New café pays tribute to local veterans and their military families

Blue Star Café Bakery offers a warm and welcoming experience on the Mountain Grove Square. Operated by Tim Howard and Peter Formosa, Blue Star has become a gathering place for area residents to enjoy handcrafted meals, freshly baked goods, and live music.
When Howard visited Mountain Grove a few years ago, he knew he wanted to join the community. He wanted a place where locals could be comfortable and enjoy good food, gourmet coffee, made-from-scratch bakery goods, and the occasional live music or other entertainment. This desire resulted in the creation of Blue Star Café Bakery.
Peter Formosa, a long-time friend of Howard’s with restaurant experience, helped bring this vision to life.
The cafe’s name is a tribute to military families.
“We are very proud that the town square is dedicated to the veterans, and we want to complement that by honoring all of the Blue Star families of our nation,” Howard explained. The café always offers a 10% discount to active duty military and their immediate family members. 
The menu at Blue Star Café Bakery offers a variety of options.
“Our grilled Panini sandwiches and our breakfast and lunch Croissant sandwiches are very popular,” Formosa said. Their breads, croissants, pastries and desserts are crafted from scratch using local free-range eggs.
The café also offers seasonal specials. Starting in the autumn season and continuing throughout the winter, Blue Star will offer a daily ‘soup of the day’ and chili special.
“At Christmas time, we expect to have sing-alongs with hot chocolate and everyone’s favorite Christmas carols,” Howard said.
The café supports local agriculture, using locally grown seasonal produce and frequently purchasing from the Mountain Grove farmers’ market.
Friday nights at Blue Star Café Bakery are something special.
“We put in a piano and a small stage, and we’ve been welcoming our neighbors to come to share their talent on Friday nights,” Howard said.
The live music ranges from country tunes to the blues and even included a 14-year-old opera singer one evening. Performers like David Skyles, Charlie Nelson and local band, Porch Mud, have taken the stage.
Howard shared that as the cafe grows, they are always looking for new ways to serve the community.
“We are continually evolving the menu and will be offering a special menu for business lunch delivery service,” he said. Long-term, the goal is for Blue Star Café Bakery to become a staple in Mountain Grove.
“We would like to become an institution on the town square, a place to meet old friends and make new ones.”
Visit Blue Star Cafe Bakery at 107 E 2nd St. or order online at bluestarcafebakery.com.
From now through Thanksgiving, be sure to catch a free cup of coffee every morning from 7-8 a.m.  Follow Blue Star Cafe Bakery on Facebook for more updates on events and promotions.
To reach Blue Star Café Bakery by phone, call 417-232-0114.