LYNN — The Demakes Family YMCA opened its café this week, offering a variety of snacks and beverages to its members.
The café is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 11 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m.
Outside of these hours, a cold case is available at the front desk for items to be purchased. Senior Branch Executive Director Andrea Baez said they are planning to add additional hours in the fall, which will include weekends as well.
The café is currently serving fresh fruit, yogurt, cold sandwiches, bagels, muffins, hot coffee, tea and juice.
“People are thrilled to have the convenience of a quick cup of coffee or tea to go after a workout, or while waiting for their children in the pool,” Baez said. “It is just another amenity that no one was really expecting at the Demakes Y, and people are excited.”
This is the limited menu, as the café just opened, but Baez said they plan to continue to grow the café to offer smoothies, protein shakes, and iced coffee.
Although the café is currently open to members of the YMCA only, Baez said they hope to expand this to open community hours in September.
“If someone is at the Y for a meeting or to watch some kind of a game or meet, we of course allow them access as well,” Baez said.
There is also seating available that is always open for people to use.
Adjacent to the café, the YMCA has a certified commercial and teaching kitchen, which will eventually collaborate with partners to host healthy eating cooking classes and programming.
Baez said when the next phase of the Demakes YMCA is complete, there will be a rooftop garden — which she said is still in the preliminary phase and is estimated to be ready for planting by the spring of 2022 — so kids in the Y academy and youth center programs will be able to grow vegetables and learn how to prepare them in the kitchen.
“We really want to provide opportunities for young people and what a great opportunity for them to see the fruits if their labor is made into a delicious meal for their loved ones,” Baez said.
The YMCA is still hiring for the café, and Baez said in the fall they are partnering with
Lynn tech co-op students and the Northeast Arc to secure additional staffing as hours are added to the café.
