Waynesburg sandwich shop highlights Greene’s athletes
Matt Tedrow is now running Coach’s Cafe at 78 W. High St. in Waynesburg.
Matt Tedrow’s new sandwich shop in Waynesburg is adorned with jerseys and photos of Greene County athletes, including West Greene’s state champion softball team.
WAYNESBURG – After helping others grow their small businesses, Matt Tedrow said it was time for him to start his own.
Tedrow is now running Coach’s Cafe at 78 W. High St., a new sandwich shop that opened in September and is adorned with jerseys and photos of Greene County athletes, including West Greene’s state champion softball team.
Tedrow said several people are still stopping in and dropping off memorabilia to decorate his restaurant, and players have been signing some of the photos on the walls.
The coaching theme makes sense since Tedrow has been doing it for about 16 years. A West Greene native, he started with Little League and summer league baseball, and recently began coaching fast pitch softball at Waynesburg Central. He coached some of the players on the now-state champion West Greene softball team when he was at the district a few years ago, so watching them grow and win was especially meaningful.
Tedrow bought the business in July and it has been open about a month. The property was available at the right time, with a great location in downtown, he said. Previously called Carlisle’s Coffee and Sandwiches, Tedrow said the former owners decided to consolidate some of their businesses into a central location at Carlisle’s Pioneer Grocery in Rogersville.
Business has been steady, picking up each day. Tedrow took the time to greet each customer who walked in on a recent Wednesday afternoon right after the lunchtime rush. They each greeted him by his first name in turn. That’s the way he likes it, a place with a friendly atmosphere and good food.
Most of his customers are county employees, but Tedrow said he’s starting to tap into the college students, who are just starting to trickle in.
He’s worked with other companies in the past, but this is the first time trying to start a business of his own. Tedrow said the biggest challenge so far has been learning which days are the busiest. They had a soft opening in late September and are still planning their grand opening.
On that first day, Tedrow said they were flooded with customers. That was both reassuring and a little overwhelming. Lunch rush lasted from 10:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Their popular offerings include an Italian hoagie and an Italian grilled cheese, the latter Tedrow said comes from his alma mater, Slippery Rock University.
“Those are fairly popular because you can’t really get them anywhere else here,” Tedrow said.
Their menu includes sandwiches, salads, soups, side dishes and drinks, as well as breakfast and coffee.
Coach’s Cafe is open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Search Coach’s Cafe on Facebook for more information.