Plum woman returns to Arnold roots, turns ice cream stand into new cafe

April Barnes dreamed of owning her own eatery since she was 16, working her first job at a King’s restaurant in Plum.

“I worked there and I loved it,” said Barnes, 38. “I loved the hustle and bustle and the running. I missed all the moving around and high-pressure service.”

Later in life, she found herself out of that environment, working in offices. She was taking menus from cool cafes she visited and imagining having one of her own.

“It wasn’t something I thought would actually come to fruition,” she said.

That changed when Barnes came across a former walk-up ice cream stand for sale in Arnold, which she turned into her own coffee shop and eatery, Novo Cafe.

“I feel like it’s exactly what I want,” she said. “I couldn’t have asked for anything more than this.”

The building at 1729 Freeport Road in Arnold was built as a Dairy Queen. Later, it was home to Ice Cream Heaven and Della’s Frozen Custard.

Briefly, it was transformed into Wanda’s Dogs — a fictional hot dog shop appearing in “Sprung,” a single-season Amazon show filmed in 2021 throughout the Pittsburgh area.

Barnes plans to have a soft opening with a limited menu Nov. 1.

Leading up to that, she will be offering free drip coffee and cold brew from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 22-24 and Oct. 29-31. She also will offer specials on gift cards.

People will be able to eat inside, where there is seating for about 20, or use the drive-thru at the back of the building.

The menu, which will change from time to time, will have drinks including coffee, lattes, teas and energy drinks. There also will be soups, salads, sandwiches and other grab-and-go items for breakfast and lunch.

With a focus on nutrition and wellness, Barnes said most everything will be made in-house from scratch. There will be sugar-free, gluten-free and keto options.

“We’ll have something for everyone,” she said.

Not part of a chain or franchise, Barnes said she chose the name “Novo” because its Latin meaning includes to revive, awaken and renew — representing the revitalization in the area and in herself.

An Arnold native, Barnes graduated from Plum High School in 2004. She lives in Plum and has two sons, Logan, 14, and Dakota, 18.

“I grew up here. It was definitely close to my heart,” she said. “I love all the buzz that’s happening in New Kensington and Arnold. It feels like you’re almost in the ground floor of something. Everybody’s been supportive. It feels exciting to be a part of it.”

Mayor Shannon Santucci is happy to see a new business come into the city.

“I think it’s great. I wanted to buy that building years ago to do the same thing. It’s awesome that she’s doing it,” she said. “I hope she thrives there. It’s always exciting to see someone new come in and do well. I hope the community responds to her and makes it work out for her.”

Barnes and her husband, Patrick, bought the building in April 2023. Part of what made buying it work was that Patrick is a self-employed contractor who did much of the work.

That included removing the walk-up windows, adding a front door and creating a place for customers inside where previously only employees would be.

“It looked like a basement when we came here,” Barnes said. “No customers came inside.”

Now, light pours in through the front windows, but there is never any direct sunlight, negating the need for curtains or blinds. For the decor, Barnes said she was going for an eclectic look that’s comfortable, fun and cheery — she found the turquoise walls and a purple couch work better together than she expected.

“I want this to be a very encouraging, uplifting culture,” she said.

There’s a variety of games on the tables, which Barnes hopes will encourage people to spend time with kids and others. She is hoping to have regulars — and people who just hang out.

Barnes said she may extend her hours and is open to events such as baby showers, meetings and gatherings in the evenings and on weekends. There also will be consignment sales of art and jewelry.

“We want this to be a community space,” she said.