New Onset cafe focuses on customer satisfaction
Where can you go to get a Philly cheesesteak, homemade fudge, and sunscreen? It’s not a trick question. Owners of the newly-opened Lighthouse Kafe on Onset Avenue say they're all about giving customers what they want.
“It’s a beach spot! We offer anything someone might need,” explained owner Greg Bourassa. “Toilet paper, bandaids, hand sanitizer, batteries... pretty much everything.”
But the focus, of course, is on the food. The beachside eatery, located directly across the street from the Onset Pier, offers regional favorites such as Del’s Lemonade, New England Coffee, and Ma’s Donuts. But it serves up homemade treats, too. On the menu you can find everything from coffee and pastries to burgers and hot dogs - cooked up daily on the cafe's outdoor grill.
The Lighthouse Kafe is family run, managed by Greg and his brother Chris. Their sister Valerie prepares the shop’s homemade fudge and jams, and their parents Roland and Janice are often spotted helping customers.
The family has been running restaurants and convenience stores in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts for more than a decade. The Lighthouse Kafe is the family’s first "coffee" shop, but Chris said the business philosophy has stayed the same.
“If our customers want something, we bring it in,” Chris said. “They’re what matters.”
The cafe opened it’s doors three weeks ago but already has its regulars.
“I come in every morning," exclaimed Onset resident Paula Foster-Baker. "It starts off my day!”
The Bourassas say they are expanding their menu in coming weeks and plan to expand the business in the future. Greg and Chris are the owners of Lighthouse Venture Group LLC. Both said they are looking to bring more businesses to Onset.
“We love Onset. There is so much potential here,” Greg noted. “I had never heard of [Onset] before we opened and now me and my wife plan to move here. The people are what make this community.”
In addition to the eats and the toiletries, the shop offers free wireless internet. The Lighthouse Kafe is located at 197 Onset Avenue and is open between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily. Greg said the the shop will stay open to 11 p.m. when there are evening events in Onset.