Coffee and community at The Vault

BAYARD, Neb. (KOLN) - If you are visiting Chimney Rock this spring or summer, you might want to take a drive into the nearby town of Bayard to check out a unique coffee shop.

We caught up with the owner of “The Vault” in Bayard. “This was once a bank, and the name was actually my son’s idea,” Tonia Verbeck said. “He thought ‘The Vault’ was obvious. My husband and I were looking for a brick and mortar opportunity. I knew I wanted to have a business of my own, but I was not sure what it would look like. When we found this old bank building, we fell in love with it immediately. We wanted coffee to be a part of this space. A coffee shop fosters a sense of community, and that was really what we were looking for. I have another business where we host a vintage and handmade market twice a year. So, this was just a place to settle in and make my own.”

Along with the coffee shop, there is a meeting an entertainment venue in the building. “We recently began doing a studio and event space in the front area of the building. It’s open for us to do pop-up events or workshops. The bones here were already so great. I’d like to say we did a lot, but we didn’t do a ton of work. We just uncovered what was already here, and we just brought some of the history back to life that was already in place.”

Verbeck pays tribute to Chimney Rock throughout the store, with different pictures and paintings of the iconic natural wonder. And, you can find many types of coffees and treats on the menu at The Vault. “The coffee area is probably the most modern area of the business,” Verbeck said. “Our coffee roaster is actually Hardy out of Omaha. We have coffee, but we also have other drinks available such as smoothies. We have baked goods and breakfast burritos.”

If you’d like to stop by “The Vault”, the hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon.

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