opening up the house at pyper's place
by kelle olwyler

What do a life-sized zebra, an Irish woman, cozy comfort and excellent fare have in common?

That's easy. They're all a part of Pyper's Place, the new coffee, tea and wine destination at 233 Montford Avenue in Asheville.Their Grand Opening, held on May 17th, lived up to Asheville's well-known reputation of good eating and drinking and the best in musical traditions. From 10 a.m. to 10 pm, an eclectic array of top-notch musicians took turns ntertaining a never-ending full house.
While the musicians were there to entertain patrons, it was clear that they were equally delighting in playing together and spontaneously sharing the stage. Patrons tapped and clapped and enjoyed the varied beats, as they cruising Pyper's menus: an international wine and beer list; a frozen drink menu of fruit smoothies, milkshakes, floats and fizzes; a thorough offering of the best tea and coffee drinks; a food menu which includes delicious desserts and baked goods (with vegan and spelt options), and fresh vegetarian meals, all prepared to order with mostly organic ingredients. The look and feel of the place brings to mind the English and Irish pubs that are known for their family atmosphere. Pyper's is on its way to being such a place, one where Asheville friends and neighbors gather to sip tea or coffee and share stories.While Pyper's is Irene's first venture into the restaurant business, she is no stranger to creating in the kitchen. She's always enjoyed making up recipes, and her menu reflects her skill. The hours (7 am to 11 pm Monday thru Saturday; 10 am to 3 pm Sunday) are particularly appealing because they give Asheville residents and visitors a place to go after most other restaurants have closed their doors for the evening.Pyper's has been a dream in the making since early last year when Irene Pyper found her unique building, and plans began. But it goes back long before this time and place. Born and raised in Ireland, Irene traveled extensively as a traditional Irish singer when she wasn't practicing veterinary medicine. It was on the music circuit that Irene and Peggy Seeger became friends and began traveling and giving concerts together, billing themselves as No Spring Chickens. All those years, venue to venue, city to city, country to country, the need to find the best coffee house in town became a way to let down and relax. "Everywhere I went," said Irene, "I searched out the best coffee house.? But there was always something not quite right. Either the chairs were uncomfortable, or the coffee wasn?t as good as it should be, or the space wasn't welcoming."
When Peggy moved to Asheville, Irene visited her over a seven-year period until she too, was ready to put down Asheville roots. It was Peggy who one day announced to her that the old launderette on Montford Ave. had closed. Irene was ready to put together all the things she'd been thinking about regarding her own comfort in a coffee house. The dream began to take root and grow out of the old laundromat.Her years of continually redesigning in her mind the physical spaces and the menus the way they should be paid off, and out of it came a "coffee? house" that puts it all together "just right." "I didn't build Pyper's Place from the viewpoint of having a commercial business," says Irene. "This is where I'd like to find myself, where I'd like to fit." And fit she does. Many of the things in the room are her own, including the comfy pink chairs from her kitchen in England. The hardwood floors, purple tin ceiling and warm buttery walls call visitors to melt right into the cozy armchairs and comfy couch near the fireplace. The old wood telephone box, an original Asheville Antique that came out of the old telephone company on Lexington, offers just enough privacy as you check your email through the complimentary high-speed internet connection. And of course, there's Zena, the full-sized, almost-real zebra who permanently moved into her Pyper's corral on opening day. When asked why the zebra, Irene smiled and said, ?When you next look at her, imagine her without her stripes. If you can do that, you might find the magic . . .?So when you have a moment and could use a little break, stop by. Don't forget to introduce yourself to Irene and Zena who will both be waiting to welcome you to Pyper's Place.