Hilltop Coffee Shop on Munjoy Hill Moving to BarLola Spot

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By Carol McCracken  (Post # 1,607)

The popular Hilltop Coffee Shop on Congress Street will be moving, although the business owner is not sure just  when that will happen. Stella Hernandez, co-owner of Bar Lola with her husband, confirmed the rumor early this evening.  The Coffee Shop will be moving into the location being vacated by Bar Lola, at the corner of St. Lawrence and Congress Street.  Bar Lola is serving its final dinner this evening as mhn previously announced herein.

Luke MacFadyen, formerly a Hill resident and a New York native, began the Hilltop Coffee Shop years ago. It started in the storefront now occupied by Willa Wirth jewelry on Congress Street.  Coffee was good and he sold a few cookies and muffins to go with it. Only about a handful of people could be seated, so much of the business was takeout coffee. Eventually, he decided it was time to expand.  So, MacFadyen  expanded the Coffee Shop across Congress Street.  A lover of all old wood and somewhat of an architect,  he purchased the so-called “concrete bunker” across the street from a local artist, Don Ogier.  The building was gutted and windows installed where there had been none before in the front. The renovations were extensive. MacFadyen divided the former artist home on the left and his studio on the right into two individual storefronts. Today Rosemont Bakery occupies the left side and Hilltop Coffee Shop the right side.

McFadyen tired of living in the city and moved to a farm in the country a few years ago.  But not before he sold his pride and joy, the Hilltop Coffee Shop business, to Stella and her husband.   McFadyen was emphatic that the Hill needed a coffee shop and it would be at this location.

Meanwhile, Bar Lola is still looking for a new venue, hopefully on the peninsula.  Rumors persist that Rosemont Bakery is expanding into the soon to be vacated spot now occupied by Hilltop Coffee Shop.