(From left) Delaney Rogers, Noelle Holth and Leah Craft are set up outside ABeanToGo on Flint Street in downtown Lake Orion, serving up warm cups of coffee, heartfelt smiles and goodwill with the LOVE card. Photo by Jim Newell

ABeanToGo serves up a little extra LOVE in downtown LO

By Jim Newell

Review Editor

While the café is closed inside, the baristas at ABeanToGo in Lake Orion are bundled up outside on the sidewalk serving up coffee and specialty drinks to go from a makeshift stand.

During the unprecedented efforts to mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered that all restaurants, bars and coffee shops, among others, close as of 3 p.m. Monday.

Tuesday was the first day that ABeanToGo started its sidewalk coffee stand. The restaurants and bars in downtown Lake Orion are closed to dine-in services, but can still provide to go orders to customers.

At ABeanToGo, customers place their orders and pay outside, a barista makes the drink inside and then delivers it to the waiting patron.

But, during these unusual and unnerving times, the caring of Orion residents also shines through — in this case in the form of a LOVE card.

A regular ABeanToGo patron stopped by and loaded money on a gift card to help out those people who are experiencing financially difficulty due to the Coronavirus pandemic, said Delaney Rogers, a barista at ABeanToGo, adding, “It’s so people can pay it forward.”

Since the LOVE card started, other patrons have donated money and, as of Wednesday afternoon, the LOVE card had more than $200 loaded on it to help out those Orion neighbors in need.

Noelle Holth said people who have heard about the card keep loading more money on it, but the word hasn’t gotten around to the people who could benefit from the donations.

“It’s for those who may be out of work due to these unfortunate times,” Holth said. “Everyone’s been so loving about donating.”

All anyone who is experiencing financial constraints has to do is go to the coffee stand and ask if they can have a drink on the LOVE card, Holth said.

ABeanToGo is at 16 W. Flint St. Carry out coffee and craft drinks are available from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday.