The Family Video at the intersection of Graham and Fishcreek has stood by itself for a substantial amount of time. Now, the building prepares to share its space with a brand new and independently owned coffee shop.

The Corner Cup Coffee House is the culmination of many years of big dreams and a couple of years of hard work.

The Corner Cup’s owner, Heather Ciranna, is an alumni of the high school. It was here, she said, that her first plans for a local coffee shop first began when she was fourteen-years-old. She says her personal relationship with her teachers and activities greatly affected who she is.

“My dad was an American History teacher at the high school. His name was Bill Blank. [My dad always being there] was one of my biggest memories, and I love that. I was in the marching band; I am a band geek to the core. I played the flute and the piccolo starting in the fourth grade and loved what I learned. I was also in the show choir, The Notables, as well as two musicals. [In short], I always loved the arts,” Ciranna said.

After high school, Ciranna attended Cleveland State University and obtained a degree in Business. She worked several jobs before deciding to become a small business owner, but the climax leading up to that started far before college.

“I always had this idea for this ‘funky little coffee house’ that had it’s own vibe and was a place where people could just come by and hang out, so it has always been something in the back of my mind that I thought I would do when I retired. I started this journey to make my shop a reality about two and a half years ago, now, and I [have not] looked back since,” Ciranna said.

Ciranna owes the inspiration of her “entrepreneurial spirit,” as she calls it, to the small business she worked for in high school.

“Every stage of life has an influence, not just a single mentor. When I ‘got the bug’ [to actually start up The Corner Cup Coffee House, it was when I was working for Lexi-Comp in Hudson. Their owner, Bob Kerscher, was such a passionate entrepreneur. He was passionate about making sure to ‘work to live’ and not ‘live to work’ and loving what you do. It gave me the power to do what I do,” Ciranna said.

Ciranna also has hopes for other small business owners and for those who aspire to be entrepreneurs.

“Believe in yourself, because that is the first ingredient for believing what you do. Also, you [do not know] what you [do not know]. Figure out what it is you need to know, and surround yourself with people who can help you. Ask questions and then listen to the answers. You have to have a mindset and the willingness to learn, including when people tell you ‘that is a hair-brained idea and you need to correct that.’ [Albeit], when you get it right, the response and support you get is overwhelming,” Ciranna said.

Ciranna professes that the main reason she is bringing The Corner Cup Coffee House to life is so that she can give back to the community. Besides offering itself as a cozy community gathering spot with a wide array of beverages, The Corner Cup will also be selling baked goods from other local shop owners around Northeast Ohio. Any money given to small businesses will eventually find itself circulated back into the city. There are also plans to showcase local artists and singers by means of art shows and live music performances.

Support small businesses. Keep up to date on what’s going on at The Corner Cup Coffeehouse. Check out the website, http://www.cornercupstow.com, and social media outlets, facebook.com/cornercupstow and @cornercupstow, to get great insight on store developments and menu updates.