Katerbean Closes Saturday, 61C Cafe Will Open New Shop in Space

Katerbean, the popular shop on the Swissvale side of South Braddock Avenue, will be brewing its last coffee on Saturday.

But keep your eyes on the shop for the next few months. Come Monday, the owners of the 61C Cafe on Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill will take over the space.

"It's going to be pretty exciting," said Jackie Grice, Katerbean's manager, who will be moving on when the shop closes.

Keith Kaboly, 61C Cafe's manager, said his aunt and uncle, Kate Knorr and Gary Kaboly, who own the Murray Avenue shop, took the opportunity to purchase Katerbean when they heard it was on the market. They had been considering a shop in Regent Square

"We've been looking forward to it for awhile now," Kaboly said. "It's a nice neighborhood."

The first change is the name. The 61C Cafe is named for the Port Authority's Homestead-McKeesport bus route that runs by the Squirrel Hill shop.

So fittingly, the new shop will take on the name "61B Cafe," since the 61B Braddock-Swissvale bus route runs along South Braddock Avenue, said Keith Kaboly, 61C's manager.

Kaboly said the shop will be closed for a few months while remodeling takes place.

"We want to do some significant changes inside," he said.

Aside from some new equipment, Kaboly said a new front door/opening is being considered patrons can enter directly from the street instead of having to go through the hallway, as they've done at Katerbean. He said no style has been definitely chosen but that the front will definitely see some changes.

There will also be some more selection than Katerbean offered, such as the smoothies, 50 varieties of teas and made-from-scratch muffins, cookies, scones and pastries. Kaboly said the shop might also serve some sandwiches.

"It all depends on the space," he said.

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