Common Ground – A delight for the senses

Photo: Jackie Rybeck

FAMILY SHARE – Michelle Bourget, owner of Common Ground in Hebron, shares ice cream with her three daughters, Katey, Lilly and Sophie. Common Ground is located next to Hebron Academy and offers coffee, breakfasts, baked goods, lunches and ice cream, to name a few.

HEBRON – If you travel Route 119 through Hebron Academy and you are in need of a cup of coffee, a muffin or a homemade sandwich … you are in luck.

Owner, Michelle Bourget, will even greet you with a smile and a cup of Joe that will welcome and waken you from even the worst of morning moods.

Bourget named it Common Ground, and there is a meaning behind the name.

“When we moved here, we noticed a sense of two Hebrons,” she explained. “First, there is the town of Hebron and then there is Hebron Academy. There was really no place that both communities would come together.”

So, Bourget decided to provide a gathering place where residents, students and passersby could stop in, meet up and get together for a great cup of coffee, a meal or an ice cream cone.

“People are so very happy to discover us,” she added. “They are grateful for the coffee break on their commute between South Paris and Auburn.”  

The owner says that one difficulty has been in the actual discovery of Common Ground as it is nestled at the intersection next to the academy.

“I tell people, that if the flags are flying, the coffee's brewing,” she laughed. “We've got plenty of flags waving and saying: 'Hey, we're open! We have coffee and ice cream. Come on in and check this place out.'"  

Bourget says there is more to the Common Ground than just a coffee shop.

“Currently, we open at 6 a.m. weekdays so the early morning commuters can pop in for a cup of coffee, and maybe a breakfast sandwich or a fresh-baked muffin.  We offer farm-fresh eggs for all our breakfast sandwiches, and people stopping in for the first time are often surprised at the high quality and relatively low prices of our products.”  

Though limited, the menu offers a good daily variety, including cold and hot sandwiches, made to order.

“Among our most requested and popular items are our daily hot lunch offerings,” she smiled. “For example, we have homemade chili every Tuesday, which is a favorite with the maintenance crew at Hebron Academy.  Other hot lunches include lasagna, pot roast, hearty chicken soup, chop suey, baked beans and a clam chowder.”

Friends and neighbors encouraged Bourget to include ice cream on the menu.

“This past summer, we opened up with Shain’s of Maine ice cream products,” said the owner. “Initially we struggled with hours of operation, as our kids were active in softball and baseball, but people have been very understanding as we figure out the hours that work best.”

In October, Bourget had the good fortune of joining forces with her good friend, Ashlie Baker, who volunteered her early mornings to open the shop.  

“She puts the coffee on and bakes up all the muffins from scratch while I'm getting my kids on the bus. She's got experience in the food service industry and brings Common Grounds to a new level with her working knowledge in the kitchen.”

Now that winter has set in, Bourget is seeing a lot of flavored lattes and fresh-brewed coffee being ordered with a cupcake or slice of pie.  

“We use Black Bear Micro Roastery coffee beans, which are roasted in small batches in New Hampshire,” she said. “It's a high-quality coffee with an amazing flavor and they ship direct to us the day after the beans are roasted. Our espresso beans also come from Black Bear and we use those to make our lattes and cappuccinos; beverages which the students at Hebron Academy particularly enjoy.” 

Students at the academy have especially liked the new Common Ground, as parents can now set up a prepaid account for their child.

“Another service we offer, which is particularly handy for boarding students, is our Uncommonly Good Gift Box service.  Friends and family can order a CARE package for a special occasion, such as a birthday or Valentine's Day, and we put together a box of baked goods, party favors, games, and so on, according to theme.

“Students also have ordered birthday cakes for their friends,” she added. “One girl even decorated the cakes herself, for a personal touch.”

The key ingredient to Common Ground is fun and laughter.

“We don't take ourselves too seriously, and have thoroughly enjoyed the experience so far,” smiled Michelle. “We strive to bring a smile to the faces of people that stop in, whether it's because the food was great, the service was friendly or because the whole experience was unexpected and enjoyable.”