As Jaklitsch retires, no more Joe at Salisbury’s The Roast

SALISBURY — For many local residents and weekenders, for vacationers and visitors, a day that doesn’t begin with a visit to The Roast in Salisbury is a day that doesn’t begin well. For some, it’s the expertly prepared cup of joe; for others, it’s the presence of owner Joe Jaklitsch. Work crews from landscaping and contracting companies stop in to fuel up early in the morning. Parents stop by either before or after dropping their children at school. Retirees have the luxury of sitting down and greeting one and all as they roll through at the beginning of the day — whenever that might be.Of course, this probably describes many coffee shops in America. Akin to the neighborhood bar, coffee shops are often a hub in a small town. For many residents of Salisbury, The Roast is a home away from home. And Joe Jaklitsch, the paternalistic proprietor, is the heart and soul of The Roast.So news that Jaklitsch is going to close The Roast on Sunday, Oct. 23, was received with reactions ranging from surprise to despair. The dismay of his customers is two-fold. They feel bereft at the thought of losing a comfortable, welcoming hangout, with world-class lattes and scrumptious, buttery baked goods. And they feel deep concern for Jaklitsch. It is his health, specifically his heart condition, that makes it impossible for him to continue the pace he has maintained for so long.On a gray morning last week, many of the loyal denizens spoke about The Roast and Joe and the importance of both in their lives and the life of the town. A recurring thread in their comments was how many friendships were formed there over a cup of coffee.“It’s the epicenter of town and our version of the general store,” commented Tom Murphy. “When I first came to Salisbury I wouldn’t have met all the wonderful people I have, if it wasn’t for Joe and The Roast.” Linda Michaels, a full-time Salisbury resident, seconded that opinion (just before sitting down with her friend Sheryl Kennedy). “When I first moved here, if I didn’t know Joe, I don’t know what I would have done,” she said. “I’ve met so many people here, and I love Joe. And I met my best friend, Sheryl, here.” For her part, Kennedy said, “I will be here every day until he closes.”Elaine La Roche, who owns the Salisbury Pharmacy and the building that houses The Roast, is definite that “there will continue to be a coffee shop behind the pharmacy.”“The Roast has been the social heart of town, thanks to Joe, and we all wish him and his family well,” she said. “There are several individuals who have expressed interest in continuing in his footsteps, and I fully expect that coffee, bagels, good cheer and more will continue to be offered going forward.”Change does sometimes take time, though.“The objective is to have as smooth and timely a transition as possible,” she said, “but there are inspections and licenses required by the state. Hopefully the new operator can accomplish this with as little interruption of service as possible.”As for Jaklitsch, he has regrets but said he has lived his dream. “I’ve had the best job in the world. I’ve really loved everyone who’s come in. The same people have been coming in for years and years and years, and they never seemed to tire of it and neither did I. They’ve subsidized my 15 years of fun.” There have been times when Jaklitsch worked seven days a week, 14 to 16 hours a day. His two daughters, Stephanie and Wallis, both worked at The Roast from an early age, and his wife, Barbara, who is a child welfare educator, has been known to pitch in as well.“It’s the end of an era in our lives,” Barbara said. “Even though the girls have moved away, they always step right in and join us when they’re back in town.” Jaklitsch started working at Riga Mountain Roast in Lakeville when he still lived in Coxsackie, N.Y. At that time, it was owned by his friend, Connie Brown. Jaklitsch had always wanted to have a coffeeshop. She invited him to come check it out. Within two years he had bought the business from her. That was back in 1996. He changed the name to The Roast and a few years later moved into the space connected to the Salisbury Pharmacy, where it has been attracting devoted customers for more than a decade.While Jaklitsch is an accomplished pastry chef (he is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America’s baking program) it should also be said that his lattes are the best (in this reporter’s opinion) this side of Rome, Italy. They should be. Jaklitsch takes enormous pride in creating a superior drink: the freshness of the ground espresso, the temperature of the milk, the finishing flourish, a leaf drawn in foam — or, for extra special customers, a heart. He discards the first pull of the day, in essence warming up the machine for the task ahead. Jaklitsch is moderate in his own coffee consumption, imbibing only one or two shots of espresso over the course of the morning.But it wasn’t only the taste of the coffee that Jaklitsch cared about; he bought only Fair Trade coffee beans and a few years ago switched his coffee cup brand to one that could be composted.All these are things his customers will miss. But the sentiment most often expressed is perhaps best summed up by longtime customer Simon Kirkby, who stops in on his way to his job at Skip Barber.“The Roast is the social center of the village in the morning, and Joe has been a wonderful host all the time he’s been here. I’ll really, really miss him.”And how does Jaklistch feel after more than a decade of standing behind the counter and overseeing the social life of the shop? What would he most like to do? “I would really love to sit down and have a cup of coffee with my friends.”