Kathy Danielson
In 1914 the Lyric Theatre, on James Street, was a delightful spot for entertainment in Clayton, New York. In 2006 it will become a special gathering place once again - with a new life, a retro facade, and a hostess whose name is synonymous with hospitality in the 1000 Islands.
The all-new Lyric Coffee House not only builds on that foundation of happy times in this village but, is destined to enhance the changing face of Clayton as Kathy Danielson sets her sights on creating the finest of coffee shops.
One of Ms. Danielson fondest memories is that of the Hungarian coffee houses of her birth. And even setting the table at her grandmother’s B & B. - all of these helped shape Kathy’s future in hospitality.
She and her mother immigrated to Canada after the Hungarian Revolution in 1956. In the late 80’s she beautifully re-created a grand Italianate building in Gananoque into the Glenwood Manor Inn. This established her as a person, with grace and flair, who settled for excellence in everything she set her hand to.
When Kathy married Dudley Danielson in 1992, it was just a matter of time before her visionary influence would be seen in the North Country of Northern New York; for, in bringing new life to the Hart House Inn on Wellesley Island, she established an international reputation for the finest of hospitality. A number of famous persons stayed at that Inn including Senator Hillary Rodman Clinton.
Last fall, after 12 productive years on Wellesley Island, the Danielsons sold Hart House Inn and returned to Clayton. It was barely a matter of days before Kathy spotted the “For Sale” Le Brandywine Shoppe on James Street and learned of its rich theatrical history. It would become one more dream-realized. “The coffee shops of Europe are in my fondest memories,” Kathy says, “not only for the delicious desserts and the rich espressos but, as ‘the’ neighborhood gathering place.
“A coffee shop, in the finest sense, is for intimate conversations, fellowship, all of the joys of relationships, which I fear are so lacking in our self-centered information age. People don’t even want to pick up the phone or write a thank you note. It’s all email and text messaging. Already folks want to use my coffee shop for small meetings. The need is there.”
One of Ms. Danielson fondest memories is that of the Hungarian coffee houses of her birth. And even setting the table at her grandmother's B & B. - all of these helped shape Kathy's future in hospitality.