Creative connections

It was a bustling summer morning when I met with Jessica and Mike Fritz at their beautiful café, The Gallery Coffee House & Bistro. I often meet people there for these profiles, so it was lovely to finally chat with the people who make it all possible.

Originally from Germany, Jessica and Mike first lived in Toronto when they moved to Canada. After a while of big city life, they wanted to move somewhere smaller where they could have a house with space outside so they could get canine companions. They are such dog lovers that there are always dog treats and water outside The Gallery and the patio is dog friendly. 

Passionate about food, Mike and Jessica were both originally drawn to PEI because they saw that we were Canada’s Food Island. “We came to visit the Island and took a week to explore all over. We loved it and within eight months, we made the move.”

Their first foray into the business world was with Maritime Marzipan. “As Germans, we grew up with the delicious almond confectionary and it seemed like a good fit for us to make it here.” During the Christmas season in Germany, it is common for people to make marzipan potatoes, so Jessica and Mike also had fun merging their German culture with our Island’s love of potatoes. 

“We had a small shop at St. Peters Bay in 2018 where we sold the marzipan, and people would often ask for other confectionaries which eventually led to the creation of Fritz Chocolates.” Mike had already been learning how to temper chocolate, and they sourced fine Belgian chocolate for some of their marzipan goodies. 

Jessica has always been a lover of poetry and the written word so she “had so much fun coming up with the punny names of our chocolate bars.” Jessica’s wordsmithing can also be seen in the tag lines for their various shops and even in captions on social media. 

As Fritz Chocolates became more popular, people would ask for coffee to go along with their sweet treats. “We first put a small coffee station in the chocolate shop and then as soon as more space became available at the landing, we opened Black and White Café.”

Due to the seasonal nature of their businesses in St. Peters, Jessica and Mike started considering what might be possible for them in Charlottetown so they could both be in the business full time, year-round. “Mike was walking downtown in autumn 2020 and saw that this beautiful space was available. It had been an art gallery for a long time but due to the pandemic, the owner decided not to reopen.”

The Gallery Coffee House & Bistro officially opened in Spring 2021 and has become a staple in the creative community in Charlottetown, boasting local artists on the walls and hosting many creative events throughout the year. They partner with the PEI Writers’ Guild to host a monthly open mic where Jessica has ritualistically become the first reader every month. “It is a dream come true to be able to have this space to support and share with local writers.”

The powerful couple are deeply committed to community connections and the arts. Whether it’s a book launch, a public talk, or an art exhibition, Jessica and Mike welcome artists into their space with open arms. “We love to see both established and emerging artists share their work here.” There is a waitlist for the quarterly rotation of visual art and Jessica always has her eyes open to find more artists to showcase at The Gallery. 

An artist in her own right, Jessica explores a variety of materials and methods to relax and catch her breath as a busy business owner. “I used to think that if I couldn’t take a full week off for vacation that I couldn’t rest. Now I find peaceful moments daily to pay attention to the world around me.” Mike’s creativity is evidenced in his handy works. He can take an idea from conception to completion and has built many of the physical parts of their business. The counter at The Gallery and the new patio at Black & White Café are among those hand works. 

If you’ve ever visited one of their shops, you will know that Mike and Jessica are big fans of upcycling and using thrifted and found objects in their space. “I found these old doors on the side of the road, and they have become the signature black and white doors at the café.” 

“Relationships are key in business and in life and we are so grateful for all the connections we’ve made here. We are blown away with the support from our customers and we couldn’t do what we do with them.”