Southington Outsider 2027 Wall Calendar Photo Contest

The Southington Outsider invites all local photographers to submit photos for our 2027 wall calendar.

Copies of the calendar will be distributed to select local establishments and given as a thank you gift to anyone who donates more than $125 to our site during the final months of the year.

Basic guidelines

Photos that are submitted should be of Southington persons, places, or things.

Images must be the property of the person who submits them; photographers will retain the copyright to their images but grant the Outsider permission to print and publish them.

The photographer must have the consent of the subjects of individual or small-group portraits to be photographed.

Photos may be lightly retouched. AI-generated content will not be considered.

Submission

Please submit anywhere from 1 to 4 pictures to editor@southingtonoutsider.org.

If attachments do not fit in an email, feel free to send a link to a Google drive.

Files should be high resolution, 300 ppi or higher.

The deadline for receipt is October 10.

Judging

The Southington Outsider’s Board of Directors will be responsible for choosing the 12 winning photographs (one for each month).

Printing and Distribution

The winning photographers will have their name printed on the calendar near their photograph or photographs, plus the name of any business or social media account they are associated with.

They will also receive a complimentary copy of the calendar.

Please write to Phil at editor@southingtonoutsider.org for any questions.

New England Coffee Guy Brings Fresh, Local Taste to Southington

Jason Ostrout at New England Coffee Guy café, September 18. AVERY MARTIN PHOTOS

Jason Ostrout is the New England Coffee Guy – or at least, that is his professional title these days.

Ostrout recently moved his first permanent coffee shop, New England Coffee Guy, from West Hartford to Southington. The location in Factory Square at 168 Center Street soft-launched last week and will have a grand opening on October 26.

It is a café-version of Ostrout’s coffee cart business, which can be hired to serve coffee at events such as weddings, and is the newest addition to Factory Square, filling a void left by the closure of Perkatory Coffee Roasters at this location.

“It is an opportunity for me to come and open my own space. I use this space as my base of operations for my mobile business, so I can do public events and private events. We do a lot of cold brew prep and all of the syrups in-house, and it allows us to have a safe place to prepare that stuff,” said Ostrout.

The cart, which goes by the same name as the café, began operating in 2022. Ostrout spent two decades in the insurance business before that, and initially began his coffee company as a hobby. But after the cart gained popularity, he soon found his true calling was, as the name implies, being the “New England Coffee Guy”.

Now, four years later, Ostrout prides himself on providing fresh coffee with unique flavors for visitors. All the syrups are made on location, and Ostrout partners with local businesses to bring seasonal flavors to the table.

“I know a lot of places do make their own syrups, but what we try to target is supporting the local businesses and the local farms. So we're ordering local honey and local maple syrup. I'm hoping to work with Rogers Orchards on fruit. As much as I can get plums, I'm getting plums from Rogers,” said Ostrout. “Just whatever's in season; pears would be a great addition to coffee. So, really, working closely with those organizations.”

A vanilla plum latte made at the café.

That local approach extends to the actual coffee itself. Ostrout has created a custom blend, and it is roasted locally. He often revisits blends with staff, so that new ideas are always being explored.

“I love doing collaborations with local regional roasters. I have my own blend, but when we travel around the region, we get beans from other roasters and feature them on a pour-over,” said Ostrout. “We're really elevating the experience of supporting local businesses.”

Supporting the community goes beyond finding the best produce. New England Coffee Guy aims to be a part of the Southington culture, said Ostrout. Work by local artists will soon grace the walls, and local musicians may also stop by to perform for customers.

Southington High School athletes may even find special promotions in the shop.

“We'll be doing some local community things where, if Southington has a game on a Saturday, if they wear their Southington High School stuff, they can get a discount on a coffee. We want to bring the community together that way and show the pride of Southington,” said Ostrout.

Just as important as the product itself is the environment it is served in. Ostrout and members of his staff are passionate about music, and that can be seen throughout the café. A guitar leans against a vinyl record player, and customers are welcome to play their own records or create their own music in the space.

“I wanted to bring that same feel of my personality and my brand. We have vinyl, and we have a tape player and we have a CD player. Really, I want to center it around music and audio here,” said Ostrout.

The environment is more welcoming and warm than the old factory’s exterior may initially suggest. New England Coffee Guy is a space for customers to relax, said Ostrout, and enjoy their fresh and local coffee in a cozy and home-like place.

“We serve coffee in ceramic and glass mugs for people that want to sit in the space and hang out and stay as long as they want. We have Wi-Fi,” said Ostrout. “We want you to experience the place. I want people to put their feet up on a table.”

The café entrance is off the first-floor public area in Factory Square.

Nature Photo of the Week: Butterfly on Asters

Butterfly on asters. ASHLEY CUMBERLEDGE PHOTO

This photo was taken by local wildlife photographer Ashley Cumberledge, who writes: "Southington’s Pollinator Pathway is one of my go-to spots. Just outside of the main section, the colors from the flowers and graffiti gave such a cool effect to the background behind the butterfly."

For more photography by Cumberledge, see her Instagram account here.