I love my coffee shop

[Scrapr ★]

it's got character(s). I'm at MIL for a few days & go down there in the morning for bagel & coffee. The shop has been around since like 1974. It changed hands in January 2020....and then we all know what happened a few days later. I was very worried they were going to close. The new owner was a barista there & well liked. He pitched in at the counter & he was able to keep the staff together. I have not been in a almost a year (I live about an hour away) 

The floor is a little dirty, some chairs are worn & the kids play area is shut down. There are regulars from the before times & the morning barista/manager is super friendly. Just feels like a neighborhood living room. People bring their small dogs in (sign on the door says no dogs). A group of seniors take a table in the mornings.One grandma brings her grandchild in with her & she has become part of the group before heading off to school. One guy is like a handyman that does odd jobs. You'll hear him lining up jobs at the shop.One homeless(?) guy sleeps in a chair.The manager comes over and rousts him nicely telling him...Bobby, no sleeping.Manager walks away & Bobby goes back to sleep. Lots of SAHM&D bring the kids in for a break.Kids get a treat & parents get some outside time. A couple Cliffs in there loudly mansplaining to anyone that will listen. 

The area/street is getting redeveloped.Several apartment buildings going in.One taco joint across the street went out of business & a Viking soul food place is taking it's place.   Hopefully the new apartments bring in some more customers (and characters) 

I don't get kind of entertainment in the 'burbs

[bikeman564™]

Nice. Sounds like my local bakery. Opened in 1931 and still open today. New owners bought it in 2018 and kept it the same. Still looks like a bakery. Not sure if there were intermediate owners. I don't believe so. The bakery was sold lock stock & barrel. The name, equipment & recipes   Funny story. The woman of the couple that bought it, was a fan of a certain cookie since she was young, and asked if she could have the recipe. The previous owners said that she'd have to buy the bakery. Welp... she did

I stop here almost weekly after a ride for a coffee and cookie or donut of sorts. It's a mile from me. When there, depending on the time, there are older people who hang oot and chat. I like to see that.

 

[shootingstar]

48 minutes ago, Scrapr said:

it's got character(s). I'm at MIL for a few days & go down there in the morning for bagel & coffee. The shop has been around since like 1974. It changed hands in January 2020....and then we all know what happened a few days later. I was very worried they were going to close. The new owner was a barista there & well liked. He pitched in at the counter & he was able to keep the staff together. I have not been in a almost a year (I live about an hour away) 

The floor is a little dirty, some chairs are worn & the kids play area is shut down. There are regulars from the before times & the morning barista/manager is super friendly. Just feels like a neighborhood living room. People bring their small dogs in (sign on the door says no dogs). A group of seniors take a table in the mornings.One grandma brings her grandchild in with her & she has become part of the group before heading off to school. One guy is like a handyman that does odd jobs. You'll hear him lining up jobs at the shop.One homeless(?) guy sleeps in a chair.The manager comes over and rousts him nicely telling him...Bobby, no sleeping.Manager walks away & Bobby goes back to sleep. Lots of SAHM&D bring the kids in for a break.Kids get a treat & parents get some outside time. A couple Cliffs in there loudly mansplaining to anyone that will listen. 

The area/street is getting redeveloped.Several apartment buildings going in.One taco joint across the street went out of business & a Viking soul food place is taking it's place.   Hopefully the new apartments bring in some more customers (and characters) 

I don't get kind of entertainment in the 'burbs

Where I go often, doesn't have that older feel yet.  Owner is originally from Eithopia where he gets his coffee beans from.  There's this huge roaster/grinder in the shop that is used.  When he opened up in early 2020, he must have really struggled to stay afloat.

Now he's built up enough regular customers that I notice and others. There are line-ups during peak hrs.  One of his employees convinced him to set aside 2 tables for chessboard games once a wk. Then once per month for a few hrs., he has local artists set up their stuff per table to sell stuff to walk-in folks.

One can get a samosa or small pastry.  He doesn't offer much additional.

He tells me bluntly that Starbuck's coffee tastes burnt. That's his assessment.  part of Ethiopian culture is drinking slow-brewed coffee  in small ceramic cups. He did offer that but stopped a year ago.

[jsharr ★]

Viking Soul Food?  So do they serve the souls of Vikings or the Vikings eat your soul while you were there?

[bikeman564™]

24 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

Where I go often, doesn't have that older feel yet.  Owner is originally from Eithopia where he gets his coffee beans from.  There's this huge roaster/grinder in the shop that is used.  When he opened up in early 2020, he must have really struggled to stay afloat.

Now he's built up enough regular customers that I notice and others. There are line-ups during peak hrs.  One of his employees convinced him to set aside 2 tables for chessboard games once a wk. Then once per month for a few hrs., he has local artists set up their stuff per table to sell stuff to walk-in folks.

One can get a samosa or small pastry.  He doesn't offer much additional.

He tells me bluntly that Starbuck's coffee tastes burnt. That's his assessment.  part of Ethiopian culture is drinking slow-brewed coffee  in small ceramic cups. He did offer that but stopped a year ago.

Sounds like a nice place I like hearing that a small place can make it.

I've had Ethiopia coffee, bought some beans from Trader Joes. I should go back. It's good tasting. I'm not a fan of Starbucks, but its good. Doesn't taste burnt to me, but I have heard that before.

[Longjohn ★]

12 hours ago, shootingstar said:

He tells me bluntly that Starbuck's coffee tastes burnt.

No shit Sherlock, it is burnt. That’s why most of their customers order the foo foo “coffees” with all the cream, sugar, and other flavors to kill the burnt taste. Not a fan.

[bikeman564™]

Just now, Longjohn said:

No shit Sherlock, it is burnt. That’s why most of their customers order the foo foo “coffees” with all the cream, sugar, and other flavors to kill the burnt taste. Not a fan.

same people who order foo foo drinks at bars

[Razors Edge ★]

1 minute ago, bikeman564™ said:

same people who order foo foo drinks at bars

I really suck in that aspect of life  I'm pretty much looking at a beer list - on tap if possible - first, and will stray into the wine list if at dinner, but even when given a long list of cocktails and mixed drinks, I struggle to find a "foo foo drink" to order.   If on vacation for a while somewhere warm, I do adapt and eventually get my "system" down, but it ain't easy at first.

5 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

No shit Sherlock, it is burnt.

I think they have added a few on the less burnt side of things like their Blond roast?  Not sure, but most of their stuff seems to lean towards that burnt taste, and benefits from cream and sugar to take the edge off.  It works in a pinch, but it's not going to be my go to cup of coffee if given options.  I'm very happy though, that they created the business model that allows smaller (and often better) shops to thrive.  Back when $1 coffee was the norm, it definitely made a local coffee shop a less "attractive" investment for a new business.  Bump that to $3 or $5, and the numbers makes sense for a local place to pop up.

[bikeman564™]

3 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

I really suck in that aspect of life  I'm pretty much looking at a beer list - on tap if possible - first, and will stray into the wine list if at dinner, but even when given a long list of cocktails and mixed drinks, I struggle to find a "foo foo drink" to order.   If on vacation for a while somewhere warm, I do adapt and eventually get my "system" down, but it ain't easy at first.

 

You don't suck. When I'm out I drink beer. Heineken usually, If they have it. I'm easy I've never looked at the drink menu. I've heard people (chicks) ask for it. I'm thinking just look at the bar, see all them boozes? In the event I do drink liquor at a restaurant, it's either a tanqueray & tonic...two limes. Or a bourbon or whisky neat. Again, easy.