Photo courtesy Lindsay Neighbors
John and Lindsay Neighbors, owners of the popular coffee shop Boxed and Burlap, have announced plans to open a new location in downtown Delavan, in a space formerly occupied by the Schultz Brothers five-and-dime store. More recently, the space was used as an antique mall. The new location will join the original Boxed and Burlap location at Highways 50 and 67 north of Williams Bay, as well as the coffee shop’s outpost in the Lake Geneva Piggly Wiggly. The new space in downtown Delavan will house the Boxed and Burlap roastery, in addition to cafe space, rentable event space and an art studio and gallery. The Neighborses say they are targeting a summer opening, pending final deliveries and inspections.
Lindsay Neighbors worked as an art teacher at Lake Geneva’s Badger High School for 13 years and says the new 15,500-square-foot space will allow the couple to combine their shared love of art with their successful coffee enterprise. The space will host classes in pottery, ceramics, painting and drawing, and provide studio space for artists to both create and display their work. The art studio and gallery space will be separated from the cafe space by a glass wall, so that those enjoying a cup of coffee can observe the artists and classes. “The goal is to connect that creativity piece as an option for the public to participate by either taking a class or observing,” Lindsay says. “We’re excited about having the ability to host those two things on the same property.”
John designed the interior renovation himself, drawing on the history of the space for his inspiration. “The building was built in 1956, so we used that as the inspiration, kind of a midcentury theme,” John explains. “Certain elements are modern midcentury, and we’ll be tying our brand into a slightly different look. You’ll feel like you’re in a similar place [to the original location], but it gives it a midcentury feeling and creates an artistic element to the building.”
Additional space in the building will be rentable for small events of up to 40 people, and the Neighborses say that the cafe will feature outdoor seating in addition to the indoor dining area. The new Boxed and Burlap location will serve a full coffee menu, using their in-house roasted coffee, as well as a limited food menu that will include breakfast offerings, grab- and-go items and lunch options that include sandwiches, soups and wraps.
Even before its opening, the new Boxed and Burlap is already attracting attention. Last September, the still-unfinished coffee shop was selected by internationally revered auction house Sotheby’s as the location for a filmed interview between Simon Shaw and superstar American fashion designer Virgil Abloh, just two months before his death from a rare cancer. The Neighborses say they were honored to be chosen as the location for the interview. “The opportunity to host this interview [was] truly inspiring and is a moment we will cherish,” they wrote on the Boxed and Burlap Instagram account.
