One of Ellenville’s premiere destinations may soon be in new hands, as Center Street coffee shop Morning Sunshine hits the market.

In the fall of 2021, a series of weekend pop-up gatherings – in essence free-form parties with coffee and breakfast pastries – took place in Reservoir Studio off Canal Street. These events were named “Morning Sunshine,” and they announced the arrival in Ellenville of a new business. Artists, musicians, sundry creatives were a strong component, including many transplants from Brooklyn, driven to find respite in the country during the COVID pandemic. Also present were longstanding residents who were just happy to see the new activity.

Behind it all were a couple from the city, Victoria Messner and Natalia Moena, who had a dream. Bit by bit, they moved to make a permanent home for Morning Sunshine as a provisions shop on Center Street, in a vacant fixer-upper that had housed a number of businesses over the years, most recently an overhead doors firm.

In 2023, Morning Sunshine opened its doors on Center Street, bringing great coffee and breakfast meals to the eastern end of Ellenville. The interior was stunning, especially to anyone who remembered the overhead doors days!

Now the business is for sale to the right buyer. Morning Sunshine will continue, Messner was emphatic about that, but both she and Moena need to spend more time with their one-year-old daughter and also on creative projects, including bring back Reservoir Studio (the concept, not the space). Messner, meanwhile, has her hands full as she’s become a village trustee and is also on the county planning board.

The listing is with the Upstate Curious Team at Compass Realty in Accord. Katy Porte (katy@upstatecurious.com) is point person.

"We are really honored to be representing such an important sale,” Porte said. “As individuals and as a team, we love Morning Sunshine and the current owners, and we know how important it is to Ellenville. "

The listed price is $269,000. For the next owners, the groundwork has been laid to step into a well-loved and well-run business with a strong foundation, an established customer base, and plenty of room to grow.

Beyond the immaculate physical space, the site has good parking, and a garden area. Longterm employees are ready to stay on and so are the regular customers.

The real estate people have noticed that Ellenville has a gorgeous backdrop of the Shawangunk Ridge and is a village on the way up with new businesses moving in. From Morning Sunshine it’s a skip and a hop to the base of the ridge and trails up to Minnewaska for the fit and vigorous or alone the O&W Rail Trail for the family outing.