As you continue to celebrate the new year, one local business here in Erie is celebrating its success and the success of other local businesses.

Tipsy Bean Owner Gisele Littrell said she's looking forward to what 2019 has to offer in this growing trend of small businesses.  

"It seems in the past year that a lot of small cafes have opened up," she said.

Cafes that include Cake Zen and Ember + Forge, both of which opened its doors this year.

Littrell had a vision of turning this space on Peach Street into a coffee shop, and after about two years her vision was finally complete.

"We saw a need in Erie for a really casual environment to enjoy cocktails as well as coffee in an atmosphere other than a bar," she said.

When it comes to this boom in local businesses in Erie this past year, she said she wants to see it continue.

"This is the right time for not only myself but other people who might be interested in starting a small business to really get in on the momentum," Littrell said.