Popular Local Coffee House Changes Hands

A cozy breakfast spot that sits in the heart of Langhorne Borough has a new owner.

Tim James, a resident of Middletown and Bucks County native, is the new owner of the Langhorne Coffee House at the corner of East Maple and South Bellevue avenues. Earlier this month, he took the reins from Tracey Dornisch-Cramer, who owned the business for a dozen years.

While he plans to add his own touches to the breakfast and lunch spot, James said he intends to keep the charm that has kept Langhorne Coffee House a regular stop for so many area residents.

James is the fifth owner of the corner coffee shop and follows Dornisch-Cramer, whose dozen years operating the business made her its longest owner.

“I moved here and one of the first places I saw was the coffee house,” James said. “I thought it was a beautiful spot.”

After years of being involved in various business ventures, James jumped into the food business, something he was familiar with from a past job, after learning the coffee shop was for sale.

Under his ownership, James plans to begin rolling out extended hours into the evening, added baked goods, engaging in additional partnerships with local businesses, and coming up with new offerings from Covered Bridge Roasters and Loose Leaf Tea at the coffee shop. Dornisch-Cramer co-owns Lower Southampton-based Covered Bridge Roasters and Loose Leaf Tea and will continue to provide products to the coffee shop. 

“This place is unique,” James said. “The whole town loves this place.”

James marveled at how well the coffee house operates and its standing in the community.

“You can’t buy that,” he said of the eatery’s culture, noting he is keeping the staff.

Pointing to the rise in corporate chain eateries and coffee shops in the area, James said they do plenty of things well, but small businesses like Langhorne Coffee House have the advantage of being flexible and providing something different. He pointed to collaborations with local businesses, the community, home cooked meals, and products that are made within minutes of the shop. 

Dornisch-Cramer said she met with several potential buyers before settling on James, noting they have similar philosophies. She added she was reassured by his vision for the coffee shop. 

After a dozen years of ownership, Dornisch-Cramer said she was moving on from the coffee house to devote more time to family-owned Nichols Pool Service, Covered Bridge Roasters, and Loose Leaf Tea, and Great Oak Real Estate. She said the customers and staff over the years have been great. 

For the past few weeks, Dornisch-Cramer worked with James to get him acclimated to the coffee house. 

When asked about his first three weeks on the job, James said, “this place is great.”