I took my first cafe job at 18 in the Philadelphia suburbs. I knew right away that this was something I would do for the rest of my life, even though I had no idea how that would be possible or what the future would look like. In the next 12 years I would work at a few independently owned cafes on the East Coast and do a 6 year stint in Colorado for good measure. Every place I moved, I was always looking for the cafe I wanted to work at, the one that would push me to a new level. After my time in Colorado I ended up back East on Nantucket where I met my husband, Bill.

Of course, just as I had always wanted to have my own coffee shop, he had his own dreams of owning a bar and restaurant. We got to work looking for the perfect space for us to turn our ideas into reality. Although we had no funding, we had the drive, the heart, and the passion to make it happen. In 2018 we had a daughter, and we ended up moving back to my hometown in Massachusetts. The final day of our move, our Webster location quite literally fell into our laps. It was never our intention to open a cafe in the old mill town of Webster, Mass, but this location has a rich history behind it.

From 1947 - 1981 my Great Grandfather, Andrew Stefanik, and his son (my grandfather), John Stefanik, owned and operated Andy’s Restaurant with their famous Rose Room inside as the primary dining area. My father and his siblings created their childhood memories in Andy’s - which is not 3 blocks from our current Webster location. Andy’s and its Rose Room were, and still are, a well known location by Webster locals who have fond memories of their time spent inside. Keeping all that in mind, The Rose Room was the natural name for our new cafe. We knew we wanted to work with local farms and farmers to better connect our community to their local food systems. We also knew we wanted to have high quality coffee and beverages that you couldn’t get anywhere else. And the cherry on top was that we wanted to create a culture of community for our team and for our guests. We have successfully done all that and more with the help of my forever generous parents. Without Anna-Lee and Mark Stefanik none of this would have been possible. From construction, staffing, childcare, pro-tips, recommendations, belief, and funding … these two have been instrumental in our success.

Since the birth of The Rose Room Webster in 2018, Bill has gone on to open his own bar and beer garden in Webster aptly named Andy’s Neighbor-hood Canteen. In 2024 The Rose Room PVD was brought to life as a second cafe location with a limited menu and the same specialty coffee that our guests love. I could never have imagined the impact that our Webster location would have on the community. The farms we are able to support, the teams we have grown, the success we have seen, and the connections we have made … they are all thanks to you. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for choosing The Rose Room as your third space. I will forever be grateful for your patronage, support, and friendship.

Xo,

Jess