While dining at Thai House Co. & Sushi, you might notice, to the right of the bar, what appears to be an espresso counter with different décor and a “We Love Coffee” sign on the wall behind it. And you might wonder: is THC a coffee shop, too? Yes and no; during the day, the Sananikones rent out their space to Keith Gabel and Heather Short of Coffee Connections (rfvcoffeeconnections.com). The owners figured that since THC doesn’t open until the evening (and since Gabel and Short were in need of a space), why not serve as a jumping-off point for another set of locals?

Another indicator of how ingrained in the community THC has become: There’s a small blurb toward the bottom of the nightly menu that reads, “If you know anyone struggling, please let them know that we provide free meals to anyone and any families in need, no questions asked.” At press time, Arik had acquired a storefront four doors down and was converting it into a community event and gathering space called Milk & Honey.