Recovery Café Opens in Dover

The new Recovery Cafe in Dover will open to the public this Friday, following a brief opening last week where community members were able to tour the space.

Recovery cafes are communal spaces that are safe and free from drugs and alcohol. Once the Dover cafe opens, people will be able to visit as guests up to three times.

From there, visitors must become members to spend time at the cafe. That means they must agree to three rules: they come to the cafe drug- and alcohol-free, they contribute to the cafe in some way – like cleaning the lounge or taking out the trash – and they promise to visit a circle once a week.

Cafe manager Aliyah Bass says the Dover area lacked an accessible, safe space for people wanting to stay clean, but the cafe is changing that.

“They wake up on Friday and they don’t have anywhere to go? We’re open,” Bass said. “We’re open, so we’re going to make sure they’re covered all week long.”

Bass wants to make it clear that the Recovery Café is not a drop-in or treatment center, but a space and resource for long-term support.

Members can get help with things like scheduling doctor’s appointments and finding housing assistance. They can also participate in activities like open mic nights, fitness classes and meditation sessions at the East Division Street facility.

Highmark Health Options and Network Connect are sponsoring the café.

The café is open from 4pm to 9pm on Mondays and Fridays, and from 10am to 3pm on weekends.