Category: coffee

Posted in coffee, Life

Fewer seats, more customers

Posted on by William Douthwaite

After I dropped off my dog at the groomer, I drove by my favorite Starbucks to see if they had re-opened. The store had been closed for remodeling, and the half-full parking lot was a welcome sight. With journal and pen in hand, I looked forward to an hour of coffee, eavesdropping, observation, thinking up story ideas, and doodling.

I actually had two journals with me. The one was just about full with just two blank pages left. The other was freshly unwrapped without a single mark on the pages. I love new journal day! I remember my mom telling me how much she loved cracking open a new notebook, feeling the smooth pages, and anticipating the words and images that would soon fill them. I know exactly how she felt.

Anyway, when I stepped into the redone coffee shop, I noticed a lack of seats. Half of the store was set aside for the baristas. The mobile order pickup area was expansive. One long table with chairs on each side filled the coffee-drinkers’ side. At each end was a table surrounded by a few chairs. A few scattered customers essentially filled the room. There was no place to sit, unless I was comfortable sitting side-by-side with purple-haired macchiato-drinking woman chatting on her phone.

I found a spot to sit outside at one of the ten patio tables. While there, I wondered, “Why did they get rid of so much indoor seating?” I put on my franchise-owner’s hat and came up with a few ideas.

  • Since it was right off the interstate, a lot of this location’s business was drive-thru and mobile orders. More room for more baristas will keep up with demand.
  • Every time I’ve been there, homeless were camped out, nursing a tall coffee for hours. Students occupied tables with laptops and textbooks for hours. Interviewers met with job applicant after job applicant. Fewer seats moves more customers through the store.
  • It was a corporate decision. This is what we want our stores to look like. We’ve never been to your store, but the data says this is the way to go. Live with it.
  • We want people to moan and groan about the change. There is no bad publicity, right? Let’s give the bloggers something to rant about. You have a problem with this? Let’s talk about it over coffee.

By the time I left, the parking lot was full, the mobile order counter was full, and the drive thru line was out to the street. Someone knows what they are doing.

Posted in coffee, Moments of grace

Surprisingly good coffee

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Since my appointment was at four in the afternoon, I didn’t expect to find any drinkable coffee in the waiting area at the dealer where I waited for an oil change and tire rotation. By that time, whatever was in the big pump carafe would be a lukewarm eight-hour old pot of weak brown liquid undeserving of the name “coffee.”

Boy, was I wrong. And I was pleasantly surprised to see a brand new commercial grade Keurig brewer on the counter next to paper cups, creamer, sugar, and a carousel of regular and decaf K-cups. Impressive. It was plumbed so you never had to fill the reservoir with water. A really cool color touch screen let you pick the size and strength of your coffee. I looked around to check and make sure I was in the right place. Yep. Same old uncomfortable chairs. Some of the same magazines and books. Same toys in the corner for kids.

I know I shouldn’t choose my auto mechanic based on the coffee provided in the waiting room. In the same light, you shouldn’t pick a church, a doctor, a hotel, or an airline for the coffee they serve. But when the coffee is good, it makes a difference when you’ll be waiting for a while.

Posted in coffee, Life

Back in the coffee groove

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Ugh, that’s not very good.”

My first sip of morning coffee was disappointing. The brew was weak with a strange taste, not at all what I was expecting. But it was early, my taste buds probably weren’t fully awake yet, and at least it was hot.

Half a cup later, I decided, “I shouldn’t have to put up with this. I’m going to make another cup.” Maybe a rogue coffee pod had found its way into the box of organic dark roast from Sam’s Club, which typically makes a good cup. I dumped the water and filled the reservoir with it with fresh. I washed out my favorite coffee mug, something I admit I don’t do often enough. I made sure I pushed the “strong” button on the coffee maker before the cup size.

And then I thought, “Did I put a new coffee pod in the first time?” Of course I did. I always do. Yet in the early morning darkness with the day’s plans on my mind, was it possible? I looked in the trash can. I didn’t see a used pod in there. You’ve got to be kidding. No wonder it tasted bad. These weren’t designed to be used more than once. I had run water through a day-old used pod. The second cup tasted much better, confirming my theory.

I’ve never done this before. I’m a morning person. I don’t stumble through the dawn into my day. I hit the ground running. But this was our first day back home after a week of travel. I had to brew pots of drip coffee at the Airbnb. The hotels brewed fresh coffee for me in the lobby. I was out of sync.

I’ve got my coffee groove back now.

Posted in coffee, Life

Just a small black coffee…

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

“I’ll just have a small coffee.”

“Any flavors or creamer in that?”

“Nope. Just black.”

I know. Boring. But I like coffee. I like it a lot and I like it straight up. Okay, once in a while I’ll get a latte, but always with an extra shot to up the coffee concentration.

“Here you go, a small coffee.” I made a face when I took my first sip. It tasted good, but it tasted sweet. Well, some coffees have a little sweetness, so I gave it another try.

I said to my wife, “Taste this. Does this taste sweet to you?”

She took one sip and said, “Oh, yes.” She made a face. “Artificial sweetener.”

I hardly ever take anything back at a restaurant or coffee shop. But this day I did. “I think there’s sweetener in this. I just wanted black.” It was no problem. They made me a new cup. Much better.

My wife ordered a latte made with almond milk with just one pump of vanilla. Her typical order, nothing complicated.

After a few sips she lifted the lid and said, “There’s not much milk in here.”

I tried it and said, “That’s not a latte. That’s just coffee with milk in it. A latte is mostly steamed milk.”

She didn’t take her cup back. The poor guy who took our order was either inexperienced or having an off morning. He wasn’t a barista, just a young man working behind the counter. And the pastries were really, really good.

This coffee shop opened up in a rundown area of town in an effort to revitalize the neighborhood. Sponsored by a church, it subsidized many children’s programs, employed people just getting into the work force, and made important faith connections. They started in a bus, traveling from place to place. This permanent location had only been open for a few months. You can check them out here.

Trying out coffee shops has become a new hobby. They are tucked away in strip malls, industrial parks, and the corners of larger stores. With our coffee radar switched on, we’ve discovered many cool places.