For many, it was the great espresso that lured them to Beecher's Gelato & Gourmet Coffee. For some, it was the smooth gelatos.

Still, for others, it was the specialty drinks, birthday cakes and a burgeoning upstairs music scene.

The popular hangout, known for its delicious coffees and gelatos, was gutted in a fire Saturday morning.

Now, residents of Zelienople are wondering where they will have to go to get a good cup of java and their favorite raspberry gelato.

"It was a modern day diner," said Kathi Burgess of Zelienople. "We would go there and get coffee, but the gelatos were great. They always had different flavors. The raspberry ones were my favorite."

"It was a great place," said Mark Tallon of Fombell. "They had wonderful coffee, but I enjoyed the milkshakes."

No one was injured in the early morning blaze that destroyed Beecher's and the vacant AAA Travel Agency building, and caused smoke and water damage to the Hamilton law offices next door.

State police in Butler County are investigating the incident.

An officer was patrolling the area just after 3 a.m. when he noticed smoke coming from the empty AAA Travel Agency building at South Main and Spring streets. The officer followed the smoke upstairs to the second floor, where he found the fire, which quickly spread to the coffee shop.

"As of now, they are still investigating," said David Brauer, owner of the coffee shop. "We still don't know what caused the fire."

Mr. Brauer said his family did a lot to renovate the building, which formerly housed an antiques store owned by his mother, Candy.

To area residents, it was more than just a coffee and gourmet shop. It was also a meeting place for knitting and Bible study groups, and a place for teens to hang out and listen and perform live music.

"My youngest son played there and sometimes they booked traveling acts upstairs," said Bryan Fisher, owner of nearby Fisher's Bar. "They had a really nice loft upstairs and served eclectic coffee and desserts. They really transformed that building into a nice space."

"My nephew had a CD release party there," said Ed Wagner of Zelienople. "They had their own sound system and it was a really nice atmosphere, with nice tables and the menu was great. For the younger kids, it was great place to hang out and listen to live music without any alcohol."

Beecher's opened in July 2003.

After the fire, Mr. Brauer said he was able to retrieve some checks and photographs from the building.

"We put a lot of sweat into this building," he continued. "We're going to continue business. Today, we're going to try and enjoy Mother's Day."