There are times when a Munch seeks shelter. Time, space and peace of mind to work out the kinks that this life brings. To lament lost love. To search the soul. To tap the existential. And to ponder the big questions that only Steven Wright would dare ask, like what's another word for thesaurus? Or, if you had everything, where would you put it? And, if you shoot at mimes, should you use a silencer?

During such moments of personal crisis and exploration, Munch heads for sanctuary in Aliquippa, and salvation in the form of a kielbasa sandwich.

Munch acknowledges that this may be the first time in written history that the word sanctuary has been used to describe the old Beaver County mill town, and likewise the same that a pork product has been said to grant deliverance.

But nonbelievers need to heed the call to Franklin Avenue, where amid the shades of drab browns and despairing grays that seem to dominate the streetscape, a beacon of bright orange, green and purple draws the eye to the building at 380 Franklin Ave. -- Uncommon Grounds Cafe.

Bright waves of blue, orange, red, yellow and purple stripe the walls, along with paintings made by patrons. In the courtyard garden outside, a mural of Franklin Avenue with a swirling sky influenced by Van Gogh's famous "Starry Night" is painted but instead depicts the night fading into dawn with a sunrise on the horizon.

It's fair to speculate that if Uncommon Grounds were in the South Side, Bloomfield, Lawrenceville or another trendier zip code, it would have to beat back customers. But its location has as much to do with its identity as anything.

During more prosperous times, the structure was Staman's Dress Shop, but most recently it was a seedy strip bar. Abandoned since 1996, the building looked post-apocalyptic before Australian missionary John Stanley and his family, along with the help of a North Side nonprofit called Church Army USA, purchased the building for $1,000 in 2001 to build a coffee shop that would serve decent, inexpensive meals and great coffee, but also act as a community refuge in a downtrodden patch of Aliquippa.

The building has been meticulously restored with an revamped open kitchen as the focal point. Uncommon Grounds serves coffee, fresh-made sandwiches and inexpensive breakfasts. But the cafe's true purpose is to serve what Stanley described as a "listening space." Visitors are encouraged to draw, write, paint, play board games and play music on stage. They have open mic and various activity nights some evenings and offer a variety of social services to those in need, not to mention some decent chow. Stanley and Church Army hope to replicate Uncommon Grounds in other needy communities and are in need of volunteers for the Aliquippa shop.

During one of Munch's lunchtime visits, bluesy gospel tunes played while the smoky smell of kielbasa filled the air. A man sat at a table and tinkered with an old bass guitar while others read and chatted.

Munch soaked in the solace while snacking on one of the huge panini sandwiches Uncommon Grounds offers ($3 for a half; $5 for a whole). Munch's favorite is the Mancini -- a delectable mixture of grilled kielbasa, baby spinach, roasted red peppers, onions and mustard on a pillow-sized loaf of crusty, toasted bread. Munch's second-place selection is the Fresh, a panini comprising fresh roasted vegetables including sweet potatoes, peppers, eggplant, onions and choice of cheese.

Some other offerings include the Classic, made with turkey, cheese, baby spinach, tomato and mayonnaise; and the Bobbie, made of grilled chicken, avocado, baby spinach, cheese and ranch dressing; and the Aloha -- ham, cheese and, of course, pineapple.

You can get a milkshake ($2) or a smoothie ($3) for dessert, or even fresh-made pastries and pies, but it's a coffee shop, so Munch indulged in an after-lunch pick me up of some fresh ground made-to-order jittery java. Cappuccino, macchiato and lattes are available for $1.50. Stanley is in the process of purchasing a roaster and will soon roast his own coffee on site. Munch appreciated the cappuccino's caffeine surge and lapped up the frothy milk like an alley cat.

Coffee, paninis and peace of mind. A nice lunchtime combo. Sated, Munch was left to get back to being ponderous, man. Really ponderous.

Uncommon Grounds is at 380 Franklin Ave., Aliquippa. Hours: 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Wednesdays, 7 a.m.-midnight Thursdays-Fridays, closed Saturdays-Sundays. Call 724-375-6141 or log on to www.uncommon groundscafe.org.