus was born the Corner Nook.

It is much more than just a coffee shop. They offer a large selection of unique handmade and boutique style gifts for purchase. The pair also take local crafters' work on consignment, offering a brick and mortar location for those without access to such. The food menu is limited to scones, muffins and cinnamon rolls. The beverage selections are vast with something for everyone. There is expresso and frozen hot chocolate. Fresh fruit smoothies and Chai, a type of tea beverage, are readily available. Mochas and lattes are on the menu.

Unlike most shops, there are couches and tables interspersed around the space. While the floor plan for Superior is still taking shape, these elements are present in both current locations.

The couches and tables are places where the community is encouraged to gather and enjoy the ambience. There are toys available for children to occupy themselves as their parents shop or visit. There are board games for young and old alike. There are spaces for drinking and noshing while enjoying a break from the scurries of everyday life.

The store will offer unusual gift items for all occasions, many of them fashioned by local artisans and available nowhere else in the area.

While the duo acknowledge opening a new location while a pandemic is raging is risky, they have faith all will work out and faith is a huge part of their lives. They enjoy a challenge and have weathered this one as well as can be expected. They have embraced the small-town life-style and their stores are a way to keep them as thriving, vibrant communities.

The pair did their research before deciding on the Superior location. Mary Scroggins, Superior's economic development director, was instrumental in assisting the pair to finalize their decision. Though hot coffee may not be the favorite beverage of June weather, frozen hot chocolate sounds as if it's a summer winner.