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By Christine Graf
Less than two years after opening Cupola Coffee in Burnt Hills, owner Cindy Turgeon is expanding her 227 Kingsley Road coffee shop. Plans are currently underway to expand into an adjoining 300-square-foot space.
Before opening Cupola in 2021, Turgeon operated Sgraffito Art Studio on Route 50 and worked as an art teacher for the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central School District. Her goal at the time was to finance the opening of a coffee shop—an “artful café”—in Burnt Hills where she lives.
“Almost every other little town on the planet had a coffee shop,” said Turgeon. “We have such a great community that is so supportive, but we didn’t have a coffee shop.”
Turgeon spent close to five years putting together a business plan and educating herself on the coffee shop industry. She worked with the Small Business Development Center in Albany and attended the free workshops offered by the Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region.
“I wanted to open a place that anyone could just walk in and meet up with a friend. I also wanted a place where we could hang art and display work without it being a commission-based space,” she said. “I wanted to have something beautiful, and I knew it had to be right in the center of Burnt Hills.”
Turgeon had hoped to convert her Route 50 art studio into a coffee shop, but zoning restrictions made that impossible. Finding the right location required patience, and she ultimately found what she was looking for in the plaza located at the busy intersection of Kingsley Road and Route 50.
Turgeon, her three sons, and her husband, Scotia-Glenville physical education teacher Michael Turgeon, completely renovated the space with the help of friends.
“It was an empty space with gray walls and gray carpet,” she said. “My husband and I and one of my sons did the floors and the walls. My husband built the counter, I laid out the space, we created the kitchen. I painted the mural, put up wallpaper. We did everything from soup to nuts.”
Cupola opened in June 2021 while Turgeon was still employed by the district as an art teacher. Just six months after opening, the shop was so busy that she made the decision to end her 25-year teaching career.
“Right from the beginning business exceed what we thought it would be,” she said. “I love change. I love trying new things, and this was something I had hoped for and worked on for a very long time. So, I just went ahead and resigned.”
Cupola has an extensive drink menu which includes specialty coffees, lattes, espresso drinks, and drip coffees. Their private label coffee is sourced from a local roaster and available by the bag.
Because Cupola occupies just 700 square feet and has a very small kitchen, its food offerings are limited. In addition to baked goods, the menu features 16 different varieties of sweet and savory crepes. Crepes are made with a recipe that Turgeon developed herself. She also has a gluten free option.
“We also do build-your-own crepes. If we have the ingredients, we will put it in your crepe,” said Turgeon. “Our crepes are very filling, and we tend to load them up. They are pretty hearty.”
The art that is displayed on the walls at Cupola is available for sale. Artists pay no commission but often choose to make donations to one of the charities that Cupola supports.
Although the shop seats just 15, Turgeon hopes it will be able to accommodate 25 after the expansion is complete. A portion of the adjoining space will be used for an office and a staff area.
Cupola operates with a staff of 10 employees, and it is a true family business. Turgeon’s son Will McKenna, works full time at the shop, and her husband goes there each morning before school to get the coffee and baked goods started. Son Aidan McKenna works at Cupola on his college breaks, and youngest son Michael Turgeon helps out after school.
Turgeon has no plans for further expansion and said she is focused on enjoying the business that she and her family have worked so hard to build.
“It’s been such a happy experience and so fulfilling. I can’t say enough about our customers. The people who come in are so happy that we are here, and we get told that all the time.”
Cupola is open Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. They are closed on Sunday.