Littleton – After raising two children, homemaker Sheri Swenson pursued her dream of opening up a small cafe to serve lunch and breakfast.
She and her husband, David, who owns a custom home-building business, embarked on a business venture that’s a risky proposition at best, even for people who have years of restaurant experience.
The Swensons chose a decrepit 1902 brick Queen Anne, once the home of a Littleton mayor who served in the 1930s, to house their start-up business.
“I thought, ‘Oh my goodness. What are we getting ourselves into?”‘ Sheri Swenson recalled.
Now, the former Charles Louthan house has been restored and Cafe Terracotta is a booming business and neighborhood gathering spot.
The Littleton City Council approved the Main Street Historic District in June 2005, and restoration of the Louthan House is in step with measures to keep the city’s past alive.
“Preservation of the Louthan House enhances Littleton’s historic character,” said Andrea Mimnaugh, historic preservation planner for Littleton and a cafe customer. “It serves as a reminder of Littleton’s heritage as an agricultural settlement that grew into a small town and then a city.”
David Swenson did the lion’s share of the construction work on the restored Queen Anne.
“Who would have ever thought that the long-lost wraparound porch would be reconstructed and become a destination for the community to relax and enjoy a meal?” Mimnaugh said.
The cafe’s location, 5649 S. Curtice St., just a half-block off historic Main Street, draws shoppers, nearby merchants, city workers and Littleton residents.
The Swensons, who spent more than $1 million on the property, the restoration and opening the cafe, received a $10,000 historic grant from the city.
Sheri Swenson waited tables at a south metro steakhouse for about four years in the early 1980s when the couple’s children were young.
Beyond that, the couple had no restaurant experience, and relied on family and friends to navigate the complexities of opening a cafe.
“It’s a very pretty place,” said David Racine, who owns the Denver restaurant bearing his name along with two others. “It looks great when the sun is out, and it looks great when it’s snowing and cold.”
Racine, a neighbor and longtime friend of the Swensons, steered the couple toward restaurant contractors he respects, and he helped with some conceptual and planning ideas.
Inside the cafe, artwork from local artists hangs on the walls. Booths run along the exterior of the room, with tables in the middle.
“The greatest thing about it is the sense of community,” David Swenson said of his cafe, adding that that element was an integral part of the couple’s business plan.
It opened in July and has been such a success that the Swensons brought in an executive chef, Alex Kaulbach, as a partner. They plan to begin serving dinner in early December.
Customer Adele Gregersen, who works at a nearby costume store, said the cafe livens up the area and reminds her of eateries she used to go to in Santa Barbara, Calif.
“It adds to the charm of the downtown streets,” Gregersen said. “Having a nice little restaurant or cafe makes the area a lot better. You have a place to hang out and have a drink – it makes it fun.”
Staff writer Kieran Nicholson can be reached at 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com.
