Dining with Doug: On The Edge by day, the Patio by night
Jaynae Franklin was 19 and admittedly “terrified” when she opened On The Edge coffee house three years ago in Old Town Clovis.
But, when you care about customer service and are willing to work hard, anything is possible, Franklin said.
First, she had to learn to operate an espresso machine for the lattes and mochas that coffee drinkers crave.
Then she had to master business principles, such as managing a staff and bookkeeping. “It was definitely a challenge but well worth the experience,” Franklin said.
Today, On The Edge bustles with customers at 412 Pollasky Ave.
In addition to hot, cold and blended coffee drinks, On The Edge offers breakfast and lunch food items, and it recently opened “the Patio” area for evening entertainment. Beer and wine are served.
Through it all, the goal at On The Edge never changed.
“For us, it was creating an environment where people would feel welcomed,” Franklin said.
The “us” includes Franklin’s parents, Scott and Julie Glenn, who own the House of JuJu restaurant, located on Pollasky across from On The Edge.
The Glenns also own the coffee house, and Franklin is the part-time manager. She laughs and says she wasn’t much of a coffee drinker three years ago. That has changed.
Franklin’s favorite drink is one of the coffee shop’s specialties: a hazelnut brittle latte. An Almond Joy mocha and Lover’s Delight are two other specialties. Lover’s Delight tastes like a chocolate covered strawberry.
On The Edge uses coffee from Clayton Coffee & Tea of Modesto.
Breakfast items range from $3.95 to $5.45 and include the Breakfast Sandwich (egg, American cheese, house aioli and choice of meat, served on an English muffin) and the Breakfast Wrap (egg, salsa, shredded cheese and choice of meat, wrapped in a wheat tortilla).
The most popular breakfast item is the Bagelwich: egg, American cheese, roasted garlic aioli, and choice of meat and bagel. Meat choices are bacon, sausage, ham, turkey or chorizo. Tomato is available as a substitute.
Lunch items include a variety of sandwiches, which also can be served as wraps, or the ingredients added to salads. The sandwiches are grilled panini style but can be served cold, upon request.
Sandwich selections include Ham & Gruyere and the B.L.M.T. (bacon, lettuce mozzarella cheese and tomato).
Franklin said two of the most popular sandwiches are the Roast Beef & Gorgonzola and Turkey Focaccia, which includes cranberry sauce. The turkey sandwich is a favorite during the holiday season.
Sandwiches range from $4.95 to $8.45.
The coffee house also offers Pita Pizzas, served on pita bread and ranging from $5.95 to $8.45.
In October, On The Edge launched “the Patio” with seating for 49 in an open area behind the coffee house.
“Rather than a bar atmosphere, it’s a place to enjoy a glass of wine or beer with good company. It’s all about the ambiance,” Franklin said.
Small ensembles perform live music as white lights twinkle over the Patio, which is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings during good weather. (Music is from 7 to 9 p.m.)
Wine and beer selections are extensive. On The Edge buys from several wineries, including Dry Cannon of Madera, Gunsight Rock of Paso Robles, Butterfield Station of Sonoma Valley and The Immortal of Lodi. Wine is sold by the glass ($6 to $12) or the bottle ($18 to $32).
Beers include Long Hammer IPA from Red Hook, Big Wave golden ale from Kona Brewing and Calm Before The Storm cream ale from Ballast Point. There are others. Hard root beer and hard apple cider also are available.
Beers are $5. There is no cover charge.
Guests in the Patio can order food from the breakfast and lunch menus, plus a menu of specialties. Prices range from $5 to $10.
Community support for On The Edge remains strong, Franklin said: “We’re like a little family.”
Melvin Mason of Fresno comes in most mornings for coffee and conversation.
“This is my home away from home,” he said. “The coffee is the best – and I’m not kidding.”
On The Edge is open 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 8 a.m to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Food is available until 3 p.m. The Patio hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday to Saturday. Food is available on the Patio until 9 p.m. The telephone number is (559) 298-4040. On The Edge is on Facebook.
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Dining with Doug appears every other week in The Clovis Independent. He can be reached at doughoagland@att.net.
This story was originally published December 28, 2015 at 9:21 AM with the headline "Dining with Doug: On The Edge by day, the Patio by night."