Meet Diane and Steve Herman, New Owners of Kittie's Highline
In case you missed the news, Highline Coffee in Old Worthington gained new owners as of the beginning of 2023!
Steve and Diane Herman got their start in the central Ohio restaurant world in May of 2022 when they purchased the German Village and Bexley locations of Kittie’s Cakes, and at the end of the year when Highline Coffee came up for sale, they decided to add it as a third shop. Currently going as Kittie’s Highline, the shop will eventually transition as a full Kittie’s Cakes shop. For now they’ve continued Highline’s stellar streak of serving great coffee while adding a full line of sweet and savory pastries and breakfast sandwiches.
“As long I’ve known Steve he’s wanted to own a small town ice cream shop,” Diane says. “We’ve always loved those places. Steve was in corporate with Bath & Body Works, my background was physical therapy. We have four kids; our youngest is in college. When Steve left the corporate world, we decided it’s time for this dream we’ve talked about. We looked at Whit’s and talked to a few owners. Then we started talking about working the drive-through at 9 at night. We like to go out to eat, see some friends, go to bed.” So owning a shop like that was out of the picture, she adds.
“Our ultimate goal is a place in the community where you can bring your kids and get a cinnamon roll on a Sunday, where moms and their friends are going to meet, where you know your baristas,” Diane says. “That’s what brought us to coffee shop – and that’s when Kittie’s came for sale.”
“The neighborhood concept is what we’re looking for,” Steve adds. “We love downtown neighborhoods. That’s what we loved about Worthington, the community, the farmers market, the downtown. We immediately jumped in to buy Highline. Christie was great, the team was great.”
“We’ve learned a lot,” he continues. “One of things we tried to learn is don’t make a lot of changes, stay as curious as you can for as long as you can. Which is why we haven’t made a lot of changes yet. Diane and the bakers at the original location have gone green, started using local coffee, making all-natural, homemade syrups. We’re slowly incorporating things that we think would be great for Worthington.”
Both Steve and Diane can frequently be seen at Kittie’s in Worthington, chatting with customers and helping serving coffee and pastries. They’re eager to get involved with the community, and they’ve already been busy during farmers markets while also participating in neighborhood events like the monthly Sunday Fundays.
“The whole community has been so welcoming,” Steve says. “Business owners have stopped by, City Council members, the Worthington Partnership. The farmers market has been great; it’s been extremely busy. We love the downtown aspect, talking to customers, giving back to the community.”
In addition to free wifi, coffee, and snacks, Kittie’s in Worthington continues showcasing the work of local artists in the Kittie’s Art Space, curated by local artist Rebecca Burdock.
Kittie’s Highline is open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.