Golden Goose Cafe opens in Library Center

A self-described nerd, Travis Whitney briefly considered riffing off a “Lord of the Rings” reference for his new cafe and bakery inside The Library Center. He quickly pivoted to Golden Goose Cafe, a nod to the Grimm fairly tale about kindness and doing the right thing.

“I like the story,” he said. “Hard work pays off over short-term gain.”

Whitney insisted on a literary name, a way of signaling that the cafe was an integrated part of the library experience.

“I wanted to make sure it felt like it belongs here, not just a business filling a role but catering to what the people here want or need,” he said.

The Golden Goose Cafe is inside The Library Center, the headquarters of the Springfield-Greene County Library District, at 4653 S. Campbell Ave. The space previously occupied by other businesses has been empty in recent years.

Whitney took note of the vacancy while at the library to vote in the 2024 presidential election. He had completed a degree in the culinary arts, including baking and pastry, at Ozarks Technical Community College and was exploring options.

Jessie Alexander, manager of The Library Center, said there were about 20 inquiries about using the vacant space but Whitney submitted one of the two bids.

He formed the business a year ago, and his bid to lease the space was accepted. The initial contract is for one year and $800 a month, in rent to the library. He has three employees but no business partners.

“I didn’t want to be beholden to other people’s whims or needs,” he said. “It’s not all about profit for me. I want to be a good businessman and a better person.”

Whitney said half of his $60,000 startup loan from the Small Business Administration was for equipment, and the rest is working capital. He is working with local artists, vendors and supplies to buy as many products as possible in the Springfield area.

“Everything is handmade here,” he said.

Despite an initial foray into cooking, mostly in fast food restaurants, Whitney became interested in the information technology field. He was unsatisfied but enjoyed cooking with friends so much he considered a career change.

“My job was to connect people, but I felt the least connected to people that I ever had in my life,” he said.

He enrolled at Ozarks Tech, worked at Wire Road Brewing Company LLC and worked in friends’ food trucks. He started dreaming about his first solo venture.

“I love the freedom to do whatever creativity comes to mind,” he said.

The cafe offers a range of coffee, tea and other beverages, sandwiches and a range of bakery items including croissants, muffins, scones, cookies, brownies, cinnamon rolls and parfaits. Currently, he is developing an Earl Grey scone.

Whitney said while the cafe is his sole focus for the foreseeable future, he wants to someday start a nonprofit to teach others to cook and bake. He is also interested in growing community gardens.

The cafe is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. It is open before the library, when the concourse and meeting rooms open.