“The main goal is to provide for this community — it is lacking and needs businesses like we used to have.” Merrill said. “I would like to be very community-oriented with this place. We love it here, we love the people here.”

Merrill and Vasseau, who are due to be married in a few weeks, met in the Marquette area.

Merrill is from Florence, graduating from Florence County High School in 2006. After high school, he attended the University of Wisconsin-Stout on a track scholarship for three years until a knee injury ended his athletic career.

Merrill went on to graduate from Northern Michigan University and spent several years working in restaurant kitchens and also in construction.

MERRILL'S COFFEE & BISTRO is at 141 Florence Ave., or “on the curve,” in Florence, Wis. (Jim Paul/Daily News photo)

Vasseau is from Marquette County and for 14 years worked at Circle K gas stations, most of that time as a manager.

Merrill moved back to Florence a year-and-a-half ago. Vasseau said she instantly fell in love with Florence and decided it was time for a change.

They both have been working at Villa’s Lakeside Market that recently opened in Spread Eagle.

Then in September a building at 141 Florence Ave. came up for sale at price they could not resist.

“A lot of it was the location of the business, right on the corner,” Vasseau said. “It just seemed like such a nice spot in such a cute little building.”

Vasseau added they believe they are both ready to be business owners.

“I feel like it would be harder to be successful if you start out just for the passion of it, rather than being prepared to be a business owner,” Vasseau said.

The location has a long history as a coffee shop, mostly recently as Sue’s Corner Coffee House and Steamin’ Joe Coffee before that.

Events have happened quickly for Merrill and Vasseau — they closed on the building in November and immediately began work on making the space their own.

Other than some electrical and plumbing, Merrill and Vasseau have done all of the remodeling and updating themselves. Pink walls were replaced with a warm, coffee-like brown and new flooring was installed — no easy feat in the crooked old building, Merrill said.

As of right now, Merrill’s Coffee & Bistro is just about ready to open other than last-minute cleaning.

In fact, as a soft opening of sorts, Merrill and Vasseau said they have already served a few curious and eager new customers. Merrill noted that Florence residents have already been supportive — people have actually come to lend a helping hand with the cleaning and remodeling, he said.

For the time being, it will just be Merrill and Vasseau holding things down at the shop, Merrill will handle the kitchen in the back and Vasseau will take the front counter. They said they have friends and family ready to jump in and help if things take off rapidly.

With a piano on the back wall, along with a record player and plenty of records on the wall, Merrill and Vasseau said they want their customers to feel at home.

“I want a very fun and relaxing place, I want people to feel at home here,” Vasseau said. “I want them to come hang out with us, play the piano, play the records or play a game of cribbage.”

In the future Merrill said that he may try to stay open some nights to host a music night or a game night.

Of course, there is the coffee as well. Visseau said they serve Velodrome Coffee, a roastery out of Marquette that supplies fresh, high-quality coffee beans.

Merrill calls the food “phenomenal,” while Visseau describes it as light and picnic-like.

For breakfast, customers can design their own breakfast sandwich, choosing either a bagel, croissant, muffin or biscuit and then the meat and cheese.

Lunch has a chipotle chicken, chicken peppadew, turkey club, Italian or BLT available as a sandwich, wrap, paninis or salad.

Merrill’s Coffee & Bistro hopes to open Monday, with hours of 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. More information is available at www.merrillscoffee.com — look for an official grand opening in March, they said.

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The Daily News plans to highlight some of the new business owners in the region. Know of a business that recently opened or changed hands? Contact Jim Paul at 906-774-2772, ext. 85229, or jpaul@ironmountaindailynews.com.