Yellow Bird
Coffee House has new ownership, but patrons shouldn’t expect any major changes.
“The most important thing right now is to uphold the Yellow Bird standards; we want all the fans to know that there’s nothing to be afraid of,” said Nicole Watts, who purchased the business along with Barb Binkley as of April 30. Watts said that Binkely, who works as a nurse at Lanphier High School, will be a silent partner, while Watts will be involved with the business on a daily basis.
“I quit my job as a community health worker at SIU to do this full time,” said Watts, who also works nights and weekends as a hair stylist at Appearances Salon & Retreat. “I come from a family of bakers and business owners, so it’s just in my blood. I’ve been searching for (a business opportunity) since 2018.”
Watts said her
goal is to build on what the previous owners have already done. “We are fans ourselves,
so we don’t come in with ideas of wanting to change anything – maybe adding to
the menu, but not taking anything away,” Watts said.
Stephen “Mike”
Donaldson and his wife, Kelly, opened Yellow Bird in February 2023 after
renovating the historic property at 1001 N. First St. Located near the campus
of Springfield Memorial Hospital, the building previously housed Gastro Grub. In
addition to renovating the lower level for the business, the Donaldsons did
extensive work on the two upstairs apartments and rented them to traveling
nurses.
“Bringing an
old, historical building back to life was always a dream of ours,” said Mike
Donaldson. “It’s a wonderful business; the Enos Park area and all the friends
we’ve made have been incredible.”
However,
Donaldson said that the couple recently decided to relocate to be closer to
family. “Both of us left home when we were 18 years old, and now we have the
opportunity to move back to Kelly’s hometown,” he said. “We’ve purchased a big,
old Victorian home in Assumption.”
Watts said
her husband and Mike Donaldson have known each other for years. “It was God’s
timing, the perfect combination of them wanting to exit and me wanting something
of my own,” she said.
For now,
Watts is working with the staff “to figure out a schedule that works for
everybody’s life,” with the eventual goal of being open every Saturday and
adding a lunch menu in the future. Currently, Yellow Bird is open one Saturday
a month.
“We have an
amazing staff, and we’re learning from them,” said Watts. “We’re so excited for
the future and what’s to come.”
