Alumna Tammy Gerhard ’92 opens Willimantic coffee shop

Willimantic’s Main Street welcomed a new small business this fall, led by Eastern Connecticut State University alumna Tammy Gerhard ’92. Gerhard and her business partners opened Silk City Coffee, their second specialty coffee shop, with a chamber of commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 21. 

The opening coincided with the nine-year anniversary of Silk City’s flagship location in Manchester. “We’re celebrating a multifaceted business built around excellent products and a commitment to making a positive impact on the communities we serve,” said Gerhard. 

Since its founding in October 2016, Silk City has grown from a neighborhood café and bakery into a full-service roastery with e-commerce and wholesale operations. In 2025, the company earned international recognition, ranking No. 67 on the inaugural list of The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops. 

“Every Main Street deserves an excellent, community-based coffee shop,” Gerhard said during the ceremony, adding that bringing Silk City to Willimantic feels like a homecoming.  

As an Eastern student, she studied psychology and lived in Winthrop Hall — “just a seven-minute walk away,” she recalled. “We couldn’t ask for a better second location. I basically grew up here.” 

Silk City Coffee is located at 869 Main Street, Willimantic.